₦airaland Forum

By Adejoke Adeleye

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday, visited the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to condole him on the death of his father, Emmanuel Adesanya Abiodun.

But the former president was shocked when Abiodun told him that he is now his father since he lost his dad.

Obasanjo said from the reports reaching him on the late governor’s father, he was a good and responsible man, “that served his family, his community and humanity creditably well.

“We have come to share with you in the grief of missing your loved Dad. From what we know of the life that Baba lived, we believed that he is in safe hands with his Creator and that is very important. That we’ll leave this world so that we can inherit the world after and with our own creator.

“On behalf of myself, my wife the commissioners, we really want to share with you the grief of the demise of your father. May his soul rest in perfect peace. The lesson for each and everyone of us is that one day, we’ll be gone, no matter how well we have lived. What will people say about us after we have gone? He asked.

Obasanjo added that “from what we have heard and what we know of Baba, we can testify that Baba give his life to serve. He gave his life for service of his family, his community, his country and to God.”

The governor in his response disclosed that the former President had been his father over the years, “but, now that my biological father has gone to meet with the saints, you have to step up now to be my father,” Abiodun said.

He further said that the burial arrangements of his late father would be made public later on Sunday.

Rossycee:
What did she say

MizzD:
Lmao

Peace o

A Nigerian university said it was investigating allegations that some of its lecturers have been conducting examinations for students in hotels.

The University of Calabar in Cross River State, Nigeria’s South-south, on August 10, issued a memo to the university community, saying it was launching an investigation into allegations that its lecturers had resorted to conducting examinations at homes and hotels.

Although the memo did not state why a lecturer would abandon the halls on campus and have student(s) sit for exams in hotel, it is believed that sexual and monetary gratification may be a prime motive here.

“Management has information to the effect that lecturers have resorted to giving students scripts to write exams at homes, hotels and relaxation places,” said the memo signed by Michael Okom, a professor and the deputy vice-chancellor in-charge of administration, University of Calabar.

Mr Okom, in the memo, said the university was also investigating allegations of money-for-grade, otherwise called “sorting”, and sex-for-grade, sexual harassment, and extortion.

“Some departments and lecturers have been specifically fingered and investigations have commenced… In fact, they would soon be invited to interact with the Disciplinary Committee,” he said.

The deputy vice-chancellor warned lecturers to desist and repent from “these despicable activities.”

Florence Obi, a professor of special education, is the vice-chancellor of the University of Calabar. She was elected vice-chancellor in September 2020, the first female to be so elected 45 years after the establishment of the university.

Mr Okom told PREMIUM TIMES, Saturday, that Mrs Obi’s administration has a zero tolerance policy against vices like “sorting”, sex-for-grade, and sexual harassment.

He said there have been series of complaints from students against some lecturers.

“The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, has zero tolerance for these vices because even in her inaugural speech she made it clear that she wasn’t going to tolerate them.

“We don’t want that to be mere political statement, we needed to let everyone know that we are very serious about enforcing our zero tolerance policy,” he said.

He said the university’s investigations into the allegations would be thorough and that the school would try and get as much evidence as possible.

The results of the investigation would be made public and lecturers who are culpable would be made to face the law, he said.

The deputy vice-chancellor assured that the identity of students who volunteer information on the allegations would remained concealed.

“It could even be an anonymous report and we are going to investigate and make sure we get the person(s) red-handed, we will use the DSS, we will use our internal security,” he said.

Vice-chancellor’s reaction

Mrs Obi told PREMIUM TIMES she doubts if any of the university lecturers would conduct examinations in hotel. She said she has never had such a case brought to her attention.

She, however, admitted that “sorting” existed in the university. She said she had personally intervened in some cases and forced lecturers to refund money to students.

“In one or two cases, lecturers have written apologies and they have quietly refunded money (taken from students) because these students actually sent text messages to me that they were asked to pay this.

“The lecturers have been cautioned. Let it be that people know that we are going to be hard on them.

“The one of randy lecturers writing exams in hotels, I don’t want to say it’s true. In this my tenure, we have rebranded our answer booklets, we have customised and serialised them. So now, we know that serial number one to 100 belong to so department. It is very inconceivable for people to go out and write exams and bring in the answer booklet. Lecturers are also made to account to all the answer booklets given to them,” she said.

The vice-chancellor said the General Studies courses were hitherto plagued by “sorting”. But that in order to eliminate that, students today write computer-based examinations and their grades are given to them immediately after.

The university runs a centre for gender development to help students fight sexual harassment within and outside the campus, she said.

“Sorting”, sex-for-grade, and sexual harassment are not peculiar to the University of Calabar – this newspaper published a report in 2020 detailing how sexual harassment forces students to quit Nigerian universities.

In the report, a female student shared the experience she had at the Department of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, which forced her to abandon school to learn how to sew dresses.

“On this fateful day, we just finished our exam and we were asked to go back home on the same day. He met me at the school gate and offered to give me a lift to Osogbo from Offa. I didn’t object because they were two in the car already. When we got Erin-Ile, the other man came down.

“When we got to Okuku, he said we have to talk. I questioned him about what we have to talk about again. I even thought it was a bar only for him to drive inside a hotel. He said I should follow him inside and put off his clothes. I started crying…In the room, he was half-naked with his socks on.

“I had to tell a lie that I am a virgin and that there is this traditional rite a suitor is to undergo in our family before deflowering us. If this is not done, anyone who sleeps with us will die.”

DanielAlhassan:
If your husband mistakenly impregnate another woman, while you are still looking For a Child!

What will be your reaction?

President Muhammadu Buhari and members of his delegation to the United Kingdom are to go on isolation after spending about two weeks in London.

This is coming after Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, the UK High Commissioner who was seen in close contact with the President on his arrival at the Airport in London and other members of the embassy staff, reportedly tested positive to COVID-19.

The entire Nigerian High Commission in Central London is reportedly now in complete lockdown for 10 days in observation of UK COVID-19 regulations.

Recall that President Buhari was accompanied on the trip by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of State Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) and Director General of National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, among others.

Responding to The Guardian’s enquiry on the matter, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, explained that the President and members of his delegation would have to go on isolation in line with the guideline for international travels.


“Mr President and all of those on his delegation will isolate in line with NCDC guidelines for international travel. They all tested yesterday (Friday) and will follow up with another test in due course,” the Presidential Spokesman said yesterday.

President Buhari returned to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Friday, after about two weeks break to the United Kingdom.

The President, who left Nigeria on July 26, stayed back in the United Kingdom for a medical check-up after he had participated in the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPR) 2021-2025.

The Summit, co-hosted by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, and the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, brought together Heads of State and Government as well as stakeholders and youth leaders and provided a platform for partners to chart a way forward towards transforming education systems in partner countries, through the exchange of best practices.

Last Thursday, reports had it that President Buhari visited former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, who is said to be recuperating in the United Kingdom.

The alleged corrupt acts of police officers like the suspended Commander of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police, Abba Kyari, are going to further batter the already dwindling image of the Nigeria Police Force if the needed reform doesn’t happen, writes JESUSEGUN ALAGBE

When the phrase, ‘He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon,’ originated in 14th century England, people at the time reportedly had a real and everyday fear of the devil, who was believed to be a tangible physical entity capable of corrupting and tricking humans into wicked ways.

The first form of the proverb was first found in ‘The Squire’s Tale,’ a 1390 book written by Geoffrey Chaucer, an English poet and author who lived from 1340-1400.

In his book, Chaucer wrote, ‘Therfore bihoveth hire a ful long spoon that shal ete with a feend,’ which was later translated to, ‘It well behoves him to take a lengthy spoon who eats with devils.’

The expression was also in common use in the 16th century – for example, in ‘The Tempest,’ a play by English playwright William Shakespeare.

In the play, Stephano, a boisterous and often drunk butler of King Alonso, said of character Caliban, ‘This is a devil, and no monster; I will leave him; I have no long spoon.”

Today, the proverbial saying suggests that if at all someone wants to have dealings with corrupt people, they should be cautious when doing so, or else they may be corrupted into the wicked people’s evil ways. Emphatically, the proverb is considered to be a cautionary warning against being in friendship with corrupt persons.

The expression comes to mind in light of the recent corruption allegations against Abba Kyari, a celebrated police officer and suspended leader of the Intelligence Response Team of the Inspector General of Police.


Involvement with Hushpuppi

According to the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, it appeared Kyari had long been dining with alleged infamous cyber fraudster, Ramon Abbas, also known as ‘Hushpuppi’ and other names like ‘Billionaire Gucci Master.’

Hushpuppi, who is currently facing charges of money laundering levelled against him by the United States Government after his arrest in Dubai in 2020, implicated Kyari as a party to an international scheme to defraud a Qatari businessman and school founder and then launder over $1.1m (N452.7m) in illicit proceeds.

A 69-page court document by the United States District Court for the Central District of California dated February 12, 2021, alleged that Hushpuppi paid $20,600 (N8.5m) to Kyari to arrest and detain a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Kelly Vincent over a disagreement on the sharing of proceeds of the crime.

The court document alleged that Kyari sent Hushpuppi’s account details into which he could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment.

“Kyari provided the account information for a bank account at a Nigerian bank, Zenith Bank, in the name of a person other than Kyari himself,” page 59, item 145 of the document read.

A report by online news medium Peoples Gazette also highlighted how Kyari allegedly travelled to Dubai on the invitation of Hushpuppi and was treated to a good time with airport pickup, luxury hotel accommodation and city tour.

Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, has debunked the allegations levelled against him by the FBI, but the United States Department of Justice has issued a warrant of arrest and ordered his extradition to the US for questioning.

The extradition has yet to be done. However, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, recomended the suspension of Kyari to the Police Service Commission and ordered an investigation into the allegations against him. The PSC accepted the IG’s recommendation immediately,

Kyari’s interrogation is being carried out by the Special Investigation Panel, headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike.


Need for police reform

Although some analysts are seeing a silver lining based on the fact that rather than the usual official cover-up, the police suspended and are investigating a top police official like Kyari, some commentators said the Kyari saga had shown the need for better police reform.

“Whatever Nigeria’s reputation, that of the police is poor, both at home and abroad. Among Nigerians, the police are a byword for corruption – grand and petty – and harassment, especially of the poor,” a former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, and a Research Associate at Africa Policy Studies, Nolan Quinn, co-wrote for the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank based in Washington, DC.

Campbell and Quinn noted that anti-police sentiment boiled over during the #EndSARS protests against the notoriously brutal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, for which Kyari formerly served as the officer-in-charge.

In the middle of the protest, the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), promised police reform to address the alleged corruption in the Nigeria Police Force.

But, according to Campbell and Quinn, “…there has been little evidence.”

“However, the investigation of Kyari could be a hopeful sign,” they said.

Also, the President, Initiative for Global Change, Lagos, Mr David Owaboye, said if the allegations against Kyari were found to be true, it could further erode the image of the police, hence the need for reform.

He said, “Abba Kyari’s case came as a surprise to many, bearing in mind that this was a ‘super cop’– crime-fighter who has made a ‘name’ for himself with an ‘enviable’ record in crime-fighting that mere mentioning his name sent jitters down the spine of criminals.

“So, even being mentioned alongside Hushpuppi, who has pleaded guilty to multimillion-dollar fraud charges by the US government, was absolute absurdity!

“He was called a super cop and ‘top-notch’ crime-fighter – one of the best in the country, if not the best. So for him to be even alleged to be involved in such a shameful act is a slap on the police uniform, the Nigerian security network and the nation at large.”

Owaboye added, “The fact that it was the US authorities who indicted him (.Kyari) as part of the Hushpuppi syndicate is depressing and is not looking good because one thing is certain: the FBI would have done its homework very well before coming up with Kyari’s name as they cannot afford to make mistakes and face the charge of defamation of character.


“If at the end of the day, the whole allegation turns out to be true, it would be a big shame on our security agencies, especially on the issue of trust that the people we entrusted our lives into failed us.”

Also, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Reuben Abati, said in a recent article that Kyari’s alleged involvement with Hushpuppi signalled negativity for the police and Nigeria, stating why reform was needed.

He said, “Whatever anyone may say, this is not good for the country’s image. Ordinarily, Nigeria has been labelled a prolific source of potential or actual fraudsters, even when this same country has produced some of the brightest and most accomplished persons in all fields of human endeavour. Few foreigners give us the benefit of the doubt.

“What has happened to DCP Kyari is also not good for the image of the Nigeria Police. Even before the October 2020 #EndSARS protests, the average Nigerian policeman was routinely criticised for bribe collection, brutality and abuse of human rights. It is for this reason that Kyari may not have too many people out there who are ready to sympathise with him.

“Since the FBI incident, there have been remarks not just about Kyari but also about the Nigeria Police Force…It is enough to insist that nothing should be swept under the carpet and that due process must be strictly followed.”

Also calling for police reform in light of the Hushpuppi-Kyari case, a lawyer and social commentator based in Abuja, Mrs Oluyemisi Folorunso, told our correspondent that now was the time for the Nigeria Police Force to carry out wide-ranging reforms.

She said, “In October last year, perhaps thousands of Nigerian youths took to the street to demand an end to police corruption, which President Buhari agreed to do. But since then, we have not heard much about any concrete actions being taken to make the reform happen.

“I think the failure of the government and the police to reform the police means no changes are going to be seen. But maybe in light of Kyari’s case, there will be actions taken, especially when it is the US that indicted the police officer.

“When the people demand police reform, they want to see a police system devoid of corrupt elements. The people want to see officers being paid decent salaries and living in good apartments and not some rundown barracks.

“Police reform means giving adequate training to the officers and equipping them with the tools to fight crime. Without all these, we will see more of policemen who would collude with the criminals they are supposed to fight. This is not the Nigeria we dream of!”

However, while calls for police reform seem to be perpetual, an Africa-focused research and consulting firm, SB Morgen, in a report last December doubted whether the Federal Government had the will to make it happen.

The Federal Government had established the Presidential Panel on Police Reform following the #EndSARS protests. But SBM threw into doubt the capacity of the Federal Government to drive the police reform.

“Police reform will not be achieved because reform costs money and political will, both of which the Federal Government lacks,” the Head of Research, SBM, Ikemesit Effiong, said.

Liam O’Shea, a Dinam Fellow at the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, argued that police reform could only happen when done in partnership with civil society organisations.

O’Shea, previously a Governance and Programmes Advisor at the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, stated this in a piece on Medium titled, ‘Nigerian police reform: Five key measures and why civil society is key to achieving them.

He said, “Ultimately, reform of the police can only happen where there is political will. Within their policy toolkit, donors tend to prefer diplomatic and government-to-government technical assistance. However, serious consideration needs to be given to supporting civil society given the profound political impact civil society organisations can have.

“Civil society also provides the ideas and concepts for reformers to draw from, helping to generate public support, build alliances and work with interior ministries to instigate change. From a donor perspective, another key advantage of supporting local civil society actors is that they have a strong political understanding of police practices and are in for the long haul.”

“Supporting civil society is no ‘magic band-aid.’ Political pressure and technical assistance remain important. But reform moments such as those in Nigeria are rare and if they are to be seized to generate sustainable, deep reform effectively buttressing local civil society is vital,” O’Shea added.

In today's Saturday Tribune/Peoples Gazette column, I unpack five major myths and falsehoods about Muhammadu Buhari. Number 5 may surprise you. Enjoy:

Top 5 Lies about Buhari That Won’t Go Away
By Farooq A. Kperogi
Twitter: @farooqkperogi

Muhammadu Buhari is a magnet for both extravagantly flattering myths and stubborn falsehoods. Here are the top five:

1. Muhammadu Buhari’s very name is wrapped in a curious omission. In most parts of the world, people’s last names are usually either their family name or their father’s first name. Not for Buhari.

Muhammadu (which his teachers spelled as “Mohamed” when he was in secondary school) is his first given name and Buhari is his middle name, not his surname. He was named after prolific ninth-century Persian Hadith compiler by the name of Muhammad al-Bukhari who was born in a city called Bukhara in what is now Uzbekistan.

Bukhari isn’t a personal given name; it’s a demonym, that is, a name given to people who come from a particular place, such as Nigerian, Briton, American, Lagosian, New Yorker, etc. Bukhari simply means a native of the city of Bukhara in Uzbekistan, a West Asian nation that used to be a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

In Muslim and Middle Eastern linguistic traditions, the letter “i” is usually added to the end of the names of villages, towns, cities, and countries to form demonyms. That’s why someone from Pakistan is called a Pakistani, someone from Israel is called an Israeli, someone from the UAE is called an Emirati, and so on. If the demonym of Bukhara were to be given in Hausa, it would be Danbuhara. In Yoruba, it would be Omobuhara. In my native Baatonu, it would be Buharagi. (My last name, Kperogi, is a demonym, and it means someone from Kperu, the short form of my hometown’s name, Senru Kperu, but which Yoruba people call Okuta).

So how did Muhammadu Buhari come to be known by his names? Because of the immense reverence that Muhammad al-Bukhari enjoys among Sunni Muslims, Muslims have historically honored him by naming their children after him, so instead of just calling them Bukhari (which they may literally not be since they may not be natives of Bukhara in Uzbekistan), they typically combine the man’s first and last names: Muhammad Bukhari.

Most Nigerian languages, including Hausa, don’t have the phoneme “kh,” which sounds almost exactly like the sound you produce when you are discharging mucus from your throat. The closest phonemic approximation of that sound is “h,” which explains why “Bukhari” is rendered as “Buhari” in many African languages.

Our Muhammadu Buhari doesn’t bear his father’s name even though he is so proud of his paternal ancestry that he gratuitously flaunts it. For instance, in his October 18, 1961 “Application to sit for RNA Qualifying Examination,” he called attention to his ethnic identity even when it wasn’t warranted. “I have the honour to apply for regular service in the Royal Nigeria Army. My name is Muhammadu Buhari and I am a Fulani. I am eighteen years old and I am in Form Six at the Provincial Secondary School Katsina,” he wrote.

Buhari’s father who gave him the Fulani bloodline he brandishes (his mother is Kanuri) was called Adamu Bafallaje (or Bafalle in Hausa). In fact, Buhari’s older brother who died in a car crash in the late 1980s and whose Buhari-lookalike son, Fatuhu Muhammad, represents the Daura/Sandamu/MaiAdua federal constituency in the House of Representative was called Mamman Danbafalle. (Danbafalle means son of Bafalle in Hausa, and Mamman is the Hausa domestication of Muhammad. It’s common in Muslim families to have many siblings named Muhammad, but they’re often differentiated with their middle names).

2. If you ask most Nigerians where Buhari is from, they will most likely say he’s from Daura. But he is not. His hometown, by which I mean the town where he was born and where his father lived and died, is called Dumurkul. It’s a sleepy roadside village in Katsina’s Maiadua Local Government Area, which is about three kilometers from Daura and about five kilometers from the last village in the Niger-Nigeria border.

A March 16, 2019 Daily Trust report on the village said Dumurkul is a Fulfulde word, which means “‘settlement for herders’, especially for those who stay for at least a year.” After his father’s death when he was little, Buhari lived with his mother’s Kanuri relatives in Daura and adopted the town as his hometown.

But he hasn’t severed his umbilical cord from Dumurkul. During this year’s Sallah festivities in July, his nephew and PA, Musa Haro, was knighted (or “turbaned”) as the Hakimi (or district head) of Dumurkul even though the village wasn’t officially a district.

In order to reconcile the contradiction of making someone a district head of a non-existent district, on July 27, 2021, Buhari’s village was mysteriously upgraded to a “district” and taken out of Koza District of which it was a village after “an emergency plenary to consider the request from Governor Aminu Bello Masari” was convened!

3. The notion that Buhari is ascetic is another lie that has refused to go away. Ascetics practice such self-denying habits as sartorial modesty, resisting lascivious temptations, shunning epicurean indulgences like drinking and smoking, etc. But Buhari has always been a flamboyant dresser and, until recently, a smoker, drinker, and a philanderer—like most everyday people.

In Dele Sobowale's book titled Letting a Thousand Flowers Bloom (Ibrahim B. Babangida 1985 – 1992), Buhari’s past notoriety for unrestrained libidinal impulses was described this way: “He must have been some sort of a sexual athlete. One officer who served with him in two stations had this to say: ‘You can leave your money, bottle of hot drinks or packets of cigarettes with Buhari, go away for several months and return and find nothing would be missing. But leave your girlfriend or sister with him and you might return to find her pregnant.’ That might be an exaggeration but he had that reputation.”

As the reader can see, even in describing his sexual indiscretions, this quote couldn’t help but perpetuate the lie that Buhari didn’t smoke or drink. There are public photos of Buhari smoking and people who are close to him said he drank alcohol on the sly.

4. That Buhari is a brutal, uncompromising, ethically untainted truth teller is another enduring lie about him that appears to be nourished by his taciturnity. But he has told many big lies in the open. As a military dictator in the mid-1980s, he said Nigeria was the only country we had and that we should all stay in it to salvage it, but by his own admission he had never trusted the Nigerian healthcare system to take care of his health since 1977. He had always gone to London for his medical needs and is in London as I write this.

In 2014, he lied that he was too poor to afford his own presidential nomination form and had to take a loan from a bank. A few months later, however, in a ridiculously opaque, half-hearted asset declaration, his spokesperson said Buhari had “not less than 30 million naira” in his account (even N100 billion naira is “not less than 30 million naira”!) without explaining how someone who couldn’t afford a N25 million-naira nomination form in October 2014 suddenly had “not less than 30 million” when he took over power in May 2015.

Also recall that at the time he claimed to be too poor to afford his nomination form, several of his children were studying at UK universities whose tuition costs add up to tens of millions of naira.

Plus, as Petroleum Minister in 1977, he couldn’t account for $2.8 billion, which the legendary Fela sang about. And a probe of PTF, which he headed, showed that he squandered N135 billion. Newswatch’s report of the probe revealed that N500 million mysteriously disappeared from the coffers of the agency. It also showed that Buhari used N800 million on his “personal estate” and used N28 billion to buy “expired HIV/AIDS kits.”

5. It is now widely believed that Buhari has no school certificate, but he does, and it isn’t fake. One of Buhari’s surviving classmates in Katsina (who, by the way, doesn’t like him) swore that Buhari did take and pass his West African School Certificate. Although I had no reason to question the authenticity of his claim, the late Abba Kyari caused Cambridge Assessment, which administered the WASC exam in Nigeria in 1961, to release Buhari’s result.

He had 5 credits in the following subjects: English (C5), History (A3), Geography (C6), Hausa (C5) and Health Science (C6). He also had a P7 in English Literature. His grade in Mathematics didn’t show in his certificate because he got an F9 in it. That was a great result for the time—and even now. He could have gone to the university with the result if he wasn’t in a hurry to enroll in the military while he was awaiting his WASC exam result.

Correction:
In number 2, I initially stated that Buhari was turbaned the Hakimi of Dumurkul in July this year. I've corrected it to state that it was Buhari's nephew and PA, Musa Haro, who was turbaned Hakimin Dumurkul. I apologize for the mix-up.

A coalition of Northern groups under the auspices of Conference of Authoctonous Ethnic Nationalities Communities Development Associations (CONAECDA) has vowed to repel further attacks and killings in their region by murderous herdsmen.

The organisation has a coalition of 400 indigenous groups spread across 15 Northern states.

The coalition on Thursday vowed to put an end to wanton killings and all forms of criminalities in the North.

The statement was made at a press conference in Jos on Thursday, by the Secretary-General of the group, Suleman Sukukum.

Sukukum noted that the region had suffered the worst forms of criminality in the hands of herdsmen including kidnapping for ransom, trade in human flesh and parts, human trafficking, and sex slavery, banditry and cattle rustling with the government doing little or nothing to put an end to it.

He said, “Millions are displaced with over 1.5 million in Benue State alone. Thousands of women are raped with over 700 women in Kebbi State alone; thousands of houses have been destroyed with over 2,500 homes in Irigwe land alone between 2nd and 12th of August.

“Our girls are being trafficked because they are internally displaced. Our ability to farm, attend school and carry out our legitimate businesses is being denied by these terrorist activities.

“Our experience indicates a weakness in the level of engagement and sincerity of public officials in dealing with these issues; the role of corruption and the failure of our security system to use information or Intel in responding on time and adequately to various early warning signals.

“We have also observed with certainty that some public figures, while embarrassed by the security and humanitarian situation, prefer to white-wash or deny the extent and impact of the crisis rather than act decisively in addressing the relevant issues.

“As stakeholders in the Nigerian society and leaders of the over 400 indigenous communities of Central and Northern Nigeria, we are key stakeholders in the Nigerian Project and must play our part in addressing these national issues.

“The CONAECDA conference had decided to immediately commence a project to secure, reconstruct and protects such communities. We, therefore, use this occasion to notify all trespassers and occupiers of our communities that we are coming after them and shall recover through every legitimate means our communities and lands.”

TWO weeks after been discharged and acquitted by a Kaduna State High Court, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria popularly known as Shiites, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakazaky, and his wife, Zeenah, have yet to travel abroad for medical treatment as their international passports were still being held by security agencies, The PUNCH learnt on Thursday.

During a press conference in Abuja, a socio-cultural organisation, the Concerned Abuja Residents, said releasing their passports for their medical trip overseas would “sustain the calm and peace which have since their release returned to Abuja”.

The text of the press conference read by the Chairman of CAR, Danjuma Ayide, was titled, ‘Sheikh Zakzaky’s release commendable and an Abuja’s breath of fresh air’.

According to him, reports have indicated that their health conditions have deteriorated and as such needed to travel overseas for treatment.

Ayide said, “On behalf of the Concerned Abuja Residents, I wish to express our happiness over the Kaduna State High Court judgement delivered on July 28, 2021.

“However, our felicity has been given short shrift by the reliable piece of information to which we are privy, that Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife were flown to Abuja after their release in the hope of jetting off for the treatment of their deteriorating health conditions, especially in an ultra-modern medical facility; and that the only obstacle to the wish of travelling overseas for medication is the inability receive their international passports and other necessary documents.

“We call on the Federal Government to help facilitate this as we seriously fear the return of protests to Abuja.

“We urge the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari’s auspices to release the passports of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife to enable them to travel to the hospital of their choice.”

There is crisis in the Osun State chapter of the South-West’s security network, popularly known as Amotekun, over the mismanagement of over N29million given to the outfit.

Already, the local hunters in the state had pulled out of the security outfit, alleging financial impropriety.

Nurein Hammed, the state Coordinator of the hunters, under the umbrella of the Hunters Group of Nigeria, addressed newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday.

According to Vanguard, Hammed said its members jointly agreed they were short-changed to the tune of N29million by the Osun Amotekun’s leadership during and after last year’s lockdown in the state.

While demanding for the outstanding balance, he said the group was committed to ensuring adequate security of lives and property of the state, but could not operate under the present leadership of Amotekun in the state.

“We are unequivocally committed to working with other security agencies to protect the state against criminals. We swore on oath to do that but we cannot work with Amotekun to achieve those objectives.

“During the lockdown that was necessitated by Covid-19 pandemic and the EndSARS protest, we mounted several border patrol, as well as maintain peace across the state.

“Eventually, the state government released N44million to pay our personnel for the services as Amotekun ad hoc staff. But we only got N15million. The then leader is still within the present leadership and we cannot trust the leadership to work towards the same objective with us because they are not under traditional oath as us,” he said.

Efforts to get a reaction of Amotekun Corps Commandant in the state, Brigadier-General Bashir Adewinmbi, proved abortive.

He neither picked calls to his phone line nor responded to a text message sent to him on the incident.

The four major airports in Nigeria located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano were not designed as international facilities, the Federal Government said on Tuesday.

Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said this was why the facilities had been put up for concession, adding that the airports were operating below expectations.

Sirika disclosed this at a stakeholders’ webinar during his presentation on Nigerian Airport Concession Strategy.

In June, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government had put up the Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano airports for concession for a minimum of 20 years.

It provided the explanation in a document on frequently asked questions about airport concession released by the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

In a document on the status of the road map/public private partnership projects concession of airports made available to our correspondent, the government named the airports/parts that were up for concession.

They include the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos: international and cargo terminals; and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja: international, domestic and cargo terminals.

Others include the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt: international, domestic and cargo terminals; and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano: international, domestic and cargo terminals.

Speaking on the objectives of the concession project at the webinar on Tuesday, Sirika said, “The airports in Nigeria are currently operating in a suboptimal environment, most notably due to factors that will have to be improved as part of the public private partnership programme.”

He stated that there was an urgent need for infrastructure investments and modernisation as all airports required investments in runway maintenance, navigation aids as well as terminal facilities.

The minister said, “There is relatively low asset utilisation due to the limited opening hours of other smaller Nigerian airports; lack of terminal capacity as the airports fall short of gates, stands and check-in desks.

“The airports have not been designed as international hubs but operate separate international and domestic terminals.”

On transaction advisers for the project, Sirika named them to include Infrata, Dentons, Proserve, Ciena, and Templars, describing them as reputable firms that would advise the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

He said the concessionaires would provide the investment required to upgrade the existing terminals, take over the new terminals and maintain them over a period of time to be determined based on financial assessment of each transaction.

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a herdsman, who identified himself simply as Mohammed, in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of the state, lurking in the forest with AK-47 rifle.

The police said on Wednesday that Mohammed was arrested on Tuesday, following an intelligence report that “young Fulani boys were sighted” in the area wielding the rifle.

Upon the information, the police detectives stormed the scene and found Mohammed hiding in the bush and reputedly planning a kidnap operation.

In a release, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said, “The operatives of the Ogun State Police command on Tuesday apprehended a herdsman who simply identified himself as Mohammed, with one AK-47 rifle.

“The suspect was arrested following information received by the Imeko divisional headquarters, that two young Fulani boys were sighted at the Christ Apostolic Church, Oha forest, Iwoye Ketu in the Imeko Afon LGA an AK-47 rifle.

“On receiving the information, the Divisional Police Officer mobilised his men, other stakeholders like the hunters, vigilantes and stormed the said forest. After hours of combing the forest, one Mohammed was seen hiding in the bush with one AK-47 rifle and he was arrested.

“The arrested armed boy is strongly suspected to be member of kidnap syndicates who have been terrorising the area for quite some time now. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect.”

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has described as unfortunate President Muhammadu Buhari regime’s reimposition of VAT on cooking gas, warning that Nigerians may have to up to N10,000 to buy a cylinder of cooking gas.

The marketers appealed to Mr Buhari’s regime to reconsider the imposition of VAT on imported LPG in the country. Bassey Essien, NALPGAM’s executive secretary, appealed on Wednesday in Lagos.

The regime had in 2019 gazetted the removal of VAT on LPG, also known as cooking gas, as a product to increase its domestic utilisation. Mr Essien said the policy’s reintroduction would further increase the prices of cooking gas across the country.

“It is unfortunate that the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Federal Ministry of Finance have gone to resuscitate a product that has been exempted and gazetted from VAT,” said Mr Essien. “This was gazetted in 2019 and has encouraged domestic gas utilisation.

“Nigerians are already complaining about the prices of cooking gas across the country, and this would further worsen the situation.’’

He noted that while the government was desirous of expanding its revenue base, it should also consider the impact the reintroduction of VAT on the importation of LPG would have in the country.

“However,” he warned, “this goal will be defeated if cooking gas goes out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians due to the current increment in prices of the commodity.”

He mentioned that the price of a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas cost about N6,500, sold “for about N4,000 averagely a few months back.’’

He also noted that more than one million metric tonnes of gas were consumed by Nigerians in 2020, with about 60 per cent of the product imported by marketers. “We import to augment the 350,000MT allocated to the domestic market by the Nigerian LNG Company Limited,” added Mr Essien.

NALPGAM’s executive secretary insisted that charging VAT on LPG “simply means that Nigerians will pay more, and if we go on this route, the price of 12.5kg might hit N10,000 in some parts of the country by December.’’

He noted that some cooking gas users were gradually reverting to using kerosene stoves and firewood with the attendant health implications.

However, Sarki Auwalu, the Department of Petroleum Resources director, said the government reimposed VAT on imported LPG to attract investments to local gas production.

“For me personally, I wouldn’t like us to be importing LPG. This is a country that has over 600TCF of gas. We have proven reserves of 206TCF,” Mr Auwalu pointed out. “If you allow LPG to be imported without any restriction, it means you are not giving opportunity for upstream investors that will drill and get this gas.”

According to him, removing 7.5 per cent VAT on LPG importation discourages potential investors in the upstream sector, which transcends to double losses for the government.

“Government is losing through VAT and losing investors, which are double jeopardy. So for us, it is a policy to encourage the inflow of investment in the gas sector,’’ he said.

(NAN)

The immediate past Delta State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor, has divorced his wife, Joan Onyeamachi Mrakpor.

Joan Onyeamachi Mrakpor, a former Delta State house of Assembly and former House of Representatives member and the ex-Attorney General, Peter Mrakpor, had legalised their marriage in 2010.

SaharaReporters gathered that the marriage produced triplets (all girls), while two children, a boy and a girl, earlier had by Joan Onyeamachi Mrakpor, who is the current Director General, (DG), Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, were adopted by Mrakpor as his own children.

SaharaReporters learnt that the couple's breakup was connected to the 2023 governorship election where the past Attorney-General who hails from Delta Central senatorial district of the state is said to be eyeing the governor's seat while his estranged wife who hails from Delta North senatorial district is said to be eyeing the deputy governor's position.

Sources close to the divorced couple however disclosed that, the estranged wife had allegedly warned her ex-husband, Mrakpor, to drop his governorship ambition.

Confirming the divorce, in a statement signed by Akpovoke Otiti, Media Assistant to Peter Mrakpor, the ex-commissioner stated that his marriage with Joan broke down in July 2020 due to what he described as "Irreconcilable behavioural patterns".

According to Mrakpor, he had instructed his solicitor to commence legal proceedings to formally dissolve the said failed marriage.

"It is pertinent to state that the marriage between Dr. Peter Adogbejire Mrakpor (SAN) and Honourable Joan Onyeamachi Mrakpor (nee Ugbah) broke down finally in July 2020 due to irreconcilable behavioural patterns."

Peter Mrakpor debunked social media reports, alleging that he had an illicit affair with the sister of his estranged wife which produced a child, describing the allegations as "false, satanic and a calculated attempt to destroy my hard-earned reputation."

"My attention has been drawn to publications on Facebook and other social media platforms about a purported pregnancy/child delivery for me by a member of the Ugbah family of Ubulu-Uku, Delta State, alleged to be a sister to Hon. Joan Onyeamachi Mrakpor (nee Ugbah).

"The allegation is total false; no person is pregnant for me or has a child for me as falsely alleged by a desperate group of disgruntled politicians and enemies. I have instructed my solicitors to commence legal proceedings against any further publications about such evil allegation,” Mrakpor stated.

Members of the Progressives Governors Forum, who met in Abuja, late on Sunday, failed to reach an agreement on what to do about the proposal to ease out their colleagues holding party positions, The PUNCH has learnt.

It was gathered in Abuja, on Monday that the meeting which was held at the Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, was punctuated by words of caution by a governor from the North Central who urged his colleagues not to celebrate the Supreme Court judgment on the Ondo Governorship matter yet.

A source privy to the meeting who pleaded anonymity because he was not mandated to speak to the media on what has been discussed, said, “We only agreed to wait for the return of Mr. President before taking a final decision.”

While giving an insight into what transpired, the source said, “A governor of one of the states in the North Central cautioned the party against playing politics with the Supreme Court judgement which he described as a booby trap.

“The governor warned that the party could ill afford to give the opposition a legal technicality to deal a huge blow on the party’s electoral fortunes. He cited the cases of Zamfara and Bayelsa to back up his claim.”

The source further said, “Based on the judgement, the governor aligned with the position of Vice President Osinbajo and other party leaders who are accomplished lawyers in their own rights who advised that we tarry a while because as a party, we may be walking into a booby trap by allowing governors hold party positions while still serving.

“Apart from the legality or otherwise, there is also the moral question

“Another issue which was discussed was the fate of the recently held congresses. There were complaints against the consensus arrangement which did not go as planned in some states.

“There was also the case of whether in the light of the Supreme Court judgment we were right to go ahead in the first place.

“Some of the governors in attendance weren’t comfortable with these issues. So, in the interest of peace, it was agreed that we all wait for the President who is expected back into the country on Thursday.

Recall, based on the legal advice of the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the party went ahead with the ward congresses.

This was against earlier advice by the party’s former national legal adviser, Muiz Banire (SAN) and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN) against doing so.

Meanwhile, security was on Monday beefed up around the party’s national secretariat following security reports that those opposed to the conduct of last Saturday’s ward congresses were planning to stage a protest.

Two police patrol vans with a dozen armed policemen were stationed along Blantyre Street where the party secretariat is located.

Confirming the development, National Secretary of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe said, “The police is here to strengthen the leadership of the Governor Buni, -led caretaker committee.

“What do I mean by that? Whenever you read a security situation, whenever we are privy to a security report, it is incumbent on our part to strengthen the Secretariat so that we can protect the lives and property of APC members.

“We have a security report, we can’t take laws into our hands, you can’t expect us to call thugs to defend the national secretariat. The right thing to do is to inform the police and the SSS that they may know that so, so thing has happened.”

The federal high court in Port Harcourt has issued an order restraining the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from collecting value-added tax (VAT) and personal income tax (PIT) in Rivers state.

In its ruling on Monday, the court directed the Rivers state government to take charge of the collection.

Rivers state government (plaintiff) had filed a case, with suit No. FHC/PH/CS/149/2020, against the FIRS (first defendant) and the attorney general of the federation (second defendant) over demands, threats and intimidation of the state residents to pay PIT and VAT by the tax agency.

The state government had sought 11 reliefs from the court. These include a declaration that the power of the federal government to delegate the collection of taxes can only be exercised by the state government or other authority of the state and no other person according to provisions in Part II (concurrent legislative list) of the Second Schedule of the 1999 constitution as amended.

The court, presided by Justice Stephen Pam, dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the suit and as such the case should be transferred to the court of appeal for interpretation.

Pam said that after a diligent review of the issues raised by both the plaintiff and the defendants, the plaintiff has proven beyond doubt that it is entitled to all the 11 reliefs it sought in the suit.

He, therefore, granted all the reliefs sought for by the state, explaining that there is no constitutional basis for FIRS to demand and collect VAT, withholding tax, education tax and technology levy in Rivers state or any other state of the federation.

The court further declared that the defendants are not constitutionally entitled to charge or impose levies, charges or rates (under any guise or by whatever name called) on the residents of Rivers state and any state of the federation.

Popuar Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has said that the embattled former head of the Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), DCP Abba Kyari, will face trial no matter how long it takes.

Recall that Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, also known as Hushpuppi, had alleged that he bribed Kyari to arrest someone who outsmarted him in a $1.1 million scam, an allegation the police officer denied.

A US court had issued a warrant of arrest for Kyari over his alleged involvement in the $1.1 million fraud committed by Hushpuppi.

The indictment by the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) led to Kyari’s suspension from the Force by the Police Service Commission (PSC).

The police had also set up a panel to probe Kyari while he was replaced as head of the Intelligence Response Team of the force.

Falana said the US government will make Kyari stand trial no matter how long it takes

He said Kyari has been above the law in Nigeria for a very long time, following several complaints against the embattled supercop.

Falana said that a government that engaged in “gangsterism” while dealing with secessionists wants to follow due process in Kyari’s case.

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and other Arewa Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have demanded a review of the suspension of DCP Abba Kyari.

The Police Service Commission had suspended Kyari following his indictment by the FBI.

The FBI had alleged that suspected billionaire fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, paid a bribe to Kyari, an allegation the police officer denied.

The police had set up a panel to probe Kyari while he was replaced as head of the Intelligence Response team of the force.

At its meeting on Sunday, the coalition demanded an immediate transfer of Kyari’s case to the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The communique read to journalists at the end of the meeting on Sunday said the joint CNG, CSOs and NGOs meeting was called out of concern about the deteriorating security situation and other threats to education and personal integrity and liberty of eminent northerners.

Reading the communique signed by leaders of CNG and eight other organizations, the CNG spokesman, Abdulazeez Sulieman, said the Roundtable deliberated primarily on three key issues that involve Abba Kyari/FBI saga, current security challenges and voter registration apathy.

Suleiman stated that both the FBI and the Nigerian Police authority have outrightly breached Kyari’s fundamental right to fair hearing by not allowing him the benefit of being heard before the “hasty actions against him”.

According to them, “Participants at the roundtable critically reviewed the events that have unfolded since the reports of a purported indictment of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari by a United States Court for involvement in charges filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) against a suspected fraudster, Ramon Abbas Hushpuppi.

“The Roundtable specifically noted several procedural lapses bordering on breaches of international protocol in the supposed FBI attempt to wrap DCP Kyari in the Hushpuppi affair, as well as the obvious haste by the Nigeria Police authorities to strip him of his position with an immediate replacement.

“That the FBI, an acclaimed American security agency, might invariably have breached the global standard legal and diplomatic practice by neglecting to contact either the Nigerian High Commission in the US or the Nigerian authorities through the FBI liaison offices based in Nigeria before going ahead to file an indictment of a top Nigerian Security Officer.

“That the FBI might have breached another fundamental criminal justice procedure by not according Mr Kyari the benefit of being heard before going ahead with the purported indictment by an American Court in the US for an offence purportedly committed in Nigeria, triable under Nigerian laws, by Nigerian courts and on Nigerian land.

“A breach of decorum and negligence of procedure might have also occurred when the FBI hurriedly published the purported indictment online without first intimating the Nigerian authorities.

“The Roundtable also raised questions on the apparent haste with which Kyari was suspended and an immediate substantive replacement named by the Nigerian police authorities, an outright breach of Mr Kyari’s fundamental right to fair hearing by both the FBI and the Nigerian police authorities by not allowing him the benefit of being heard before the hasty actions against him, the groups said.

Chief Martin Onovo, a seasoned activist, was the 2015 presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) and currently Head, Policy Positions, the Movement for Fundamental Change (MFC). In this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU, he spoke on the security situation in the country and the allegations against DCP Abba Kyari, the coming Anambra State governorship election, and the recently held local government election in Lagos State, among other crucial issues. Excerpt:

What is your take on the recent corruption allegations against DCP Abba Kyari and what it tells of the current political system in the country?

All insightful analysts knew that the image of Abba Kyari was phantasmagorical. It was similar to that of Ibrahim Magu. These guys are products of our rotten Nigeria Police Force and they played the games. The Police in Nigeria was determined by a Nigerian anti-corruption survey to be one of the most corrupt institutions in Nigeria. The same Nigerian Police was rated by the World Internal Security and Police Index as the worst police organisation in the whole world. Such corrupt organisations destroy ethical, diligent, and competent officers while celebrating corrupt officers.


The security situation in the country has continued to deteriorate not minding all the assurances and promises by both the Federal Government and security chiefs. What is your take on this?

More individuals and organisations now agree that the ruling party is the direct sponsor of insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria. We know very clearly that the Fulani terrorists in Nigeria were brought in from Mali, Sierra Leone, etc., by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2015 elections as was confessed by Alhaji Kawu Baraje, former APC leading national chieftain. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo previously declared: “Fulanisation, Islamisation Agenda Going On In Nigeria”. We know that Nigerian security forces know exactly where the terrorists are camped as confirmed by Sheik Ahmad Gumi. We know that, “The Armed Forces are not neutral. They are conniving with the armed bandits that are killing people,” as concluded by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma. We know that a herdsman arrested in Plateau State was armed with a Nigerian military rifle as confirmed by Police. Further, the Police gave the rifle number as HC2614. We also know that, the herdsmen repelled and captured in Ogoja had rifles from the Nigeria Army barracks in Ogoja as confirmed by Col. Nyiam (rtd). Remember that His Excellency, Ayo Fayose insisted that, the Federal Government is now the employer and defender of terrorists. According to His Excellency, Jonah Jang, “What is happening is not a secret; people are being brought from Mali, Chad and all over to come and occupy native land”. We also know that the Presidency has insisted on developing RUGA settlements for these terrorist Fulani. Finally, Muhammadu Buhari, a retired Army General and a Fulani himself, is the Commander-in-Chief of these Armed Forces that are conniving with the armed Fulani bandits. Therefore, Buhari must be held responsible for the insecurity in Nigeria.


How would you score the Federal Government’s fight against corruption?

The mass media has been unfair to Nigerians by claiming falsely that the government is conducting a “fight against corruption”. The most corrupt government since independence cannot fight corruption. We alleged in 2016 with incontrovertible evidence that the Buhari government was deliberately promoting corruption. Today, all can see that we were right. The ‘Corruption Perception Index’ of Transparency International confirms that we are right. The US Department of State Report confirms that we are right. The numerous corruption scams confirm that we are right. The audit reports of the Auditor General of the Federation confirms that we are right. The government simply named its agenda of political and religious domination by the persecution of political opponents a “fight against corruption” and the mass media with its claim of investigative journalism and editorial power was deceived by the semi-illiterates in government in Nigeria. This is clearly the most corrupt government ever in the history of Nigeria.


How do you see the process leading to the recently held local government elections in Lagos?

We would not worry about the process. The process is simple. We worry about the conduct and the legitimacy of the outcome. The conduct was very shameful. Violence prevailed, turn-out was very low, opposition agents were brutalised, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) officials were not at some polling units. They arrived late at some other polling units, some opposition party agents were excluded from collation centres, many were wounded, ballot boxes were snatched at other polling units, the Police pretended at some units that nothing was wrong, etc. It was another lawless charade as expected. Everybody knows this and that may explain the low turn-out.


Could you explain the continued victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos elections? Do you think APC is beatable in Lagos?

The ruling party did not win any election in Lagos State. They cheated. The ruling party cannot win any free and fair election in Lagos State.


Don’t you think that an amalgamation of political parties can defeat APC in Lagos?

As long as the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) is under the ruling party, it will be very difficult if not impossible to have free and fair elections in Lagos State. From the low turn-out, you can see that the people have given up.


With the defection of top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains and governors to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), do you think the influence of the main opposition party has waned as the country moves towards the 2023 elections?

The influence of the PDP has definitely waned. The members may still reorganise their party before 2023. That will be very difficult as the party was founded on false philosophies of selfish interest.


A lot of people have foretold an implosion of the ruling APC as the nation moves towards 2023. Do you also think that this is possible?

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed woefully. It is not a national party. Buhari, the party leader, is a northern Muslim. The Caretaker Committee Chairman is a northern Muslim. The Chiefs of all Armed Services are all Muslims. All five top revenue generation agencies in Nigeria are led by northern Muslims. The heads of all the three arms of government are all northern Muslims. Islamisation and Fulanisation of the Federal Government is complete. Northern and Southern Christians have complained and yet the Islamisation and Fulanisation agenda of the regime as exposed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has continued.


Do you see the possibility of a Third Force emerging any moment from now to snatch power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 2023?

The Third Force will emerge naturally from the dynamics of our national politics. The ruling party is aware of this and has been using corrupt manipulations to subvert the emergence of the Third Force. Naturally, the ruling party will be ruined by the contradictions of its own corrupt, sectional and unpatriotic politics.


[b]With the confusion trailing the primaries of major political parties in Anambra State, how do you think the November 6 governorship election in the state will be?

It seems obvious that corruption in Nigeria has made the practice of democracy nearly impossible. The two pillars of democracy are the rule-of-law and the integrity of the ballot. The two are absent in this criminocracy.

Highness, The Bra Ngwe Irigwe, Rt Rev Ronku Aka, has lamented the tragedy that befell his people in the Bassa Local Government Area following the recent invasion of their communities by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

According to the monarch, some security operatives who were deployed in the communities during the attacks told the residents they had no instruction to repel the invaders.

The monarch stated this when the President of the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, Rev Gideon Para-Mallam, led other officials of the non-governmental organisation on a sympathy visit to his palace in Miango.

The group had earlier taken relief materials to internally displaced persons on Friday

The traditional ruler said the destruction that took place in his kingdom had further exposed the handicap of the governors and the council chairmen as chief security officers in their respective areas of jurisdiction in the country

Aku said, “I don’t blame the local government chairman in Bassa or the governor of the state over the calamity that has befallen my people.

“At peace meetings, the governor will give order but the security men will go and do a different thing.

“During the recent attacks in my communities, the soldiers and other security operatives were around. As the invaders were carrying out the attacks in Jebu Miango and advancing to other communities we expected them to confront the invaders and stop the destruction going on but that did not happen.

“When I enquired what was happening, some soldiers cried to me that they did not receive the order to repel the attackers on the communities.

“Some of them who expressed frustration over the situation wondered the essence of holding guns which they could not use and left the scene while the attackers continued with their destruction in the communities.

“If the security agents were deployed and allowed to do their job, may be, the attackers would not have succeeded with their evil plans and my people would not be suffering what they are experiencing at the moment.

“But we don’t want more deaths in the communities. I have told my people not to retaliate what was done to them but we need justice going forward.”

The President, Gideon & Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, Para-Mallam, while condemning the incident, said the violence in the communities must not be allowed to continue.

He called on the government to double its efforts towards protecting citizens’ lives and property.

The PUNCH had reported that gunmen last week invaded over 10 communities in the Bassa Local Government Area and set over 400 houses on fire.

Over 40 people were said to have been killed during the attacks which also left several people injured with 22,000 others displaced.

By Ismail Mudashir & John Chuks Azu


The crack in the presidency over the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has widened as Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo maintained his position on the legality of the panel, Daily Trust gathered.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is in London, had directed Osinbajo to take charge of the legal concerns being expressed by stakeholders following the split judgement of the Supreme on the Ondo governorship election.

Three out of the seven justices of the apex court had punctured the legality of Buni chairing the committee, while the four in the lead judgement upheld the election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Osinbajo had last weekend met with lawyers serving in the cabinet, where he reportedly advised against last Saturday’s ward congresses of the party. But the caretaker committee went ahead with it. Aside the issue of the ward congresses, it was also gathered that there were suggestions that the three governors – Buni, Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger) – serving in the caretaker committee should excuse themselves.

An aide of the vice president told Daily Trust Saturday that his boss had not shifted his position on the committee.

“He took an informed position after analysing the Supreme Court judgement on the Ondo governorship election. He has not changed that position.

“The vice president was very clear that we should all avoid legal trap and address the main issue raised, which is against the country’s constitution and section 17 of our party’s constitution,” he said.

Also, a minister, while speaking on the matter, said most of the lawyers in the cabinet threw their weight behind the position canvassed by Osinbajo, with the exception of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.

He said, “We have two main camps in the cabinet now: those of us supporting the position of the vice president and the Malami side. We are all awaiting the arrival of the president next week.

“We are hoping that the president, as a promoter of the rule of law, would end this logjam when he arrives. Our attention was not on the legality of governors serving in the party until the apex court drawn our attention to it. With this development, should we not amend our ways?”

Malami had in his legal opinion on the matter argued in defence of the status quo, urging the party not to give in to “speculative and unsubstantiated fear” regarding the status of Buni as the caretaker chairman.

Daily Trust reports that the disagreement among governors who are members of the party on the matter has been resolved with a statement by their chairman and Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu, backing Buni-committee.

Bagudu, in a statement on Thursday, argued that the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Ondo State governorship had resolved all issues surrounding the caretaker committee and its composition.

“Governor Buni was appointed in acting capacity, on a temporary basis to carry out and fill in the seat of the national chairman of the party pending the election of a new national chairman.

“This has settled conclusively that the APC caretaker committee and its composition is not in conflict with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and is consistent with provisions of the constitution of the APC,” he said.

Speaking on the governors’ position, a presidential aide said some of the governors that were against Buni made a u-turn when they were offered the party’s structures in their states.

“They all agreed to support Buni, irrespective of the legal issues being raised because they have been promised the party’s structures in their respective states. But what they don’t know is that they are building the structures on nothing,” he said.


What Supreme Court said on Yobe governor

The Supreme Court had in a split judgement on July 28 upheld the election of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Jegede for lack of “any scintilla of merit.”

Jegede and the PDP had challenged the October 10, 2020 governorship election and pegged their main relief on the ground that Governor Akeredolu and his deputy, Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, were not qualified to contest the election.

They contended that the signing of Akeredolu’s nomination certificate (exhibit P21) by the APC’s caretaker committee led by Governor Buni of Yobe State was invalid based on section 183 of the Nigerian constitution, 1999 and Article 17(iv) of the APC constitution.

Both the majority judgement of four justices and the minority judgement of three justices concurred that Governor Buni had violated section 183 of the constitution, which holds that ,“The governor shall not, during the period when he holds office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever,” as well as Article 17(iv) of the APC constitution, which holds that, “No officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position in government concurrently.”

However, the majority judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim submitted that the contention, being one with grave consequences for the governor involving the determination of the constitutional issue of his action, would be unfair to try in his absence.

“The fair trial of such issue in his absence without joining him as a party is impossible. There is no need to stress the point that he is a necessary party to the case because the issue upon which the appellants have predicated their case, namely, the invalidity of the said exhibit itself cannot be fairly, effectually and conclusively be determined without joining him as a party to the case,” Agim held.

The apex court’s main decision further held that the issue of the constitutionality of Buni as the caretaker committee chairman of the APC is not within the jurisdiction of the state election tribunal where the petition was commenced, expected to hear and determine petition as to whether any person has been validly elected to the office of the governor or deputy governor.

As a corollary to its finding that Article 13.3(vi) that the APC “National Executive Committee has power to create, elect and appoint any committee it may deem necessary, desirable or expedient and assign to them such powers and functions as it may deem proper,” the apex court further held that being a voluntary organisation, the question of who should hold offices in the party cannot be entertained by any court.

“Those are non-justiceable questions. Courts have no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of a political party except where a statute expressly gives a court jurisdiction to deal with any internal affairs of a political party,” he said.

But the dissenting judgement of Justice Mary Odili, which was read by Justice Ejembi Eko, allowed the appeal and dismissed the Akeredolu and APC cross appeals and declared Jegede and the PDP winners of the governorship election.

The dissenting justices declared that the non-joinder of Governor Buni would not occasion any substantial miscarriage of justice, adding that his principal, the APC, was already joined in the matter, thus, in view of his constitutional immunity in section 308, his joinder would rather occasion injustice to the appellants (Jegede and PDP).

“On the principle of vicarious responsibility, I find it rather bizarre, spurious or preposterous, the contention that the non-joinder of Mai Mala Buni, the governor Yobe State, whose immunity, under section 308 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, insulates him and prohibits his joinder in any civil proceedings during his period in office as governor; had vitiated the petition; even when his appointor/principal had been made a party,” he said.

On the majority verdict that the choices of the APC NEC were an internal affair of the party, and therefore, non-justiceable, the dissenting justices declared that the appellants, who were seeking to protect the constitution from being contravened, have the locus standi to appear in court over the matter.

“It is an issue raising the violation or contravention of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On this ground I will not hesitate to dismiss offhand, the contention that the appellants lack the locus standi or reasonable cause of action on which to found their petition because Section 1(1) of the constitution provides, inter alia that the ‘Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’” Eko said.

The dissenting justices held that the APC did not cross-appeal the adverse findings of the lower courts that it appointed Governor Buni as the national chairman of the Caretaker/Extra Ordinary Convention Committee to perform the executive functions of the national chairman.

“The law is settled, that a specific adverse finding of fact or decision not appealed remains subsisting, conclusive and binding on the parties, including the party adversely affected by it,” he said.

Former Military President Ibrahim Babaginda says he fought corruption better than President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former president said this in an interview granted to ARISE TV on Friday.

He said people under him are saints compared to those currently in power.

The military leader said while he moved against a former military governor over misappropriation over hundreds of thousands, those who stole billions are walking freely.