₦airaland Forum

....Says CNPP, CSOs' 21-Day Ultimatum Against NCDMB Boss Stands

....Considers Legal Action Against Online Media Platforms


Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has said that its 21-day ultimatum, in collaboration with a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), demanding that the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, steps aside for a thorough investigation of allegations of corruption against him stands.


The CNPP in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, while reacting to a fake news commending the NCDMB boss, urged members of the public to disregard the media report published by some online media platforms, saying its considering legal options against publishers of the fake report.


The report had claimed that “the National Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Chief Willy Ezeogu, has commended the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) over his exceptional performance in office.”


The publication also claimed that “Ezeogu also dissociated himself from the call on the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to step aside for a thorough investigation of allegations of corruption against him within 21 days.”


“However, in its reaction, the CNPP described the report as fake news which was poorly cooked and packaged in desperate move to misinform the public.


“First, the CNPP has no National Secretary position and the Secretary General of the CNPP is not Chief Willy Ezeogu but Chief Willy Ezugwu.


“Secondly, the claim that the CNPP scribe “was misinformed about the leadership of the Executive Secretary at the NCDMB and his positive impacts on the country’s oil and gas sector” is far from the truth.


“In this light, the CNPP is weighing legal options against media organisations which published such fake reports attributed to the umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria.


“The issues CNPP and a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) raised had nothing to do with whatever achievements or otherwise of Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote as Executive Secretary of NCDMB.


“The NCDMB boss has obviously taken his alleged desperation to cover up his track and obstruct the course of justice too far by this latest sponsored fake news.


“As a matter of fact, in a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko last Thursday, the organisation had while standing by the CNPP's call on Engr. Wabote to step aside for thorough investigation, queried the source of funding for his legal action in the court in United States, which is usually very expensive and paid in dollars.


“We strongly reiterate our demand that Engr. Wabote should step down to allow for open investigation into corruption and perjury allegations against him by a Nigerian journalist based in the United States”, the umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in the country said.


The CNPP then recalled that recently the media reported that Mr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) allegedly risks contempt sanction and a possible jail for alleged perjury and lying on oath in a libel case he instituted against the US base Nigerian journalist, Jackson Ude.

The libel suit against the journalist was instituted in a United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Attorney to Ude from Amadi Law Office at 204 Blossom Street Extension, Suite A. Lynn MA 01901, Barr. Beneth O. Amadi, had in a letter dated January 15, 2022 and addressed to the Honourable Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., United States District Judge, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 504 West Hamilton Street, Suite 3401, alleged that Wabote perjured (lied on oath) in his response to interrogatories.

The court had on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 ordered Wabote, to provide “full and complete responses to defendant’s interrogatories”, as the court was not satisfied with earlier responses provided by Wabote and his counsel.

But in his reaction to the responses by Wabote to the interrogatories, counsel for Defendant (Ude) wrote to the court demanding sanction for “Plaintiff (Wabote) and his Attorneys for committing fraud on the court, for perjury and for acting in subornation of perjury in this case.”

Alternatively, the Defendant’s lawyer requested “for an order of this court mandating the Plaintiff and his attorneys to appear and show cause why they should not be held in contempt and/or sanctioned by this court.

Part of the letter as quoted in the media stated thus:

“Dear Judge Leeson, Jr.,

“I am the counsel for the Defendant in this case. It is very painful that the Defendant is making this request in this case. But this has become necessary because Plaintiff and his Attorneys, Michael Cilento and David D. Lin, have deliberately and remorselessly committed fraud on this court with the knowing intention of derailing the course of justice and torpedoing Defendant’s access to justice in this case. The Plaintiff has consistently perjured himself and has lied on oath in his discovery responses; while Plaintiff’s Attorneys have consistently encouraged him and have acted in subornation of perjury, to the prejudice of the Defendant and in violation of Defendant’s due processes of law rights. Defendant hereby asks for deterrent sanctions against them.

“Defendant respectfully asks the Court to impose the necessary sanctions, or in the alternative, for an order mandating the Plaintiff and his Attorneys, Michael Cilento and David D. Lin, to appear and show cause why they should not be sanctioned by this court for fraud on the court, for committing perjury, and for acting in subornation of perjury.

“Plaintiff deliberately perjured himself and lied on oath in his discovery [Interrogatory] responses in this case. Plaintiff’s Attorneys are fully aware of plaintiff’s conduct. But they acted to encourage Plaintiff, covered up the violations and acted in subornation of perjury. These conducts have prejudiced Defendant’s access to justice, and has frustrated Defendant’s ability to honestly defend himself in this case.

“Defendant’s Interrogatory #11 to the Plaintiff requested Plaintiff to: Identify and clearly state all and every bank, no matter where located, where you have maintained any bank account from 2010 to the present, whether still in operation or closed. See Exhibit A.

“In the Plaintiff’s response to this Interrogatory #11, Plaintiff lied on oath and deliberately refused to disclose all his bank accounts. See Exhibit A, para 11. Plaintiff signed this document on oath and under the pains and penalties of perjury.

“In responding to Defendant’s Interrogatory #11, Plaintiff also fraudulently left out several of his bank accounts, especially, his bank accounts with the Zenith Bank of Nigeria and Fidelity Bank of Nigeria.

“On or about December 19, 2021, Defendant received the copy of a Petition written by Nigeria’s Transparency and Accountability against the Plaintiff, Wabote. Please see Exhibit B. The said petition was directed to the Nigerian Code of Conduct Bureau.

“This Exhibit B reveals Plaintiff’s bank accounts with the Zenith Bank of Nigeria (Account No. 1013755048) and Fidelity Bank of Nigeria (Account No. 4010268127). But Plaintiff deceitfully failed to include these accounts in his response to Defendant’s Interrogatory #11. See Exhibit A, paragraph 11.

“The Plaintiff’s counsels were immediately made aware of Exhibit B. Plaintiff’s counsels saw these information and knew that Plaintiff lied on oath. But they took no corrective measure, to the Defendant’s detriment and against the honest administration of justice.”

Wabote and his Attorneys had in response to Interrogatory #11 admitted that the Plaintiff had bank accounts with Bank of America, HSBC Dubai, First Bank Nigeria, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, SunTrust Bank Nigeria without listing their account numbers.

According to Ude’s attorney, Wabote “fraudulently left out several of his bank accounts, especially, his bank accounts with the Zenith Bank of Nigeria and Fidelity Bank of Nigeria.”

The letter continues: “Additionally, in #1 of Defendant’s second set of Interrogatories to the Plaintiff, Defendant specifically asked Plaintiff to: Please clearly, fully and specifically state your monthly income (from whatever source) and expenses, and stating clearly and specifically the sources of your stated income, from 2019 to the present.

“But notwithstanding the fact that Plaintiff secretly runs a private registered corporation “with interest in landing state contracts,” as revealed by and in Exhibit B, Plaintiff again lied on oath and failed to reveal this company and the illicit flow of funds, in his response to this Interrogatory #1. Please see Exhibit C. This deception was also made on oath. Plaintiff’s said corporation is TEE and T Concepts Nigeria Limited, incorporated in Yenagoa, Nigeria with Registration Number 419331.

“Plaintiff’s attorneys are fully aware of these deceptive misrepresentations. But the Plaintiff’s attorneys acted to cover up the lies, in subornation of perjury and to encourage the frauds on the court, to the prejudice and detriment of the Defendant and justice.

“The actions of the Plaintiff and his Attorneys were calculated to interfere with this court’s ability to impartially adjudicate this case by improperly influencing this court and/or unfairly hampering the presentation of the Defendant’s defenses in this case.

“A 'fraud on the court' occurs where it can be demonstrated, clearly and convincingly, that a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.” Rockdale Mgmt. Co. v. Shawmut Bank, N.A., 418 Mass. At 598, quoting from Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989).

“Truth needs no disguise. Hazel Atlas Glass Co. v. Hartford-Empire Co., 322 U.S. 238247 (1944). An effective judicial system depends on the honesty and integrity of lawyers who appear in their tribunals. Matter of Finnerty, Thomas E., 418 Mass. 821, 829. The Plaintiff and his Attorneys are not forthright. They have soiled the integrity of the legal system. Navarro-Ayala v. Nunez, 968 F.2d 1421, 1426 (1st Cir. 1992) (“Courts cannot function if lawyers and litigants are not forthright.”). It is part of a lawyer’s overall obligation to the court, and to the judicial system, to help that system function properly to achieve the just resolution of controversies; and which is “meant, in some small degree, to enlist the bar in the enterprise of administering the law, thereby making it more difficult for the strong or wealthy, to use the very costs of the legal system to undermine its basic objectives.” Unanue-Casal v. Unanue-Casal, 898 F.2d 839, 842 (1st Cir. 1990). Defendant’s request for sanctions should be allowed in the interest of justice.

Defendant’s Requests:

“Defendant asks for sanctions against the Plaintiff and his Attorneys pursuant the inherent jurisdiction of this court to do justice, and pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 37(b)(2)(A)(i)-(vi) for the Plaintiff’s truncation of the discovery process and the commission of frauds on the court.

“Alternatively, Defendant asks for an order mandating the Plaintiff and his Attorneys to appear and show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court, and/or be sanctioned severely. Tampering with the administration of justice in the manner exhibited herein involves more than an injury to a single litigant. Hazel-Atlas, at 246. Additionally, pursuant to 37(b)(2)(C), Defendant requests that the Plaintiff and his Attorneys be ordered to pay for the Defendant’s attorneys’ fees and expenses.”

RE: GOVERNOR BALA ACCUSES POLITICIANS UNDER BUHARI’S ADMINISTRATION OF LOOTING SIP FUNDS

The attention of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is drawn to a statement credited to the Bauchi State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, who alleged that “over N1trilion federal government’s Social Investment Programme (SIP) has been siphoned by public and political office holders under president Muhammadu Buhari’s nose”.
The Governor, who further stated that “corruption has already crashed the Federal Government’s SIP programme to its knees, challenged the FG to adopt the system of empowerment his administration is doing in Bauchi state”.
The above statement was made at the launch of the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP), during which he was also quoted to have declared, amongst others, that “today, the social investment programme has collapsed and nobody is getting anything”.
The Ministry wishes to categorically affirm that the above unsubstantiated statements credited to the Bauchi State Governor are manifestly false, and have absolutely no bearing to the realities on ground.
The Federal Government’s National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 and currently being supervised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is very much alive, functional, dynamic and increasingly expanding to reach and continue to make a significant positive difference in the lives of even more poor and vulnerable households and beneficiaries nationwide, including Bauchi State. To claim otherwise will not be in tune with the realities on the implementation of the NSIP in his state, in particular, as regularly being reported in both the traditional and new media outlets.
By way of emphasis, the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), though a Federal Government funded intervention, is strictly being implemented by state government appointed officials and indigenes, who are working tirelessly alongside the NSIP team at the national level to deliver the inherent benefits of the various programmes to the poor and vulnerable persons in their respective states, in line with the good intentions of Mr. President to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by the year 2030. The head of the State NSIP implementation team is a Focal Person directly appointed by His Excellency, the Governor.
The entire beneficiaries and participants across all programmes (clusters) are bona fide indigenes of the state, just as payments to participants and beneficiaries are also made directly into their individual accounts.
For instance:
a) On the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), all payments made to cooks, who are all employed and appointed by the state government, are effected through their individual accounts. Similarly, the food materials aggregators are directly engaged and introduced to the Ministry by His Excellency, the Governor, and are also directly paid through their respective company accounts. In Bauchi State, there are 3,357 (three thousand, three hundred and fifty - seven) Primary schools with 444,099 (four hundred and forty - four thousand, and ninety- nine) pupils, 7,538 (seven thousand, five hundred and thirty - eight) cooks, and 12 (twelve) Food aggregators on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

b) Payments for N-Power beneficiaries, all indigenes of the State, are also made directly into their respective accounts. These N-Power volunteers are attached to schools, healthcare centres and ADPs across the state. Under Batch A, there were 4,837 (four thousand, eight hundred and thirty - seven) graduate beneficiaries, Batch B had 8,041 (eight thousand, and forty - one) graduate beneficiaries, 1,667 (one thousand, six hundred and sixty - seven) N-Build non-graduate beneficiaries, and 339 (three hundred and thirty - nine) N-Knowledge beneficiaries. Currently, under the Batch C1, there are 14,535 (fourteen thousand, five hundred and thirty - five) graduate beneficiaries, 629 (six hundred and twenty - nine) N-Knowledge beneficiaries, 301 (three hundred and one) Mobile Money Agents and 175 (one hundred and seventy - five) Phone Repairs Technicians participating in Bauchi State.

c) Under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), all beneficiaries receive the proceeds of their interest-free and collateral-free soft loans directly into their respective accounts. In Bauchi State, the GEEP 2.0 has already registered a total of 37,907 (thirty - seven thousand, nine hundred and seven) from all the 20 (twenty) LGAs to participate under the MarketMoni, TraderMoni and FarmerMoni products.

d) On the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) cluster, the poor and vulnerable households are all identified and enrolled into the National Social Register (NSR) through an independent Community Based Targeting (CBT) strategy in each state. The NSR is generated from individual state social registers, which are domiciled at the State Ministry of Planning, including that of Bauchi State. From this NSR, the Conditional Cash Transfer beneficiaries are selected and enrolled into a National Beneficiary Register (NBR), which is used to make payments of N5,000 (five thousand Naira) monthly grants over a 2-year period. In Bauchi State, there are 75,110 (seventy - five thousand, one hundred and ten) poor and vulnerable households in the NSR, made up of 401,395 (four hundred and one thousand, three hundred and ninety - five) individuals, from which a total of 99,957 (ninety - nine thousand, nine hundred and fifty - seven) from all the 20 (twenty) LGAs are in the National Beneficiary Register (NBR) and are currently receiving monthly payments up to date.

e) Grant for Rural Women is a special project approved by Mr President aimed to empower rural poor and vulnerable women through an advance of a one off grant of N20,000 (twenty thousand Naira) to Rural Women with emphasis on engendering financial inclusion and, most specifically, developing and enhancing rural informal enterprises. In Bauchi State, a total of 8,671 (eight thousand, six hundred and seventy - one) women, all indigenes of Bauchi State benefitted.

f) Engagement of community-based Independent Monitors (IMs), who are all indigenes of the State, are deliberately deployed to ensure effective implementation of the NSIP as designed. In Bauchi State, a total of 268 (two hundred and sixty - eight) IMs from all the 20 LGAs have been engaged, deployed and are regularly being paid the monthly N30,000 (thirty thousand Naira) stipend directly into their personal accounts.

g) The Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centers with requisite IT tools and equipment were established in selected public science and technical secondary schools to strategically engender and promote the study of science, engineering and technology, along with building the IT skills of students. In Bauchi State, 13 (thirteen) such adequately equipped STEM centres are currently functional, with 3 (three) fully trained STEM teachers in each of the schools.

h) The Alternate School Programme (ASP) that targets to reach 1,000,000 (one million) Out Of School Children (OOSC) nationwide in 2022, as approved by Mr. President, is currently being implemented. Bauchi State is fully captured, like all other States Nationwide.
The above verifiable statistics serve as ample and credible evidence that the NSIP is fully operational and functional across Nigeria, including Bauchi State.

It is pertinent to stress at this point that poverty knows no pollical affiliation. The Ministry, therefore, wishes to congratulate His Excellency, the Bauchi State Governor, on the recent launch of the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP) and also welcome him on board to join it in the onerous fight against poverty in Nigeria, and in Bauchi State in particular.

God bless Nigeria.

Engr. Umar B. Bindir, PhD
National Coordinator, NSIP

Issued this 21st day of January, 2022

As a follow-up to a maiden press release issued by the leadership of PDP Projection & Strategic Team (PPROST) which was titled " PPROST; Sets to unveil Winning & Sellable Candidates Across the States of the Federation ", have decided to Pick Cross River State as the First State to be brought to the Front burner for Political Analysis with respect to zoning, as the current happenings in the Cross River State PDP if not urgently nipped in the bud will be capable of eluding the State, the glaring gubernatorial victory in 2023.
In the advent of the return of democracy in 19999 the state voted Mr Donald Duke from the Cross River South Senatorial District & ruled from 1999 to 2007.
In 2007 , Senator Liyel Imoke from the Cross River Central Senatorial District was elected as the Governor & ruled from 2007 to 2015, while the current Governor in the Person of Professor Ben Ayade from Cross River North Senatorial District whose tenure comes to an end in 2023.

Going by the above-laid facts, no one needs to be in doubt of where the governorship seat ought to go in 2023, as it shall be the turn of the Cross River South Senatorial District to produce the next Governor of the State.

What we expect the leaders of the Party both in Cross River State & the National Leadership of the party to do, is to ensure that, the will of the people prevails by conducting a free, fair & Credible Primaries in Cross River & other States in the Country.
Thank you.

Signed
Alhaji Aliyu Zakarriya
National Coordinator
PDP Projection & Strategic Team ( PPROST)

Niger Delta Youths Backs Timi Frank, Urges Buhari to Sack Wabote Over Alleged Perjury, Corruption.



Concern Niger Dleta Youth Forum (CNYF) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the The Executive Secretary Nigeria content Development and Monitoring Board NCDMB Simbi Kesiye Wabote over alleged Perjury, Corruption.

The group demanded that the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kesiye Wabote, step aside for a thorough investigation of allegations of corruption against him within 14 days.

The youths in a statement made available to newsmen today by the National Leader Comrade John Ebitari and the Secretary Comrade Oweikeme Preye noted that “it is in the interest of justice and in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration's avowed stance on war against corruption.” they noted that "perjury is of serious concern” and should be taken seriously.

They further stated, Mr. Wabote is bringing shame and disgrace to the Niger Delta region. As Niger Delta youths we haven't seen any tangible youth engagement programmes and activities that NCDMB or Simbi Wabote has brought to the region. As a public public office holder we expected Simbi Wabote to be transparent in his affairs.

They also commended Timi Frank for always standing on the truth as a patriotic son of the oil. As a group we have never met or had any contact with Jackson Ude or Timi Frank but we have been following the alleged corruption cases against Mr. Simbi Wabote both here in Nigeria and US at this point we decided to make our point clear by calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately sack Mr. Simbi Wabote and face his ongoing corruption cases.

Comrade John Ebitari advise youths from the region not to be use by selfish people like Simbi Wabote that are always gain favour by sabotage the region and the economy of the Nation and also remember, Mr. Wabote Simbi will only use you when it is time for war then forget you and favour his corrupt cronies when it is time for benefits.

The further call on the leadership of IYC especially the president Igbifa to Stay off from the activities of NCDMB. As ijaw youths we are totally disappointed with the current IYC leadership which had been bought over by Akpabio and cronies in NDDC.

The Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC has been picketed by few individuals in the Niger Delta region and beyond with interim administration's. Taking over the leadership of IYC as Ijaw youths we thought as for once the ijaw Nation has gotten it right but reverse is the case, it has never been bad this way since the inception of IYC, Igbifa is a fraud, he deceived the Ijaw Nation by kidnapping himself in order to avoid the protest organised by Ijaw Youths after collected millions of dollars from Akpabio and his cronies. Let Igbifa stay off from NCDMB.


The statement added, “learning of the ongoing case in the United States of America in a libel case instituted by lawyers acting on the authority of the Executive Secretary in which the Defendant’s counsel is accusing Mr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote of perjury and lying on oath in his case against Jackson Ude, a journalist, in a United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.


“Attorney to Ude from Amadi Law Office at 204 Blossom Street Extension, Suite A. Lynn MA 01901, Barr. Beneth O. Amadi, had in a letter dated January 15, 2022 and addressed to the Honorable Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., United States District Judge, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 504 West Hamilton Street, Suite 3401, alleged that Wabote perjured (lied on oath) in his response to interrogatories.


“The court had on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 ordered Wabote, to provide “full and complete responses to defendant’s interrogatories”, as the court was not satisfied with earlier responses provided by Wabote and his counsel.


“But in his reaction to the responses by Wabote to the interrogatories, counsel for Defendant (Ude) wrote to the court demanding sanction for “Plaintiff (Wabote) and his Attorneys for committing fraud on the court, for perjury and for acting in subornation of perjury in this case”, the statement recalled.

said they “found it shocking that if knowingly, and with clear intention, as Mr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote was accused, is working to derail the course of justice and to torpedo Defendant’s access to justice in a case in far away United States, he will do worse in Nigeria.

“To ensure that he does not continue to obstruct the course of justice both in Nigeria and the United States, we call for his immediate suspension or he should voluntarily step aside for proper investigation into corruption allegations against him and to stop further siphoning of the nation's scarce resources for legal fees abroad.

“We therefore call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the National Assembly to immediately institute open probe of the core allegations against him as contained in a petition directed to the Code of Conduct Bureau.


“If he fails to resign within 14 days, we shall be left with no choice but to take legal actions against him, including mobilising the civil society community to occupy the National Assembly and relevant anti-corruption institutions until the the needful done”, the statement read.

by Matthew Okunsebor

In modern society, road infrastructure has become an essential part of daily life. Individual road users, logistic firms, public transportation agencies and other road users, expect reliable and safe roads for travels and moving from one location to another, including the transportation of goods. Road infrastructure is considered as a key prerequisite for the social and economic development of any human society. Good road network enhances social development and promote economic transformation. High quality and durable roads promote foreign direct investment.

The presence of formidable and standard road network opens up various communities in the State and provides easy access to these communities, thereby enabling farmers and artisans to transport their produce and products to neighbouring communities for sale, while at the same time, goods from urban areas, including foreign goods could also flow into those communities. Conversely, poor road infrastructure poses hindrance to foreign investments.

In Edo State, road transport is the most widely used mode of transportation, transversing the 18 Local Government Areas of the State. Over the past five years, Governor Godwin Obaseki has invested on the construction of hundreds of roads across the three Senatorial Districts and 18 LGAs of the State.

In Edo South Senatorial District, the State Government has constructed and reconstructed several major roads which include Iyekogba-Irhirhi-Sapele Road; TV Road-Ehaekpen Road; Ogiso Road and Textile Mill Road in the Benin metropolis. Presently, the reconstruction and dualization of Ekehuan Road has reached an advanced stage of completion, and laying of asphalt has extended from the King’s Square up to Ekehuan Slope.

Several road networks have been reconstructed in different parts of Benin City, and this intervention has opened up various communities and provided easy access and free-flow of human and vehicular traffic. By all standards, these are durable roads that will stand the test of time and save money that would have been used for repairs periodically.

In Edo Central Senatorial District, a bridge linking Ohordua with Emu in Esan South East Local Government Area was constructed and is still intact. Police Barracks Road, Ekpoma; Ubiaja-Uromi express way (Angle 80 Junction-Illushi) and Ewohimi Junction-Okaigben-Delta State Boundary have been rehabilitated. Many other roads have been reconstructed while construction work is ongoing on the newly awarded road projects in this Senatorial District.

The State Government has made positive impact in Edo North with the reconstruction of several roads in different parts of the Senatorial District. Many of the roads have been completed while others are still under construction and rehabilitation. The newly reconstructed Secretariat Road at Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area is among such roads.

Governor Godwin Obaseki has often re-emphasized the commitment of his administration to make Edo Great Again. Edo cannot be considered great if it has no network of good and durable roads. As Governor Obaseki is constructing roads, more foreign investors are trooping into Edo to establish businesses. This implies more employment opportunities for our people, more revenue generated and more development for the State.

As roads are rehabilitated and new road constructed in new areas, development also comes into these areas. People who had earlier abandoned their houses and businesses because of inaccessible roads are returning to these areas. Similarly, farmers can now transport their produce to markets outside their communities just as traders and business people can now easily access these communities for business transactions. Road availability is one of the cardinal infrastructures required for socio-economic development of the human society. Any society without a good road network cannot be considered as developed, irrespective of its innovations.

Investment in road infrastructure has amazing multiplier effects. They enhance accessibility and facilitate trade, improve mobility, generate greater employment opportunities, and boost overall economic productivity. Governor Godwin Obaseki through these various strides in providing quality road infrastructures, has continued to demonstrate unwavering commitment to his singular agenda of Making Edo Great Again.

by John Ewah

Considering that the earth has borne the burden of humanity for so long, it is about time humanity bore the earth’s weight and rescue her from unmitigated environmental disasters unleashed on her frequently through indiscriminate waste disposal which constitutes environmental hazards and survival threat to not just inhabitants but also to the earth itself. In this guise, the use of technology in managing waste disposal comes in handy as the earth remains ours to plough and never to plunder. As humans continue to generate waste, the environment is threatened. If waste recycling and innovative waste management measures are not considered, the earth and its inhabitants are bound to face impending doom.

This and many more constituted the reason behind Governor Obaseki’s determination to commence the Operation Clean and Green Edo Initiative which would be geared towards making Edo the cleanest and greenest city in sub-saharan Africa. The issue of indiscriminate waste disposal is set to be phased out in Edo State, as the Governor in his usual thoughtful manner is devising a carefully thought-out plan as part of his grand design, in driving a sustainable waste disposal and management plan.

A recent summit on waste management titled ‘Repositioning Waste Management for Sustainable Environment Development’ was held at the New Festival Hall, Government House, where the Governor laid out his vision on how he intends to transform waste management in the State, leveraging technology and data. The Governor emphasised the need for stakeholders to deploy data and technology in tackling the issues and problems surrounding waste management in the State. He also implored them to develop ideas that would help salvage the current challenges facing the waste management sector.

Paying attention to latest advances and newest tech innovations are sure ways the Governor have suggested in providing solutions to waste management challenges even as the Governor has given stakeholders a time-frame to birth additional people-friendly and practical solutions to combat the challenges of waste management in the State.

In Governor Obaseki’s view, the issue of waste management cannot be a sole responsibility of Government but every resident of the State, who are the major generators of wastes. The Government is however ready to give directions that would make waste generation, disposal and management easy, healthy and environment-friendly.

One major innovation in the waste management industry today is the ability to turn waste into energy. Waste recycling is another development in the waste management industry which developed nations of the world are leveraging to manage waste, thereby turning waste to wealth.

Waste management companies can also leverage technology in optimising routes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Route efficiency guaranteed by tech innovations makes it easier to plan waste routes and make the collection of waste easy. Technologies today can help sort through recyclable wastes and make waste recycling easier.

These are a few of such tech innovations in addition to prompt evacuation and disposal of wastes, which the Governor is determined to institute among other practical and public-centred recommendations, to drive the waste management sector in the State in his master plan. The summit also saw keynote speakers and contributors who gave compelling views and recommendations in tackling waste management challenges in the State.

Timi Frank urges Buhari to sack NCDMB ES, Wabote, over alleged breach of Code of Conduct

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Wednesday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to sack the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Kesiye Wabote, over alleged breach of Code of Conduct for public officers in the country.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, said the move has become necessary since Wabote recently admitted before an American Court of operating foreign bank accounts with Bank of America and HSBC Dubai.

He said Wabote and his Attorneys had in response to Interrogatory #11 admitted the illegality on record while being cross-examined by a defense counsel in a libel case he (Wabote) instituted against Jackson Ude, a journalist, in a United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

According to him, the admission by Wabote is a direct breach of Part 1, Section 3 of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which bars public officers from operating foreign bank accounts.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, further accused Wabote of spending taxpayers’ money to pursue a personal cause in the the United States, an act he described as dishonorable and illegal.

He called on relevant committees of the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate and prosecute Wabote over the apparent constitutional violation.

He insisted that it is both immoral and illegal for the NCDMD boss to spend budgetary allocations to the Agency to fight a personal vendetta.

“As a Bayelsan citizen where Wabote hails from, I am highly embarrassed by his conduct. He is supposed to have resigned to pursue his case instead of staying in office and using public funds to fight a personal cause.

“I think Buhari should not waste time in causing the investigation of Wabote over this fragrant undermining of the Constitution in use of taxpayers’ money to prosecute a libel suit he instituted in the USA against a journalist, Jackson Ude - Publisher of the Eagle newspaper online.

“It is this type of dishonourable conduct on the part of public officers that make other nations of the world to regard Nigerian officials as grossly corrupt and it must be urgently nipped in the bud to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Nobody is saying, Wabote has no right to institute a libel suit in America, but let him first resign his appointment and use his personal funds to pay foreign law firms he has engaged rather than using taxpayers’ money illegally,” Frank declared.

For sometimes now, the news pertaining libel and corruption litigations between The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development & Monitoring Board, Chief. Simbi Kesiye Wabote and a US based Nigerian journalist, Chief Jackson Ude has been viral, making headlines of most daily newpapers. From our findings, the rift started when Wabote sued Chief Ude for allegedly publishing and accusing him of public funds diversion in the form of " Libel".


The so called character assasination suit has been going on in a USA District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania with series of adjournment, counter suits and the likes while Wabote, a Nigeria public servant spends to engage international lawyers to manage and handle his case from public purse.



Our drives as a global Advocacy platform on accountability, decorums and effective services delivery have nothing to do with the validity or otherwise of the suits rather our concerns are of the view that Chief Wabote should with immediate effect resign his appointment in the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board to face his litigations. It amounts to sabotage against Nigeria government by allowing a person facing corruption cases to continue to pilot public office affairs, thereby sponsoring himself with hard earned tax payers' money. Where in the world would any decent government allow her functionary to remain in office while answering and facilitating his or her legal matters bordering on corruption?



Global Initiatives For Good Governance, GIGG, with all sense of fairplay and support for decency calls for the resignation of Chief Watobe and hand over to the person next to him in office pending the determination and conclusion of his matters.It demands the attention of the APC led Federal Government to look into this matter critically by probing and relieving him of his sensitive appointment in the Local Content Board. An attention demanding and plum office of this class where Wabote serves as the Executive Secretary should not be toyed with considering the delicate administration attached to it in monitoring oil/ gas and other local industrial productions in the land. It is an office that gives pre eminent attention and services to indigenous ciitizens and their local firms in the overall national economic undertakings .



In the light of the foregoing, we reiterate and crave the indulgence of President Muhammed Buhari to intervene in the situation by terminating Wabote s appointment and then subject him to administrative probes. This is a government whose core blueprints agenda in her inauguration speech on 29th May, 2015 was anchored on fighting and eliminating corruption but today, the actions of the government in this regard seems to be an aiding and abetting one.Nigeria is expected by the international communities to have grown beyond this level of under development and backwardness especially in handling corruption cases where huge chunks of our common wealth had been stolen and dumped in foreign banks by government officials while the masses are dying of abject penury, hunger and hopelessness.




We , therefore, demand that these acts of insurbordination, failure of leadership and financial recklessness on the part of government functionaries come to a stop because Nigerians cannot afford to continue in this mess. Whatever the country is today is the effects of our leaders attitude to governance and only a change in attitude can redeem and rejuvanate the situations.



Chief. Dr. Emeka Kalu
Director General, Global Initiatives For Good Governance.

What’s the status of the Secure Safe Anchorage Area (SSAA)? Is it still in operation?

The SSAA does not exist anymore. With the approval of the President, that has been cancelled. What we are saying is that every anchorage is safe, as long as it is designated as an anchorage. You cannot differentiate between them and when you say one is secure, that means you are saying the other is not secure. This safe anchorage location was being managed by private companies before it was cancelled and currently, you have not heard of any case of piracy at the anchorage. But outside the anchorage, you hear cases. The Nigerian Navy is working closely with NPA and NIMASA and that anchorage is safe without necessarily calling it SSA actually.

So, the SSAA was just a point, where people were making easy money, basically?

I would not want to comment so much on that because it is something that has been going on for so long. When we came in, we realised that when vessels come in, they go there and when they berth, they pay so much money and the money does not go to government. So what was the reason for that, when the Nigerian Navy has the capacity to monitor and secure those locations or any anchorage that is so designated? We felt it was wrong and the Minister of Transportation wrote to the President, who gave the approval for the cancellation of the SSAA.

The electronic call-up system has come to stay, no doubt. What’s the overview of the system?

I can without any equivocation say that the Eto call-up system has improved the travel time for trucks accessing the ports in Lagos. We are aware that some of the challenges are yet to disappear, notably along the Tin-Can Island Port corridor, but by and large, the system has restored order and also brought down significantly the arbitrary haulage charges imposed on shipments being transferred out of the port. I was part of the team as Executive Director Finance and Administration that midwifed the Eto system before my appointment as Acting Managing Director. So I was part of it from the beginning. However, our approach when I was appointed Acting Managing Director, is to analyse what had been happening from February to May, and we identified some lapses. One of the lapses we observed was the limited deployment of access and control systems that should have been in place at the satellite truck parks, we also looked at the non-deployment of physical infrastructure like bollards, the CCTVs and automated gates, so we sat down with the system managers and we gave them a deadline to deploy these things.

The essence of ETO is to streamline the movement of truck cargo in and out of the port, reduce human interference, and speed up the clearance process. For as long as there is human interference, there will be delays, there will be extortion and so on and so forth. And when we did that, all the deployments, not immediately, maybe a few weeks later, everything that should be deployed particularly on the Apapa axis, had been deployed. And I can tell you that we have been able to reduce the traffic gridlock around Apapa and residents can commute and get to their homes without suffering several hours in traffic. The long queues at the Apapa Wharf end have been addressed, the concern is at the Mile 2 to Tin-Can Island Port where the road reconstruction is at the final stage. As soon as the entire stretch is completed, the Apapa gridlock will no longer be a reoccurring headline.

To further improve cargo evacuation, the Authority is set to introduce an electronic call-up system for barges, similar to the one for trucks, to ensure standardization and to monitor their movements while delivering or evacuating containers to and from the ports.

Yes, the Electronic call-up system in spite of the initial attempt by some unscrupulous persons to sabotage it has come to stay. Indeed, all key operators have factored into its implementation. I can assure you that we are constantly reviewing the situation to ensure its sustainability.

Now, the elephant in the room: Intels. What is the relationship with Intels now and how has that generated revenue?

Currently, NPA and Intels are in court. I will not delve into the issue.

You obviously understand your brief very well. Are you hoping to be confirmed as the substantive Managing Director of NPA?

For me, I will just like us to concentrate on what I have achieved since I was made Acting Managing Director. We have made tremendous contributions to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of over N110 billion since we started and we have exceeded our revenue target within that period and we have reduced cargo duel time as well. We have reduced ship waiting time and the cost of trucking goods out of the port has reduced, because we have micro-managed what was there. We have micro-managed the e-call up system and we have tried to have stakeholders’ meetings, so that everybody marries our vision and they work with us to achieve our vision. So, for now, my focus is on delivery of the NPA mandate as the Acting Managing Director.

Where do you see the NPA in another 10 years if it continues with you at the helm?

The NPA is an institution and we should be focused on that rather than on individuals. So with the current plans, what we are doing is coming on-board with plans, timelines – whether it is in terms of digitisation, port development – we now have a 25-year Port Master Plan that is being developed and whether it is in terms of reconstruction of the ports, whether it is in terms of building new ports, whether it is in terms of staff recruitment, whatever we are doing is now deliberate and I believe that in the next ten years, what we will have in the NPA will be more efficient. The issue of traffic at the ports will be reduced or non-existent and in the next ten years, you should have at least two more ports that are at the sea and not river ports.

With deployment of more IT tools and our drive for full digitalization, there will be more efficiency in the next ten years, and we will be able to take back the businesses we have lost to neighbouring ports. We are losing business, not even because of the inefficiencies that are so ascribed to the ports, but because of the draft limitations of coming into our ports, and then another thing is that, you lose businesses, because some people will just rather take them to the nearest neighbouring ports and then smuggle them into the country. But I see an NPA in ten years that we will all be proud of.

In the circumstances leading to suspension of the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, alleged differences in the non-remittance of revenue generated in the balance books of the organisation. Yet, you were then the DFA. Shouldn’t you know about the movement of funds?

There is a Panel investigating that and we have made submissions as it is, and the Minister has also made clarifications at various fora and I think it is best we allow the Panel to conclude its investigation and come up with a report. But, we have made our submissions to that panel.

A lot of people were actually taken aback that you, as DFA, was appointed in acting capacity for the sins of a management that you were part of, a key member as a matter of fact. So, people have asked if your appointment was appropriate. Why is the Managing Director on suspension and the ED Finance has had to benefit from her suspension?

If you remember correctly after the inauguration of the Panel, it was made clear that what is being investigated is beyond the issues of transfer to CRF. I have had the opportunity of being appointed in acting capacity while the investigation is taking place. My mandate is to pursue the mandate of the Authority and I will rather concentrate on that. The Panel is investigating this and on the approval of the President, this Panel was set up. The Panel will finish its work and submit its report.

Do you not feel morally conflicted?

There is no moral conflict here. It is a responsibility given to me and it is a responsibility I am taking very seriously.

Is it true that you had been snitching on Bala Usman, because you’ve always had the ambition to be NPA MD?

I had a good working relationship with Hadiza, and for anyone to say I snitched on her, because I want to become Managing Director, such a person doesn’t know me. It is not in my character and certainly that is not my upbringing. So, it is a false allegation.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is said to have a soft spot for you and you have a long-standing relationship with him. Isn’t it correct that this actually influenced your appointment or recommendation for your appointment?

I have read somewhere where they said I was his account officer. You see, the Rivers State government had lots of accounts and they had various account officers and our training in the bank is to develop relationships with the individuals and so on. But go to where I have worked, whether it is in FSB or Zenith, I excelled in everything I did. I have the capacity and I have won awards, gone on training both local and international. I have worked in Banking Operations, Public Sector Department, Credit Risk Management; I have worked in marketing, I have developed capacity.

So, my appointment was based on merit. Account officers are individuals also, and they grow up in the society. The current Central Bank Governor was once an account officer and the one before him was once an account officer and there is a sitting state governor that was once an account officer and many former state governors that were account officers. It just happened that this account officer was appointed to work for the Federal Government as an Executive Director, Finance & Administration and now as an Acting Managing Director, but there was merit in it. I have the capacity. I have managed both financial and human resources in the past in the banks for over 20 years and I have managed branches, human capital, finance and so on. So, it is actually on merit.

So far, do you reckon this as your toughest call?

Well, you see, there is a culture shock moving from the private sector to the public sector and the way things are being done in the private sector is different from the public sector. You try to bring in your private sector orientation and at times, there is a pushback. I try to push it in, because it is in the best interest of the country, and I believe that I have added value and improved things here. The way things are being done now is faster. We are faster in our decision-making and there is more efficiency. We are generating more revenue and spending only where it is necessary; staff are also happy.

You said you had a fantastic relationship working with Hadiza and some are wondering, maybe if you had chipped in words for her to say, look, I have worked with this woman, these allegations are really not true, the situation would have changed?

If the need arises, we will have that discussion, but I wouldn’t want to comment on that now.

Shall we talk about the Pandora Papers?

The Pandora Papers is a personal thing, but I would answer it. As I mentioned earlier, I’m a trained banker, who has worked in the banking industry for over 20 years and I have advised people on investment opportunities, wealth management, how to manage risk and so on and so forth. Thus, it is expected that I will guide myself on viable investment opportunities. All these properties were purchased from income from my private business and mortgage loans from a bank in the UK, long before I was appointed to NPA. The properties were purchased as an investment and my account officer at the time told me buying through an offshore company was a better investment strategy long term.

Those companies are not trading companies. They are Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for the sole purpose of holding an investment and they were created between 2006 and 2007. The property being claimed I purchased in 2017 was actually purchased off-plan in 2013 and completion was supposed to be in early 2016, but it was shifted to 2017 and by then, I was already working at NPA.

I purchased these properties through offshore companies solely because of the professional advice I got which suggested it was the best way to maximise investment which was the sole purpose of the purchase of the properties. The mortgage loans are payable over 15 to 20 years. Meanwhile, the accrued monthly rent is used to pay off the mortgage loans and these were properties costing £250k to £400k.

So, it was a fantastic investment idea and legit and there was nothing illegal about it.

You kept quiet and everybody assumed that you got the properties from public fund or were the funds from politically exposed persons?

Well, I didn’t want to start joining issues in public. I am a public servant and my utterances need to be guarded and I need to be careful when I speak. But I have cleared the air with the relevant government agencies I should clear the air with.

People see you as the Minister’s boy and that since he made you Acting Managing Director of NPA, he just calls to say he wants this or that person to get this or that contract and you just oblige. They also say because he did not have his way with Hadiza was part of why he wanted her out?

I do not know what these things are, but I can assure you that the Minister is not the type that gets involved in what you do. He will not call you and instruct you. He avoids that and he is very careful about those things. He has not done that to me and I am sure he will not do that. He will not come here to tell you to give anybody anything and after all, I am not in the position to give anybody anything. There is a procurement process here. We advertise, you bid and when you win, you win it. There is no way anyone will say the Minister called you to say you should give a particular person this or that. The Minister will only call to ask about issues related to activities that fall within the purview of the Ministry’s mandate. What people don’t know is that when it comes to work, his passion for success and drive for quick/efficient delivery of mandate are paramount. Those that can remember how he worked as Rivers State governor can attest to that. He accepts no excuses, when it comes to official matters.

Another thing they say is that he likes to be praised and worshiped and you eagerly do that. You won’t confirm this, or would you?

I do not know about him being worshiped and I do not know where people get that impression. So when you say worship, does he have a shrine, where people kneel down to worship him or what? He has never called me to say he wants me to praise or worship him. He has never done that to me or anyone I know.

Another bone of contention between Hadiza and Amaechi was said to be the channel management contract. What is the situation with the channel management contract now, because it’s been due since 2019?

This thing you said, I have also read that there are other issues and that is why the Panel is there to investigate the issues. The channel management contract is actually the existing channel management companies and they are the ones that are doing it long before we came to NPA.

A lot of people have heard about you, but do not know you. Who is Mohammed Bello Koko?

I’ve always been a quiet and withdrawn person and if you worked in the banking industry in those days, maybe you could come across me. I spent over 20 years in banking. I am a goal-getter and I am on the quiet side. I set targets for myself whether personal or official; targets for my personal life and for whatever work I do, I try to excel in it. You can go to where I have worked, I have always been like that. I am a workaholic and I do my best to ensure that I add value to whatever I do. I try to do extraordinary things. I love to watch movies and series. I read a lot also. I can read two to three books at the same time, actually. I am inquisitive. I love nature also, and I watch lots of documentaries and at the same time, I keep abreast with current affairs. For me, I just prefer a simple uncomplicated life and I don’t like too much formalities, I have an open-door policy and expect, as well as accept criticisms. I don’t sit at the back of a car to be chauffeured, I find it embarrassing, and that is Mohammed Bello: a very simple, everyday man.

Source: ThisDayLive

There appears to be remarkable improvements in traffic in Apapa, how do you hope to sustain this going forward?

Thank you for acknowledging that there has been an improvement. We will continue to look at what is happening currently as it affects the electronic truck call-up system. We normally have regular stakeholder meetings. We hear their complaints and once we hear their complaints we tweak the system and ensure that it is made more efficient. I personally go there and I have taken motorbikes to those locations to see what is happening there. I have taken bikes up to three times. I go there because I want to see it firsthand and I do not want someone to report to me and what we do is that, there is also a virtual meeting we hold weekly between the NPA and the operators of the Eto system, that is Truck Transit Park (TTP) Limited. The essence of the meeting is to look at customer complaints, look at how many trucks went into and out of the ports, how many export containers got to the port, etc. We will keep doing that, and one of the things we did was to introduce a time belt.

Time belts for various types of trucks to go into the ports and come out. That has improved the free flow of traffic into the port and the roads are no more chaotic and you know we have also licenced a number of truck terminals outside the red zone. There is a place we call “red zone” within the vicinity of the port and we have also requested that they (TTP) deploy IT equipment and other physical equipment to ensure that only trucks that have been manifested to enter the ports actually come out and we know that enforcement is still going on and there are still lapses, but we keep working to ensure that that there is free flow of traffic. So, it is not just about Christmas, we are ready for any type of traffic situation and also going forward, we will ensure that we keep working day and night to ensure that the intractable gridlock does not come back.

Also, our collaboration with enforcement agencies will be sustained to ensure that breaches are minimized. The creation of various time belts for movement of different types of trucks for specific operations is a major initiative at ensuring orderliness in the movement of trucks in and out of the ports.

Talking about rail connection to the port, recently, the Minister of Transportation, said there was a certain blockade that needed to be removed before work could continue. What’s the situation report now in terms of rail connection to the port?

There is a scanner that was positioned such that it impeded the rail. However, after a series of meetings with the Customs, a decision has been reached for the Port Management to provide a suitable location where the Scanner would be moved to. I think it has been dismantled and I also think they are taking it to Ikorodu. This is to allow the rail to continue. The rail system is a very important and integral part of the port system, and it is so everywhere in the world. It is in tandem with the inter-modal means of transportation. First of all, the rail is good, because of volume and between February and September, I think we have done almost 4000 TEUs and that was probably just like a test run.

The advantage is huge. From the issue of volume and safety as well being in tandem with the need for intermodalism. Once the ports are fully linked by rail, the current pressure on our roads will be off. Of course, the rail makes it easier for the ports to link up with the hinterland, through the inland dry ports that are springing up in different parts of the country.

You said earlier that it was impossible to expand the port as it is now. How do you get big ocean vessels to the ports – is it by dredging or what?

When I said it’s impossible to expand, it isn’t that it is impossible but you are going to take over people’s homes, offices, and pay compensation to expand the land mass. I am talking about the dedicated land mass, both Tincan and Apapa, are not going to expand, at least not in the near future. Look at it this way, the only way to bring bigger vessels is of course by deepening the Channel as well as the Quay walls. Currently, the Quay walls have design limitations of 14 meters. This has made it impossible to dredge the Channel and Quays below 13.5 metres and for you to bring bigger vessels of say 16.5 or 20 meters (which by the way are the modern-day vessels sizes because of economies of scale), you have to reconstruct those Quay walls. The channels must also be dredged deeper and that means there has to be a financial cost-benefit analysis on the cost implications and then, what is the revenue that is likely to be driven for such decisions to be taken.

So, that has to be done and that is being done presently. We have in recent times, instructions from the Honourable Minister of Transportation, that we look at the possibilities of the reconstruction of the ports and we have been holding stakeholder meetings. A Committee was set up to explore the best way to do it. Do we reconstruct the ports in Lagos maintaining the same Quay walls at the same depth? Or should we deepen it? A Consultant has been engaged to look at the whole of Tincan and Apapa and look at where there are the physical deficiencies in terms of the integrity of Quay walls; what are the civil engineering works that need to be done. And what needs to be done to modernise the ports is, first of all, in terms of physical infrastructure before the IT infrastructure will be discussed. The idea here is to take a decision to determine how it is carried out while we also look at the funding options.

The NPA is currently looking around for multilateral agencies that would fund such projects. We do not have approval for it, but we are only being proactive trying to look at the funding options. Do you first of all, get a multilateral agency to fund it on behalf of Federal Government/NPA and you pay them or do you get the multilateral agencies to fund the terminal operators or do you ask the terminal operators to fund it and then you amortise overtime or you extend the tenure of their leases? But whatever the terminal operators bring, we will have to sit down and look at it. But what is the implication in terms of the cost of dredging and maintaining the channel to that 16.5 metres and then what is the cost of reconstructing the Quay to the depth of that 16.5 or 17 meters?

Is Nigeria not losing businesses to her neighbouring countries with modern ports that are much deeper?

First of all, do not forget that the ports we have in Nigeria are river ports and yes, we are losing businesses to them because of the size of vessels, the economies of scale are setting in. But that is why we are happy that the Lekki deep seaport will soon start operations and the first phase of the Lekki deep seaport is 16.5 metres and the second phase eventually, will be over 20 metres deep. Badagry is coming up and it has a natural draft that will also take large vessels. Yes, we are losing businesses to other ports, because of the draft limitations of our ports, but we are looking forward to Lekki deep seaport and by the time it commences full operation by the third quarter of this year, some of the ship-to-ship businesses being done offshore Lome or Cotounu will start coming to Nigeria and we will be having bigger vessels calling to our ports. We are doing everything we can to improve efficiency of the ports to make them more competitive and attractive to users. The Nigerian Customs Service is also working towards deploying more scanners in order to reduce the time it takes for cargo to leave the ports. We are working with the Terminal Operators to fully automate too.

You set up a commission to investigate Port Harcourt and you have an existing report on Port Harcourt, which advised that the Port Harcourt has failed and that the cost of rebuilding it would build a brand new port offshore. What is the state of Port Harcourt?

If you recall, recently, we went to Bonny with the Honourable Minister of Transportation to identify a location for Bonny Deep seaport and this is a direct investment by a Chinese company. The location has been identified with a natural draft of about 15 or 16 meters that might serve as an alternative to Rivers Port. However, going back to your question, a section of the Rivers port is supposed to be rehabilitated by BUA (a Terminal Operator). We have been discussing with them (BUA) and they have already submitted interim designs in terms of reconstruction of the Quays. As recently as last week, they submitted the final designs. The designs are currently being reviewed by our team and once that is concluded, Management would consider the recommendations for approval, so that they can start the construction of the Quays that have collapsed. Unfortunately, there is a draft limitation at that port, thus, we are looking at it to determine whether we will allow them to construct deeper or they should maintain the existing depth. If they go deeper, what it means is that we have to think of the need to dredge the channel deeper (which comes with huge capital outlay). But, as you said, the Rivers port has reached the end of its useful lifespan, though it is still in use. It just needs some rehabilitation for it to be functional.

What is the NPA doing about the Eastern ports? You talk about rebuilding Tincan and Apapa and there was no mention of Eastern ports. Nigerians from that part of the country actually import most of the cargo coming into the country.

I want to address this by first of all giving you the general problem of these ports, before I tell you what we are doing. The ports in the east just like the ones in Lagos are river ports, and the distance between the fairway buoy to the port is very long. So, when a ship comes from the high sea, the beginning of the channel to the port in Warri is about 110 kilometres, so a ship needs to stem about 110 kilometres just to get to Warri port and that of Calabar is about 101 kilometres from the beginning of the channel to the port itself, Rivers port is 90 kilometres from entrance of the channel but the ones in Lagos are just about 10 kilometres. That is the first issue.

The second issue, let me take Delta. Delta port or Warri port, has what they call Niptide and Niptide is when you have low tide. It is natural and there is data that shows when that Niptide sets in and at times, it lasts for almost a week. So a certain size of vessel will not be able to enter Delta port during this period. The third issue with Delta port is that, there is an NNPC pipeline that is active and buried 7 meters or so below, you cannot dredge below that. There also is a man-made structure called breakwaters and the breakwater is supposed to be built in the sea to reduce migration of silt into the channel, but it collapsed about 10 years ago. The NPA has appointed a company called Royal Haskoning to do an investigation to find out what we can do with the collapsed breakwater: do we reconstruct it or do we build another one?

But, from the estimates we are getting, it is going to take hundreds of millions of dollars to reconstruct that breakwater. Also because of security issues in that part of the country, our pilots are not able to take out vessels at certain times. So, these limitations have made the eastern ports unattractive business-wise, and not just because of the length of the channels, but also because of the breakwater and high siltation and drafting limitations at the Quay walls. However, what we have done is that we have actually introduced some rebates in terms of tariff reductions to encourage people to import their goods through these ports. We have also deployed marine crafts there, to ensure quick entry and exit of vessels calling to those ports. We are also working towards remedial sweeping of the escravos bell mouth that has been silted, because of the collapsed breakwaters. Calabar port has a channel that is 101 kilometres, the main challenge is that of dredging of that channel, there is currently a court case between NPA and a certain company that was asked to dredge that channel. So, we haven’t been able to dredge the channel for so long.

The Quays there also have draft limitations. Meanwhile, for Rivers port, we know how old it is and its channel length is about 90 kilometres, which is far off the high sea. That too has draft limitations and the channel draft is not that fantastic. The Quays themselves have draft limitations of about 9 metres and what we have done was to also offer tariffs incentives like in Calabar and we are reviewing it now, while encouraging the use of flat button boats into those port locations and whatever it takes, we will do it, the same way we are doing with Tincan and Apapa. That they have their limitations does not mean they should be abandoned. But, let me finally say this, we cannot determine for an importer, where to take his/her cargoes to (i.e. which port to use).

Most of the importers have (30 to 40%) businesses between Lagos and Ogun states and it does not make business sense to bring your cargoes all the way from Calabar or Warri to your factory in Lagos or Ogun State. However, we have been holding stakeholder meetings at the port locations to encourage those that have businesses – whether it is in Nnewi or Onitsha to start thinking of Calabar or Warri preferably. The North East and the North Central are the closest to Calabar port and there have been businesses from that part of the country to Calabar port. What it takes is more engagements to let people know that there are other available locations, but, first of all, you must have the quantity of cargo you need for a vessel to call at those ports. If, for instance, a vessel can take 10,000 containers and there are only 3,000 coming to say, Calabar, you are not going to get a direct call. What the vessel would do is probably call in Lagos, then, do a trans-shipment with probably smaller vessels to Calabar. So, we encourage Nigerians that have businesses in those parts of the country to explore the possibilities of using the ports in the East.

Are you considering measures to encourage non-oil exports so as to boost revenue earnings at the ports?

As a measure to boost the government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) through the promotion of non-oil exports, the Authority has taken several initiatives towards facilitation of non-oil exports. As the administrator and manager of the country’s major gateways, the Authority has keyed into the economic diversification agenda of the federal government through the promotion of non-oil exports, with the establishment of dedicated export terminals or export parks in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and other sister agencies.

The initiative is aimed at the processing, packaging and certification of exports under a one-stop shop platform that houses all relevant agencies responsible for quality control and regulatory validation of exports before shipment. The objective is to enhance and fast-track Nigerian export cargo for shipment at the export parks without any further port clearance protocol. A pilot scheme has commenced at Lilypond and four (4) other terminals should be ready for deployment by the end of February 2022.

Also, a special window has been created for export cargo movement on the ETO platform and Port corridor through a scheme known as time belt for export movement. The Authority has prioritised intra-African trade; all our seaports are being repositioned as efficient and reliable gateways, in line with the drive to optimise Nigeria’s trade interconnectedness with other African countries under the AfCFTA.

How safe are the Nigerian oceans given the deployment of the deep blue project?

The Deep Blue Project has really impacted positively in terms of improvement of security, reduction in piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and other locations, but our responsibility at the NPA is to ensure safe passage of vessels as they come into the country and because of that, we have been deploying buoys along the water ways to ensure safety of vessels; we have also reconstructed and renovated the control towers (Apapa and Tincan). These control towers were constructed in the 70s and the radar and communication systems had gone obsolete. We just commissioned one not too long ago in Apapa and the one in Tincan will soon be completed also, and that has improved communications, thereby improving safety of vessels coming into the country. We are also laying buoys in Calabar and Delta ports and other channels that are necessary for the safety of vessels.

Furthermore, as it relates to safety of cargo within the port, what we have done is to work with other government agencies involved and operating within the port. We have also deployed more security apparatus within the ports and I am sure you have heard about the massive decline in theft of cargo within the port. It is because we have taken the issue of security seriously and under ISPS code, we have our responsibilities and we are taking those responsibilities very seriously. One of the issues we realised was that access to the ports needs to be restricted and that was why recently, we did the 360-degree clean-up between Tincan and Apapa port areas and we removed all the shanties, illegal businesses and car parks around the port locations and very soon, we are going to fence Tincan as a whole. The whole of Tincan will be fenced and there will be a security gate and access control at the gate. We have already started building that in Onne and there will be one in Tincan. Apapa has one but it will be modernised. So, once we have that, it means if you do not have any business in the port or an identification card that will enable you access to the port, you will not have access to it.

Social Commentator and Crusader, Aida-Nath Ogwuche recently paid iconic former Nigerian Head of States, General Ibrahim Babaginda a visit at his Hilltop residence in Minna. 


The PSA to the Governor of Benue State, who is Convener of The Aida-Nath Foundation, expressed her delight for some of the landmark developments and diplomatic successes Babaginda achieved during his term as Head of State.


"General Babaginda is a great leader, and one of the few Nigerian Presidents who stamped their efforts in the development of this country. He made some very viable diplomatic decisions, which are quite effective in Nigeria's relationship with the rest of the world, as well as in the aspect of economic and social empowerment of Nigerians. So I respect and regard him alot."

Aida-Nath also used the opportunity to call for the youths of Nigeria to get more involved in the leadership recruitment process, and find their place in the Nigerian political podium. 

"I urge the Nigerian youths to get more involved in the political processes. The elections are around the corner, and the only strength and lifeline the youths have is their PVC. It is very essential we all go get our PVCs and vote. We can't keep complaining and yet stay away from the processes which elect our leaders. Your PVC is the most essential cog in our democratic machine," she said.

.....group berates Southern and Middle Belt leaders forum over 'reckless political statement'

January 15, 2022

The PDP North Central Solidarity Group has, on Saturday, reacted to a recent resolution by the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum in which the forum said all political parties should zone their 2023 presidential tickets to the South.

The PDP North Central Solidarity Group berated the Southern and Middle Belt leaders who came up with such ‘sectarian’ resolution.

The PDP group reckoned that the Middle Belt and Southern leaders can’t railroad Nigeria as to which region produces President in 2023 as against allowing the country to go through the rudiments of national consensus on the decision of who becomes President of Nigeria in 2023, as Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians regardless of whether North or South.

“What Nigeria urgently needs at the moment is a unifier, a round peg in a round hole irrespective of tribe or religion. What Nigeria needs now is neither “Northern President” nor “Southern President” but a Nigerian President, a President that will rule Nigeria without recourse to region of origin, a President that will hit the ground running upon first day in office, a President that will not take Aso Rock as a political retirement home, a President with capacity to get the job done without always looking to pass the blame on to others, a President to rule by himself as against via proxies, a President that will not abscond his office for medical tourism abroad, a President that does not take Nigeria as an extension of his list of conquered territories, a President that will rescue Nigeria from the disastrous reigns of APC.

“Without any further ado, we humbly call on the DSS and other security outfits to caution the Southern and Middle Belt leaders forum against plunging our dear country into crisis of regional affiliation, as Nigeria is one, regardless of whether a Nigeria is from North or South. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear and unambiguous about the rights of citizens to vote and be voted for irrespective of tongues, tribes and (or) religion/region.

“It is our patriotic advice and admonition therefore, to the Southern and Middle Belt forum that its members and leadership should allow political parties to deal with political issues. The forum on its part should rather focus on actions that would heal the nation and not delve into politics. The worst Nigeria can afford right now is divisive statements from persons who are no less leaders of thought and elderstatesmen and elderstateswomen,” the PDP group said.


Comrade Panshak Jonah

PRO, PDP North Central Solidarity Group

.....disregard news of him stepping down for anybody; Onaiwu to naysayers

January 14, 2022



Earl Osaro Onaiwu has called on Nigerians to focus on the credentials and winning prospects of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and disregard mischief makers. He made this call in a Friday statement while reacting to news that his principal, Dr. Bukola Saraki is actually working for some other Presidential aspirant.

The pioneer DG of PDP Governors forum and National Coordinator of Saraki Nigeria ‘23 used the opportunity to list the credentials of Bukola Saraki who is “a former Governor and a notable leader in North Central PDP and in North Central politics. In fact, he seems to be the candidate of the people of North Central, the third most populated geopolitical zone in Nigeria at the moment.”

“Sen. (Dr) Bukola Saraki is very much in the race for the 2023 presidency. He is the candidate to beat. He is young, energetic and experienced. His views, insights, mission and vision for a better Nigeria are too spot-on for him to be stepping down for anyone.

“Those peddling news of Bukola Saraki stepping down or working for any Presidential aspirant, are simply spreading such fake news possibly because they are intimidated by Bukola Saraki’s sterling credentials as a Presidential material. By the way, Bukola Saraki has not even declared for office yet in as much as 2023 is concerned. He is still consulting. He is consulting with the youths, he is consulting with the artisans, he is consulting with party leaders, he is consulting with market men and market women, he is consulting with captains of industries and international investors who may want to invest in Nigeria under a sane clime compared to what we have under APC that is rather chasing investors out of Nigeria to Ghana, South Africa and other neighbouring countries as the APC harsh economic policies are choking and chasing away businesses and investments.

“At the end of all these consultations in their merit; my principal, His Excellency Dr Bukola Saraki, will in the fullness of time, as we trust the pressure on him to run for Office of President in 2023 is really much, that he will formally declare to run for Office of President and we shall hit the ground running. Disregard as fake, any news saying he is stepping down for anybody please. Thank you,” Earl Osaro Onaiwu told pressmen in Abuja.

…says Tambuwal is an exemplary leader.

Pioneer DG of PDP Governors Forum and National Coordinator, Saraki Nigeria ‘23, Earl Osaro Onaiwu has felicitated with the Executive Governor of Sokoto State and the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum; His Excellency, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on the occasion of his 56th birthday.

In a Monday felicitation message to the Governor, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu who doubles as the National Cordinator of Saraki 2023, praised Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on how he has steered the PDP Governors Forum as Chairman. In the birthday felicitation message, Mr. Osaro described Governor Tambuwal as "an exemplary leader” and prayed Allah to continue to guide him as he steers the ship of Sokoto State and the PDP Governors Forum to greater heights.

"Continue to be of my best wishes, Your Excellency", Earl Osaro Onaiwu further added.

Political activist, Comrade Timi Frank has condemned the clearance of 10 suspects arrested in connection with the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni Jr.

Oromoni Jr. until his sudden illness and death was a student of Dowen College Lagos.

Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement in Abuja, said the autopsy reports on which the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of Lagos State, Ms Adetutu Osinusi, based his advice to clear the suspects were not only hastily done but highly suspicious.

He called on all fathers and mothers in the country to rise up and demand justice for late Oromoni Jr and his grieving parents.

According to him, “it is Sylvester Oromoni Jr today. It can be any other person tomorrow, hence the need to join in the crusade to stamp out cruelty, barbarism and violence from our school system.”

The activist who is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, wondered why the Presidency as well as the National Assembly have been silent on a case of apparent murder of a young boy now being swept under the carpet.

He wondered if the Federal Government would have been silent on the matter had the victim been the son of a highly placed government officials.

He said: “We cannot all close our eyes to this apparent coverup in the investigation and exoneration of suspects named in the death of Oromoni Jr.

“The least we all expected of the Lagos State Government was to ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation of the incident, and prosecute those responsible, if any.

“Today, Oromoni Jr’s death has been added to the growing number of mysterious deaths. What a shame!”

He called on the Senate and House of Representatives to cause a public hearing on the matter where the suspects and parents of the deceased would defend themselves before Nigerians.

He insisted that the death of Oromoni Jr would hunt the perpetrators and their collaborators for life should justice be compromised in this manner.

“If the Federal and Lagos State governments fail to ensure justice in this case, Oromoni Jr ans his family will surely get justice from God as the prayers of the family will be answered one day,” he said.

He condoled with the parents and family of the deceased and urged them to fight on till the true circumstances surrounding the death of their son is unraveled and justice served.

December 27, 2021

National Coordinator of Saraki Nigeria’23 Group and Founding Director-General of PDP Governors Forum; Earl Osaro Onaiwu has mourned the passing away of Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu.

In a Monday statement, Earl Osaro Onaiwu said; "The passing away of Arch Bishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a devastating loss to Africa and the entire human race.

"At this moment of grief, my family and I mourn with the good People of South Africa. We pray for the fortitude to bare the irreplaceable loss.

"I want to urge African leaders, religious and political leaders inclusive to imbibe the virtues of Arch Bishop Tutu which stands him out. He was selfless and courageous, and at all times, when he was alive, he puts patriotism at the front burner. His commitment to the anti-apartheid activism that liberated South Africa from the apartheid era can never be erased from the sands of time.

"These virtues amongst others saw the world celebrate Arch Bishop Desmomd Tutu, little wonder he was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize award”

Mr Onaiwu who is an ardent supporter of the late Arch Bishop of Cape Town, prayed for the families and loved ones he left behind, noting that the world has lost one of its greatest sons.

December 25, 2021


National Coordinator of Saraki Nigeria ‘23 Group and founding Director-General of PDP Governors Forum, Mr Earl Osaro Onaiwu has felicitated with Oyo State Governor, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde on the occasion of his 5th birthday.

“You are one of the shining lights of our great party, PDP and Nigeria as a whole. You have blazed the trail and you have been an exceptional Governor. You are also a beacon of hope. On this 54th birthday of yours, continue to be of God’s guidance and protection,” Chief Osaro Onaiwu wrote in the birthday felicitation message.

Mr Onaiwu who is the founding Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum and the National Coordinator, Saraki Nigeria ‘23 Group, said that the remarkable achievements of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo state over a short period of time has earned him the name “Star Boy” adding that Makinde is gradually transforming Oyo state into an envy amongst the community of states in Nigeria.

“On this 54th occasion of your birthday, may you continue to wax stronger and better through Christ our Lord” Mr Onaiwu concluded.

…Calls on Nigerians to pray for the country

December 25, 2021



National Coordinator of Saraki Nigeria ‘23 and founding Director-General of PDP Governors Forum, Mr Earl Osaro Onaiwu has called on Nigerians to ponder more on the import of love and sacrifice.

The PDP chieftain made this call in Abuja on Saturday in commemoration of this year’s Christmas day.

“The situation of the country calls for prayers. Prayers that God gives us the strength to survive this APC Government and the harsh economy it has introduced to us as a nation, prayers that God continues to keep us safe away from the insecurity problems the Buhari-led administration has failed to tackle but has rather allowed to fester and spread beyond imagination. Let us pray for peace as we celebrate this year’s Christmas,” the founding DG of PDP Governors Forum further added.

....donates food items and relief materials


December 8, 2021

Earlier today, December 8, 2021, the coordinator of FCT Women4Women, a Non Governmental Organization, Mrs Joy Osaro Onaiwu and her team donated food items and relief materials to an orphanage home, Osaze We Care Orphanage Apo-Dutse in Abuja.


Mrs Osaro Onaiwu, who in her usual generosity, called on other privileged members and highly placed members of the society to mobilize resources to reach out to the downtrodden, especially the orphans, at intervals. She made the call while donating food items and relief materials to orphans in Abuja.


“Though this is festivity period, we try at all times to spread love and happiness amongst these beautiful children”, Mrs Onaiwu declared. Further speaking, Mrs Onaiwu said “It is not out of place for us to spread love, even our Lord Jesus Christ has commissioned us to do these things”


The coordinator of FCT Women4Women, Mrs Joy Osaro Onaiwu in the company of her team members which includes the secretary of the group, Tina Ihejietoh, Stephanie Oby Dike, Gina Attoe, Stella Okoh-Esene amongst others, addressed and admonished the children to be of good behavior and worthy ambassadors of themselves as well as the orphanage.


The coordinator, Mrs Onaiwu, commended and thanked the proprietor of the orphanage for doing a good job in the facility.

...Says no ‘peace walk’ without justice

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Wednesday, rejected in totality a White Paper on the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters, issued by the Lagos State Government.

He also called on all #EndSARS activist never to partake in the planned “Peace Walk” by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, describing the move as tendentious and anti-youth.

“How can there be peace without justice,” he queried, adding, “Sanwo-Olu should accept the truth about the #EndSARS massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate, apologise to Nigerian youth and pay adequate compensation to victims of the massacre if he desires to walk for peace,” Frank said in a statement in Abuja.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, urged Sanwo-Olu to reread the JPI report and follow the truth courageously captured therein.

He commended #EndSARS activists like Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr Macaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adedotun (Just Detoun) and Seun Kuti, among others, for rejecting the Governor’s tomfoolery.

He called on other youth not to yield to such evil and dangerous temptation now being dangled before them by Sanwo-Olu until the Lagos State Government and Federal Government fully implement the courageous recommendations of the JPI.

He lamented that while the truth about the #LekkiTollgateMassacre has been succinct captured in the JPI Report, the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government are still living in denial and plying the Ostrich.

“The truth is the truth. No amount of whitewashing, shenanigans, jerrymandering or intimidation can erase it.

“Sanwo-Olu and Lai Mohammed must acknowledge the truth, apologise to Nigerian youth if they desire closure on this egregious matter.

“The youth cannot be fooled. On justice for our colleagues massacred at the Lekki Tollgate on 20:10:20 we stand! Any youth that marches with Sanwo-Olu without adequate and commensurate justice for our fallen heroes is a betrayer!” Frank declared.

He called on the international community not to be swayed by attempts to sweep the Lekki Tollgate massacre and crime against humanity perpetrated against Nigerian youth by government forces under the carpet.

“The White Paper released by the Lagos State Government is another attempt at covering up an intentional genocide.

“The actors, including officials of the Federal Government must be held accountable. The White Paper is a fluke. The JPI Report says it all and we need not look any further,” Frank insisted.

….adopts Bukola Saraki as their sole candidate for the 2023 general elections


November 29, 2021



The North Central Advocacy and Contact Committee, on Monday November 29, 2021, paid an advocacy visit to PDP North Central zonal headquarters in Nasarawa state. It used the visit to address the North Central PDP stakeholders on the need to harmonize and champion the zone’s interest to produce a candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

The group led by its chairman, Prof. (Ambassador) Iyorwuese Hagher to PDP Zonal headquarters, consisted of very powerful delegations, members of which include erstwhile National chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje; a former secretary to the Kogi State Government, Sen. Ahmadu Ali; Alhaji Nasir Subair, Hon. AbdulRahaman Badamasui, Sen. Solomon Ewuga, Sen. Suleiman Adowkwe, Hon. Mohammed Abdullahi Rico, Hon. Golu Timothy Simon, Rt. Hon. Margaret Icheon, Hon. Mohammed Onawo and a host of others.

The group harped on the strategic importance of the North Central geo-political zone and the need for it to produce the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We have looked everywhere and considered all factors and found one man who has shown competence in all spheres of life, a man of worthy integrity, a man who has excelled beyond doubts despite all that was thrown at him, a man who has the capacity to deliver on any job given to him. This man is a true son of the North central, he is no one but the former two (2) term governor of Kwara state, a former senator and former President of the 8th Assembly, H.E. Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki” the chairman of the group, Prof Ayim stated.

“It is not his making, rather, we the North Central stakeholders have thrown our weight behind him and asked him to run for presidency. We will move from state to state, local government to local government and everywhere in Nigeria to sell his candidacy.

“Bukola Saraki has all it takes to take Nigeria out of its current woes to an enviable height,” the chairman concluded.

While addressing the PDP north central executives, Former National Chairman of the PDP and a strong ally of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, stressed that the personality of Dr. Saraki as a man, cuts across the nation.

“Saraki is a detribalized Nigerian, a man who cuts across Nigeria as a northerner and at the same time a southerner. I have not only come to sell the candidacy of Bukola Saraki, I have also come to preach the message of one candidate from the North Central and that person is Sen. Bukola Saraki” Mr Baraje concluded.

While welcoming the PDP North Central, the host of the occasion, the PDP North Central zonal chairman, Hon. Dakas Shan, noted the giant strides of Senator Bukola Saraki while he held-sway as the then governor of Kwara state and the president of the 8th senate and also urged the zone to unite to support one formidable candidate.

By Ibironke Ariyo

Abuja, Nov. 25, 2021

The Legend Golden Care Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called on the Federal Government to accelerate court processes for cases to move faster to help inmates, especially those awaiting trial.

The Executive Director of the foundation, Mrs Kanayo Metuh, made the call during the presentation of gift items to inmates at Suleja Custodial Centre on Thursday in Niger, under its “Beyond the Walls” initiative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inmates at the Suleja Custodial Centre were 700 and items donated included slippers, toothpastes, tooth brushes, bathing soaps, drinks, bread, among others.

Metuh advocated a deliberate judicial action that would lead to the acceleration of trials for the conclusion of investigations, trials and delivery of judgments in all cases, especially for inmates awaiting trials.

She said a person was considered innocent until proven guilty as stated in the Nigerian constitution.

She added that the situation was worse where people were incarcerated for five to seven years thereby awaiting trial for so long.

According to her, the unintended consequence is that people are probably serving jail terms for crimes they did not commit.

“And then at the end of the day, when they are found guilty, they might have exceeded the maximum terms allocated for the crimes committed initially.

“I want to call on the government to accelerate the court processes so that cases would move faster.

“And also remove whatever bottlenecks that exist in the system that will make it possible for someone who is awaiting trial to be locked up for five to seven years,” she said.

The Executive Director said one of the many positive things that came out of her husband’s travails was the awareness of the challenges being faced by the NCoS.

Metuh noted that the experience of her husband, Olisa Metuh, former national publicity secretary to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), brought about the initiative “beyond the walls.”

She said it was majorly for people that were incarcerated.

She added that the foundation also provided free legal aid to the inmates that could not afford legal representation.

“We are here today to present some of the needs of the inmates. We are here with few things and to also find out other things we can do to make the inmates’ stay some worth comfortable.

“We understand that when people commit crimes, there has to be punitive measures but correctional service should not just punish people, there should be a form of rehabilitation.

“This means at the end of the day, you do not want people to leave here with the same mindset that brought them,” she said.

She explained that the NGO embarked on the initiative to also support what the government was doing, and that even with the best intentions, the government could not do everything.

“I want to call on individuals, corporate organisations and NGOs to rise up to the occasion to help the inmates.

“In the western world, there are usually collaborations between the government and the private sector,” she said.

Metuh also called on well meaning individuals to help the NCoS to live upto their names by correcting the mindset of inmates and add value to their lives.

She also pleaded with Nigerians to stop stigmatising people who had been incarcerated, adding that It was such a horrible experience to be incarcerated for years and still face stigmatisation.

Also speaking, the Assistant Controller in charge of Suleja Custodial Centre, Mr Ali Ali, commended the foundation for the initiative, saying that it was laudable.

Ali said the NGO had been exceptional beyond the expectation of the service, and urged other NGOs and individuals to follow suite and help inmates have the lives they hoped for.

“We will continue to do our best and ensure all you brought for the inmates are duly used and distributed appropriately,” he said.

Reno Omokri, former President Jonathan’s aide has reacted to Lai Mohammed’s remark on the Lagos EndSARS judicial panel report. In a piece by Reno Omokri titled “A response to Lai Mohammed’s Callous Attack on the Integrity of the Lagos #EndSARS Panel Report”, he wrote;
“I watched Lai Mohammed’s press conference where he tried to punch holes in the Lagos #EndSARS Panel Report.
“Before I destroy the seven grounds raise by Lying Lai in his futile attempt to cast aspersions on the courageous work by the Panel, let me first state that Lai Mohammed is the fly that follows the corpse to the grave. Even Buhari could not deny the Lagos #EndSARS Panel Report in his meeting with the United States Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on November 18, 2021.
“Buhari left the ignoble and dishonourable task to Lai. It is Lai’s destiny to Lie all the way to his father, satan’s, home.
“The #LekkiMassacre occurred and #BuhariForPrison2023 must happen. And I will not counter each of the seven grounds raised by Lai today.
1. Lai Mohammed said the Lagos #EndSARS Panel report is “fake news” because the panel said it found bullets and bloodstains even after saying the army and police cleaned up afterwards. Didn’t Lai’s colleague, Raji Fashola, also find a camera even days after the clean up? The fact remains that the military and the police attempted their shoddy clean up at night, and could therefore not have cleared everything. They left traces of their massacre, which were found on the subsequent hours and days.


2. Lying Lai Mohammed quoted a so called ballistic ‘expert’ that favoured the Buhari junta. He however failed to address the fact that bullet casings of ammunition that is ONLY available to the Nigerian Army were found at the scene of the #LekkiMassacre. How did they get there in such number that even passers by were able to pick them up?


3. Lying Lai Mohammed then quoted a so called forensic evidence that claimed only three corpses were from the #LekkiMassacre and said that that contradicted another area that said nine persons died. Lai failed to mention that that forensic expert did not examine all the bodies. But even at that, Lai just unwittingly admitted that there were three bodies from the massacre. He had previously said there were no such deaths.


4. Lying Lai faulted the eye witness testimony because it was done via video, and not live. It was done via video because the Buhari regime was seeking to kill that witness and prevent him from testifying. I ask the public to see how another witness was attacked yesterday and how they threatened thr life of yet another Panel member.


5. Lying Lai further said that “The panel was silent on the family members.” Why should the Panel expose the identities of the families of the victims? So the Buhari administration can try to kill then they way they attacked a witness and panel member yesterday? We are talking of a government that killed 347 Shiite men, women, children and infants during the Zaria massacre of December 12-15, 2016.

6. Lying Lai Mohammed asked how the Lagos #EndSARS Panel is not sure that the names of #LekkiMassacre victims “are not fictitious names?”. If Lai has evidence that they are fictitious names, let lie produce the proof. He who alleges must prove!

7. Finally, lying Lai said “The report didn't make any recommendation on the innocent people whose businesses were attacked.” My response is to ask Lai to cure his ignorance by studying the terms of reference of the Panel
The truth is that Lai Mohammed is a dishonourable and dishonest man, which is why on July 5, 2021, the Kwara State House of Assembly (Lai is from Kwara state) said in an official statement that (and this is a quote) Lai is a ‘liar who lies every day.”
Their testimony was further corroborated on October 18, 2021, when Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State called Lai Mohammed a liar and a thief. I remind the public that Lai is yet to sue Governor Abdulrazaq.”
Reno Omokri is a Gospeller, a deep thinker. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Avid traveller. Hollywood Magazine Film Festival Humanitarian of the Year, 2019.

“For operating expenses, as at the end of September 2021, actual spending stood at N55.10bn as against the budgeted figure of N65.49billion, comprising employees’ benefits, pension costs, towage services, supplies, repairs & maintenance and other administrative overheads.

“This indicates a ‘savings’ of N10.39billion or 85 per cent performance of the approved budget of N87.32 billion.

“Furthermore, in compliance with the quarterly remittance of its operating surplus to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and provisions of the Finance Act 2020, the Authority has remitted the sum of N62.66billion to CRF for the year 2021 as at October 31, 2021, while a cumulative sum of N89.9billion has been transferred to the CRF in the last six months. “At the current state of increased revenue drive, it is projected that the Authority will exceed its 2021 revenue projections and the projected transfer to the CRF for the year 2021 which is expected to be over N80billion, which would be the highest in the history of the authority,“ he said.
https://ngg.ng/under-bello-kokos-watch-npa-exceeds-revenue-target-sets-record-of-over-n89-9bn-remittance-to-crf-in-6-months

...urges celebrities, APC’s Govt to do same



Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, commended ace Nigerian music star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, for his philanthropy in dedicating N250million to be shared among orphanages in the country.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, described the gesture as laudable and worth emulating.

He urged Nigerian celebrities to emulate Davido’s action by always giving back to society especially the less privileged.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, said the spirited move by Davido should serve as a wake up call on the Nigerian government as to what they ought to be doing if they are serious about poverty alleviation and eradication in the country.

“Davido threw a N100million Challenge to mark his birthday and raised N200million. He decided to add N50million to make it N250million.

“Now he has set up a Committee of five to distribute the N250million to orphanages across Nigeria.

“Nigerian celebrities and well-to-do Nigerians must borrow a leaf from this noble gesture. Above all, the Federal, States and Local Governments must learn from this,” Frank said.

He lamented that the Federal and State Governments, have failed to directly provide succour to the less privileged in the country despite their plethora of programmes purportedly targeted at the down trodden in society.

According to him, it is still a mystery how the humongous amounts donated to the States and Federal Government as palliative to cushion the harsh effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on vulnerable Nigerians were administered. Nobody has given account of the money.

He said while most of the money have ended up in private pockets, the intended beneficiaries whose sources of livelihoods were disrupted or completely wiped out by the lockdown have been left to their fate.

“This is why Davido’s action is a ray of of light in a dark horizon. He deserves high praise. We urge celebrities and the government to show to the people that they care by giving back to society,” Frank said.

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Wednesday called for the immediate resignation and trial of the President, Major-General Muhammdu Buhari (retd.) for ordering the deployment of army personnel that attacked, injured and killed scores of youth during the EndSARS protest near the Lekki Toll Gate last year.

He equally called for the resignation and trial of the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for requesting that the military be deployed to the Toll Gate.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, said the call has become necessary since Buhari is the Commander-In-Chief (C-In-C) of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore must take full responsibility of the gruesome action of the army against defenseless and peaceful protesters on that fateful night.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, insisted that Sanwo-Olu, as Chief Security Officer of Lagos State, is culpable for illegally inviting soldiers to crackdown on youth exercising their constitutional rights to assemble and protest against ills in society.

According to him, the report of the “Lagos State judicial panel of inquiry on restitution for victims of SARS related abuses and other matters” has established beyond reasonable doubt that soldiers used lethal weapons which killed, maimed and injured scores of the protesters.

“After over a year of denial, subterfuge and coverups, the truth has been forensically established.

“Soldiers deployed by Buhari to Lekki Toll Gate based on a request by Sanwo-Olu harassed, brutalised, injured, maimed and killed innocent Nigerians that they swore an oath to protect as democratically elected political leaders.

“What happened on the night of 20/10/2020 at the Lekki Toll Gate as detailed in the report of the panel is clearly a crime against humanity which is a breach of the nation’s constitution and international law and United Nations conventions and protocols on the fundamental human rights of citizens.

“The law must now take its cause, punish those indicted and ensure adequate and manifest justice for the victims of the unwarranted incident.

“We commend the Justice Doris Okuwobi (retd.) led panel for demonstrating uncommon courage in the discharge of their assignment. The report is clear, detailed and evidence based.

“The panel did not only identify the Lagos State Governor as the one who invited the army, it equally listed names of army officers who carried out the ungodly, dastardly and unforgettable genocide.

“The panel has exposed the underbelly of lies by both the Lagos State Government that set up the committee and the Federal Government that has been defending the military over their wicked and ignoble role in the massacre.”

He called on Nigerians to demand the immediate resignation and prosecution of Buhari and Sanwo-Olu and their agents for violating their oaths of office and flagrant breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“This heinous crime against humanity must not go unpunished. Even though some of the actors now enjoy constitutional immunity against arrests and trial but they must be held to account now or after leaving office.

“The International Criminal Court must ensure that those indicted are extradited and tried at the appropriate time.

“Leaders of the free world including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, etc, must ensure that the visas of Buhari, Sanwo-Olu, Army Generals and other security personnel indicted in the report are cancelled and equally banned from major international functions,” Frank said.

He called on Nigerians especially the youth to continue to demand justice for the EndSARS victims, saying the “struggle has just begun.”

“We now know those who injured, maimed and killed our friends and colleagues. ‘20/10/2020: We Must Never Forget #EndSARS,’” he said.

“We are also executing a number of critical projects through the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme, which will result in achieving the national goal of improved power supply by 2025,” Buhari noted.
https://ngg.ng/how-buharis-government-held-self-accountable-at-ministerial-retreat-read-riot-act-at-government-officials-to-sit-up/

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Saturday, raised the alarm plot to sabotage investigations into a 21-storey building collapsed recently at Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Frank in a statement in Abuja said despite the setting up of a panel of inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, he has credible information that the files containing relevant approvals and title deeds of the plot are now missing from the Lagos State Land Registry.

He insisted that some officials of the Lagos State Government are working behind the scenes in collaboration with the true owners of the building to frustrate the probe panel, chaired by Toyin Ayinde, the president of the National Institute of Town Planners.

He said the aim of the hatchet jobbers is to shield the owners of the building believed to be top government officials by blocking the panel’s access to relevant documents at the Lagos State Land Registry that would help to unravel the truth about the ownership and circumstances that led to the caving in of the edifice under construction.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, challenged Sanwo-Olu to cause all documents and files pertaining to the plot to be publicly delivered to the panel and equally publish same in Newspapers to reassure Nigerians that the files containing the relevant documents have not been confiscated.

He called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to provide urgent answers to the following questions: “Who gave approval for the premises to be reopened after it was sealed for four months last year due to observed anomalies by agents of the Lagos State Government?

“Who are those powerful forces from above that put pressure on the Lagos State Government to reopen the premises for continuation of work.

“Why was the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, hastily suspended indefinitely following the collapse of the building without waiting for the penal duly constituted by the State Government to carry out its assignment and submit a report?

“Again, who are those that already bought up the apartments in the structure that was under construction?”

He insisted that Nigerians need to know the Government officials who invested taxpayers money in the building and those who bought the apartments.

• VP has no interest whatsoever in said property, media aide insists



Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is saddened by the events that occurred in Lagos on Monday, 1st of November 2021, where a high-rise building under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, collapsed. He condoles with the families and relatives of all those who have died, were injured or affected in the collapse. Prof. Osinbajo considers this painful loss of lives a horrible tragedy.

Laolu Akande, media aide to the Vice President in a Friday State House statement said;
“the attention of the Vice President has been drawn to an obviously sponsored falsehood regarding the recently collapsed building published by Sahara Reporters on November 4th, 2021, to the effect that:

1. The VP owns the land upon which the collapsed building in Ikoyi stood.

2. That the said land was sold to him by Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, Chairman of Elizade Motors; and

3. That the Vice President, at some point, intervened with the regulatory authorities in Lagos State to unseal the said property.

Let it be made absolutely clear that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo does not own and has never owned the said land.

He has also never been involved, in any shape or form, in the development of this or any other land since he became Vice President.

At no time whatsoever did the VP buy this or any other piece of land from Chief Michael Ade. Ojo, or entered into any transaction for the sale of that land or any other piece of land from Chief Ade. Ojo or anyone for that matter.

All property and assets owned by the Vice President have been publicly declared.

Also, the Vice President has never spoken to the Governor of Lagos State or any other official of the State Government regarding the unsealing of the said building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, which subsequently collapsed. He has, indeed, never acted to influence any other regulatory action on the collapsed building, or any other building for that matter, in Lagos State.

The Vice President restates categorically that he has no interest whatsoever, and has never had any interest, either legally or beneficially, in the land, the building or development.

The wickedness and viciousness of a lie that seeks to utilise a tragedy where so many people have lost their lives, even as rescue efforts are ongoing, and in wanton disregard to the feelings and untold grief of their loved ones for political gain, reveals a dangerous desperation, as well as the heartlessness of the perpetrators of such despicable lies.

Sahara Reporters were undoubtedly well rewarded for their criminal and inhumane conduct. Typical of a hatchet job and deliberately irresponsible journalism, the publication was not signed by anyone.”

Furthermore, Laolu Akande said “The Vice President has referred this disgraceful publication to his lawyers for prompt legal action.”

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has on Wednesday announced the commencement of the N-Power, N-Knowledge programme in the six (6) geo-political including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

She made the announcement through a statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Bashir Nura Alkali. Alkali said,” N-Knowledge is a component of the N-Power Programme focused on equipping young Nigerians with relevant skills and certification to become competent workers, innovators and entrepreneurs prepared for both the domestic and global digital job market. N-Power (N-Knowledge) programme will upskill 20,000 young Nigerians on the global radar as exporters of world- class services and content in the creative and information technology sectors”.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the training component is targeted at developing competencies of the youth in software development and Hardware training which will be catalyzed to make Nigeria compete in the outsourcing market for software development.

According to him, “it will develop the skills and capacities along the skills set in the value chain of mobile apps and website development while boosting the talent development effort for the growth of information technology industry in Nigeria”.

“The programme consists of centralized in-camp training for 3 months with a 6-month apprenticeship across the 6 geo-political zones. A total of 20,000 beneficiaries will participate in the programme”.

He added that at the end of the programme, qualified trainees would be awarded their certificates and attestations. The trainees will be introduced to different schedules that will definitely make them more informed and ready for the global competitions in the global market. This is significant because the trainees will be introduced to Life-Skills and attitude re-orientation, work ethics while rules of engagement are also exposed to them.