₦airaland Forum

…..encourages PDP to maintain unity to take power in 2023



An image consultant, Kazeem Tanimu has weighed in on the state of the nation ahead of the 2023 polls.

In a statement on Saturday, Kazeem Tanimu expressed concerns as to where the Federal Republic of Nigeria is presently heading.

He also shed light on the reason the APC government has failed Nigerians in all ramifications.

"It is a sorry situation with where Nigeria is presently going to. The failures are quite obvious. Ranging from every section of what makes a country functional. The Muhammadu Buhari's administration obviously doesn't know how to run government. They have failed woefully in coming up with policies that would strengthen the economy. The security architecture of the country depletes everyday. In fact, it has been hijacked!"

The International Image Consultant hinted on reasons why the main opposition, PDP, needs to be more united in a bid to salvage the country from its present economic and security troubles.

Furthermore, Kazeem hailed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde for expending youthful vigour in addressing the Peoples Democratic Party issues startling the Party structure.

"It is quite obvious that the APC government doesn't have any place in 2023. They've failed in every angle in delivering good governance to the people of Nigerians. So the PDP must rise up to the occasion if they must deliver Nigerians from the present plights bedeviling the country.


"The PDP has to continue building momentum, and also to support the likes of Governor Makinde and co, to keep pushing the party's essence. I commend Governor Makinde for his insightfulness in following up with new ideas to aiding the youths desire to participate in the party's growth. Indeed he is a leader with guts and has succeeded in creating the aural needed to propel the party's vitality.

"The party must maintain unity within its folds, avoid dictatorial form of party leadership or any lording over each other. The party while trying to reposition itself for power must engage every necessary process and step via instrumentality of unity. This will help ensure that Nigerians are carried along in the repositioning process of the party," Mr Kazeem advised the party’s hierarchy.

"If one is to make a case for the Southeasterners’ clamour for 2023 presidency, the truth is, all these controversies would have been less or non-existent if Nnamdi Kanu is not playing an inciting role that is rather confusing the good intentions of the Southeasterners toward Nigeria."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/23/nnamdi-kanu-let-your-people-be-president-of-nigeria-too/

"It is certain that Sunday Igboho’s secession clamours and threats of how there may be no any election in southwest Nigeria in 2023 is nothing short of a dent and an embarrassment on the expected leadership of Tinubu, a supposed-to-be southwest leader who yet has interest in the same election Sunday Igboho is trying to use to hold Nigeria to ransom."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/22/tinubu-presidency-clamour-and-the-sunday-igboho-factor-in-southwest/

….rallies support for him ahead of Osun 2022

Pan-Africanist and activist, Comrade Timi Frank recently met with Osun 2018 PDP gubernatorial candidate and former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

The meeting which held in Senator Adeleke’s Atlanta home in USA, had the duo discussing a lot of issues ranging from Pan-Africanism movements down to the state of the nation Nigeria.

Having heard the views of Senator Adeleke, Timi Frank urged him to consider running again in 2022 for Osun 2022 guber race.

According to Timi Frank, Senator Ademola Adeleke has a lot of brilliant ideas that if put into practice will especially turn Osun State in Nigeria, being the Senator’s State of origin, around for good, hence the need for the Senator to consider the need to run again for Osun governorship.

The former APC Spokesperson commended Senator Adeleke for a good run in the 2018 Osun guber polls, which according to him (Timi Frank), “he (Adeleke) won fair and square, but got manipulated to be in favour of the APC candidate by the APC-led Government”.

"It is possible that Tambuwal could be relying on Wike for financial support but surely not for anything else as Wike has not conducted himself in a way that shows he can be a rallying force that Tambuwal needs even if it is to rally votes in any State outside of Rivers even if merely within South-South Nigeria only."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/21/the-wike-factor-in-tambuwals-potentials-to-run-for-presidency-in-2023/

This is to wish our highly esteemed muslim friends, clients and partners, a happy Sallah celebration.

We at Sixt-Media Lane Consult Ltd urge everyone to imbibe in himself/herself the spirit of the celebration which is sacrifice and love.

We urge us all to remember our nation Nigeria at a time like this. We urge each and everyone to continually pray for the peace and prosperity of our dear nation Nigeria.

Barka Da Sallah.


Prince Sixtus,
CEO, Sixt-Media Lane Consult Ltd,
July 20, 2021

Ajigi in his Sallah message released in Lokoja, urged Muslims to preach peace and imbibe the virtues of Prophet Mohammed whose sacrificial and obedient life is the reason for the celebration.

He also called on Muslims not to be carried away by only the pageantry of the Sallah celebration, but to use the occasion for sober reflection and extend gestures and hands of support to the needy in the society as well as to pray against the current security and economic situation of the country.

"Eid-El-Kabir is a time of love and goodwill. It gives us a message to love all and hate none. We have every reason to thank God for his mercy over humanity. Despite the present situation of our country we must be hopeful and prayerful at all times. The fact that we are still alive, gives room for Thanksgiving.

"I pray that the precarious situation of the country will be handled by almighty Allah through his grace and wisdom. We have no other country to call our own. On behalf of my humble self and my family I wish all concerned in this festive period, a wonderful outing, peace, greatness and above it all fear of God." he added.

"He has been a light in darkness. He has been that APC politician who is guided by principle as against “politics as usual”. He is sincere to a fault, sometimes one wonders if he is indeed a member of the ruling party. Where others fear to tread, Okorocha has walked confidently and even stood tall. He is a different politician; he is a politician with a difference."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/19/rochas-okorocha-as-an-eminently-qualified-presidential-material/

ImageX Highlights Seven X-factors Of Yahaya Bello Becoming President

A former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke, has said a former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun could not be said to remain a Nigerian citizen, having earlier forfeited her citizenship.

Under the 1963 constitution, which was in force in 1967 when Mrs Adeosun was born, a person born to Nigerian parents in a foreign country, was allowed to enjoy dual citizenship up till when he or she clocked 21.
At 21 the person must renounce the citizenship of the foreign country or would forfeit his or her Nigerian citizenship.
The law remained the same under the 1979 constitution which was in force when Mrs Adeosun graduated from the university at the age of 22 in 1989.’
But Mrs Adeosun, born in the U.K., did not renounce her British citizenship when she clocked 21, therefore forfeiting her Nigerian citizenship at the time.
“From my reading and understanding of the sections of the Constitution, it is my finding that the plaintiff not being a citizen of Nigeria in 1989 when she graduated from the University of East London, London, United Kingdom, was not eligible to participate in the National Youth Service Scheme,” Federal High Court ruled last week.

The judge agreed with Mrs Adeosun’s lawyer that she only regained her Nigerian citizenship when the 1999 constitution came into force.
He added that she was already 36 by the time she returned to Nigeria in 2003 and was no longer eligible to participate in the NYSC scheme having crossed the age limit of 30 as of then.
But when PREMIUM TIMES sought his comment on the matter, Mr Adoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that having lost her Nigerian citizenship when she was 21 by not renouncing her U.K. citizenship as expected under the 1979 constitution, Mrs Adeosun could not automatically regain her Nigerian citizenship under the 1999 constitution without going through any process.


“How did she regain her citizenship? Was that citizenship regained, without going through a process? Can you regain something that has been forfeited? And even if we say so, does it mean it is as of right or she has to go through a process to regain her citizenship?
“So she has to tell us at what point she regained her citizenship and what step she took, to become a Nigerian citizen after she has lost her citizenship. The issue is not as simple as they are making it look.
“Some schools of thought will tell you that she is no longer a Nigerian citizen as of the time of the 1999 constitution came into operation.


“She forfeited her citizenship, and you cannot backdate that law. If she wants to become a Nigerian citizen, she has to become a Nigerian citizen by a process.”
He said citizenship “cannot be dormant which you can reactivate”, adding, “There is nothing like dormant citizenship”.
This, he said, raises the question of her being appointed to be a minister or a commissioner when she was not a Nigerian.
He added, “Because people want to help her, they are also being intellectually dubious by not going into the provisions of our law critically.
“So, if she says she has become a citizen of Nigerian, at what point did she become a Nigerian citizen, and what was the process she went through to become a Nigerian citizen. This is a germane question she needs to be asked.
Mr Adoke also said he would have filed forgery-related charges against Mrs Adeosun over her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate scandal if he was in office as the country’s chief law officer.
Mr Adoke told PREMIUM TIMES that the July 7 judgment obtained by Mrs Adeosun did not clear her of the NYSC certificate forgery scandal that saw to her exit from office in September 2018.
Mrs Adeosun claimed to have been vindicated after Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgement on her non-participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
In the judgment delivered on July 7, 2021, the court ruled that Mrs Adeosun could not have participated in the scheme due to her forfeited citizenship at the time of her graduation from a United Kingdom university in 1989.
It added that the Nigerian constitution, under which she regained her citizenship in 1999, did not require a person to possess the NYSC certificate to be appointed a minister.
The judgment cleared Mrs Adeosun of liability for not participating in mandatory national youth service, but not for her submission of a forged exemption certificate, which she presented for her ministerial appointment in 2015, Mr Adoke said.
The ex-AGF said the issue was not about her eligibility to participate in the NYSC scheme but about an alleged forgery that she owned up to in her resignation letter.
“By her own admission, in her letter of resignation, she did admit that unknown to her that the letter of exemption given to her or procured for her was later discovered to be forged. And I think that settles the matter.
“Having taken ownership and having presented that document as part of her credentials, I think she has admitted to a forgery. And I do not think the issue is whether or not the constitution requires that, to be appointed as a minister, you need an NYSC certificate. The issue is forgery simpliciter,” Mr Adoke said.
The former justice minister maintained that the issue of Mrs Adeosun’s eligibility to participate in the NYSC scheme “is beside the point”.
“Having submitted and claimed ownership of that document, she has acted in a manner that is injurious to the provisions of the law and run afoul of the law,” Mr Adoke said. “If I were the Attorney-General, I would have asked the DPP (Director of Public Prosecution) to charge her to court.”
Asked if he could have acted to the contrary even if the prevailing political authorities at the time are not in support of her prosecution, Mr Adoke said, “Don’t forget that there is no time limit to crime. So, if one political climate favours that she should not be prosecuted, another climate can reopen the matter.”


Background
A PREMIUM TIMES report in July 2018, had revealed that Mrs Adeosun presented a forged exemption certificate of the NYSC to be appointed minister in 2015.
The report revealed that the former minister, born to Nigerian parents in the United Kingdom, where she also schooled and graduated in 1989 at 22, had skipped the national youth service mandatory for Nigerian graduates who are under age 30.
In 2011, she presented a forged NYSC certificate purporting to exempt her from the national youth service to the Ogun State House of Assembly to be appointed the commission for finance of the state.
She also presented the forged document to the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian senate to be appointed minister in 2015.
Following the PREMIUM TIMES report exposing the scandal in July 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari administration set up a team to investigate the scandal.
The team, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, confirmed the forgery.
This led to Mrs Adeosun’s resignation on September 14, 2014.
She admitted in her resignation letter that the NYSC exemption certificate was forged but claimed she only got to know of it after the PREMIUM TIMES report exposing the scam.
However, almost three years after she resigned from office on September 14, 2018, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on July 7 that she needed not to present an NYSC certificate to be appointed minister.
Although the judge did not review the allegation that she submitted a forged NYSC exemption certificate, Mrs Adeosun said, in her reaction, that the “ruling vindicates me after a very traumatic spell”.


‘She was not persecuted’
The former AGF also faulted the impression being given by Mrs Adeosun that she was being persecuted.
He said, the former finance minister, having admitted to the forgery in her resignation letter, “she should have shown some kind of penitence, rather than coming from the point of view as if she has been unduly persecuted.”
He added, “The issue of why she was pressured to resign from office has nothing to do with whether or not she met the requirement of being appointed a minister under the constitution other than that she produced or exhibited a letter of exemption from the NYSC, exempting her from participating on the account of the fact that she was not eligible to participate.”

ImageX Highlights Seven X-factors Of Yahaya Bello Becoming President

In a recent docu-graphics released by ImageX - a multi-facet digi-branding organisation; seven pointers why Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has the tendencies to be the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, were analysed.


See the graphics pointers below....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2CNzADnZXs

….claims “thieves” in the Government are behind the budget


Jackson Ude, social media activist has alleged that some “thieves” in the Buhari Government are the ones who will actually be the beneficiary of the WhatsApp N4.8billion budget. This is as the activist claim that the intention disclosed by the Government in reference to the budget, is actually unrealistic.

He is of the view that the disclosed intention of the Government is just a front for those who want to loot the national treasury by such amount.

“Some thieves in Buhari’s Govt are about to pocket N4.8billion under the guise of monitoring your WhatsApp and your calls. FBI and others are yet to break into WhatsApp but Nigeria where electricity is still a mirage already has a budget to do the impossible. Ndi ara!

“FBI went to court with Apple to gain access, they failed, they failed with Facebook owners of WhatsApp and they are yet to decode the encryption. China failed, they banned WhatsApp and got their own app so they can monitor. But Nigeria suddenly have an answer to an encrypted app,” Jackson said in a tweet.

"In fact, just like when football fans say “No Messi, No Barca”, it is safe to say “No Buhari, No APC”. If this theory is true, 2023 is closeby already for it to be put to test."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/14/buhari-as-a-possible-end-of-apc/

"Marafa is of the grievance that Matawalle is being imposed on the party structure without due consultation with the structure at first. This is a stand that has even gone as far as having Marafa question the legality of the Buni-led Caretaker committee of the party at first."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/13/matawalles-chances-of-returning-as-governor-in-2023/

"The Buhari campaign organisation as of the time had promised N5,000 monthly allowance to the unemployed. It also promised to feed school children, it also promised to put an end to the raging Boko Haram menace as of then in six months of assuming office."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/13/the-near-end-of-an-era-how-fair-will-history-be-to-buhari/

Fresh revelation has allegedly revealed that Adewunmi Adedeji Ogunsanya, Chairman of Multichoice/DSTV/GoTV has been carrying out money laundering. This is as his company, Multichoice/DSTV/GoTV is said to be allegedly involved in tax evasion.


In a series of tweet, Social media activist and crusader, Jackson Ude wrote; “FRAUD: Adewunmi Adedeji Ogunsanya, Chairman of Multichoice/DSTV/GoTV, defrauds Nigeria, evades taxes and launders proceeds from Multichoice. Ogunsanya uses TROCADERO Properties, Parkwood Nig Ltd and his mistress’s Infotrain Communications to launder Billions from Multichoice.

“In one day, 10/01/2018, N1.5 billion was moved from Multichoice acct 0147949027 FCMB to TROCADERO property account. On 11/05/2016, he had also moved N2.2billion from Multichoice account to same property company and N290million to Parkwood Nig Ltd.

“2014, Judith Nkoli Ononye believed to be his front/mistress set up Infotrain Communications on Feb 2014. Same day she floated two other companies, Infotrain thru account 2563810022 collected over N3 billion from Multichoice. Infotrain gets N555million monthly according to records.”

“Despite the huge amounts of money Multichoice/DSTV and GoTV makes from Nigeria, it pays little or no taxes while ripping off Nigerians. 5yrs Financial records of the company still being scrutinized showed little or no taxes. FIRS are right demanding more taxes. More coming!,” he further added.

"Yahaya Bello who has doubtless used his ‘youthful energy’ to keep Kogi safe inspite of how the state is bound by many states that are yet even seriously tormented by insecurity at the moment, will do well if voted in to preside over the affairs of the country."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/12/yahaya-bello-and-the-clamour-for-youthful-presidency/

"On zoning matters, as it regards the main opposition party, PDP, it is a settled matter obviously, that the PDP would zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the North. This is one core issue the ruling party, APC, is not sure of, for itself yet."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/12/pdp-and-the-readiness-to-take-back-power-in-2023/

Amodu Blessing Omotola was born December 27, 1996. She is a native of Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Blessing is currently a final year Criminology and Security Studies student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.

The statistics of the beauty queen are: 5.7, 23, 37, 30; height, shoulder, burst and waist respectively.

Her hobbies are music, fashion, tour-exhibition and interaction.

The publisher and board of Gbaramatu Voice have nominated Comrade Timi Frank to receive an award of excellence tagged the: “Niger Delta Most Outstanding Activist of the Year.”

The Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of Gbaramatu Voice, Mr. Jacob Abai, in a letter with reference number GPCL/PUB/SUM/ND01 and dated Tuesday June 29, 2021, said the award was based on the outspokenness of the Bayelsa-born political activist.

Frank has been in the forefront of the fight against corruption, misrule and impunity in Nigeria especially being perpetrated by the President, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) regime and the All Progressives Congress.

He has relentlessly crusaded for the empowerment of the youths and good governance in the country.

The letter titled: “Notification of Award Nomination” reads in part: “We, the publisher, management and organizing committee of the 6th Gbaramatu Voice Anniversary Lecture/Niger Delta Awards programme, which is coming up in Lagos on Tuesday August 10th, 2021, wish to intimate you that based on your acts of activism majorly on policy issues and governance, have nominated you for an award of recognition as the Niger Delta Most Outstanding Activist of the Year.

“The winner of the award, upon selection by the Committee, will be honoured with a plaque and certificate of recognition.

“In so doing, we are of the opinion that your labour of making Niger Delta a great region cannot be overemphasised in this period of time.

“We look forward to your positive response cum endorsement of the programme just as other networth individuals have done.

“As part of this nomination, you are invited to attend the Gbaramatu Voice 6th Annual event ceremony at the Eko Hotels and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.”

"The fact is, if Fayemi is not having a conflicting interest directly with Tinubu, there is no justification for ensuring the big stick is wielded at any EKiti APC member who dare identify with Tinubu’s campaign."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/11/fayemi-a-dark-horse-in-the-2023-presidency-race/

While it is certain that thus far, Sanwo-Olu has been focused on his job as governor of the state, it is not a secret that there is an obvious “king-making process” in the state, this is such that if the king-makers fall out with a certain personality or even if the governor himself, they will obviously crown his or her replacement ahead of time, before his or her own very eyes.
https://2023.ng/2021/07/10/lagos-2023-will-sanwo-olu-get-the-ambode-treatment/

"Since the last days before the Nigerian civil war of 1967 and 1970, Nigeria has never been this polarised across various worrisome fault lines like it is now.

"For the sake of emphasis, the country parades a few potential hands that parade a personal character that shows how much of a unifier they individually are, if Nigerians may so consider. Some of them at the moment include Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigerian Vice President; Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Imo Governor and currently serving Imo west senator; Alhaji Yahaya Bello, incumbent Governor of Kogi state; to mention but a few."
https://2023.ng/2021/07/10/2023-and-nigeria-a-nation-now-in-search-of-a-unifier/

Callers into the popular television programme ‘Journalists Hangout’ have identified the former Governor of Imo state; Sen. Rochas Anayo Okorocha as a formidable force in the race to the presidency come 2023.

A caller into the programme on Wednesday, identified as Dr Anas while calling into the programme which airs on national network of Television Continental (TVC) urged the south east region of Nigeria to queue up behind the Imo west lawmaker.

Dr Anas in his analysis charged politicians from the south east to borrow a leaf from what former Nigerian president did in 1998 when he came out and supported Alex Ekweme in Jos.
His words; “One of the potentials from the South East is Rochas Okorocha, but look at the way they want to be-little the gentleman before the international eye, and you could recall that in 1998, Shehu Shagari through the Turaki committee, came out and supported Alex Ekweme, he begged Jim Nwobodo to step down, was he ready to do that?

Even during the election of 2015, why was David Umahi accusing Atiku of picking someone from Anambra (Peter Obi), is that the way to go about it let them put their acts together.
“Has the south east even identified a candidate as at now, the South West has already identified a candidate and they are One, two, three, so that if this one fails they will bring this one, if this one fails they will bring this one; has south east done that’’.

Reacting to the comments of the caller, a regular voice on the popular political talk show, Babajide Otitoju said “The East must find a way to support one of their own, you saw what happened in Jos in 1998 with Alex Ekwueme , every time it appears that there is a strong candidate , and you see what they have done to Okorocha, this is a strong fact that Okorocha is some one that will be accepted across Nigeria, his hausa is far better than his Igbo, he grew up there and he has done philanthropy work across the North, and other parts of the country, so why are some people bent on bringing such a person down” he questioned.
https://2023.ng/2021/07/09/callers-on-tvcs-journalist-hangout-endorse-okorocha-ahead-of-2023-presidency/

.

Nigerian-born activist and former Spokesperson of Nigeria's ruling party, APC; Timi Frank is currently on a pan-African tour in United States of America.

He is expected to be on the tour with fiery Kenyan Professor and Speaker, Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba.


Timi Frank, on Wednesday, in a post on his Instagram handle, wrote; "Goodmorning Newyork!

"I touched base to meet with Nigerians in Diaspora, as we continue to discuss current issues happening in Nigeria, and the necessity to proffer solutions".

"The course to position the Africa we desire is very important, where the Youths are giving a voice and fare hearing in harnessing the continent. I will be having moments with some great Pan Africanist, and Power Brokers in the International Community, so we can look into possible ways to deliver Nigeria from the problems bothering the Country," he further wrote in the post he hashtagged #TimiFrankTalks.

A sum of Ten Thousand United States Dollars bribe paid to each member of the National Assembly by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva was all it took to break the 13 years legislative jinx of passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), pointblanknews.com has gathered.

The leaderships of the National Assembly made up of the Senate President Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and others were said to have collected $50k each to facilitate the passage of the Bill.

The controversial Petroleum Industry Bill was first sent to the National Assembly in 2008 by President Umaru Yar’Adua, now deceased, without translating into an Act.

Chairman of the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Upstream/Downstream and Gas, Senator Sabo Nakudu, had earlier while presenting its committee’s report before the Senate went into a closed-door session with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari.

The bill had proposed five per cent of the annual profit share of the oil companies for the host communities.
Shortly after the Senate resumed plenary after its executive session with Sylva and Kyari, Lawan commenced the clause-by-clause consideration of the bill.

By the time he got to clause 240, which made provision for five per cent trust fund for host communities, the plenary became rowdy.
Explaining why the five per cent was reduced to three per cent shortly after the plenary, Nakudu said the earlier percentage, which was 2.5 was increased to five per cent.

He added that it was reduced after Kyari explained that five per cent is a huge amount of money.
According to him, the three per cent amounts to half a billion dollars, adding that enabling environment needs to be created to attract investors as fossil oil is fast going out of fashion.

Majority of senators later voted for three per cent contribution to the host communities, following a motion by Senator Ahmad Kaita, seconded by Senator Ibrahim Gobir, for an amendment to clause 240(2) of the bill.

Pointblanknews.com investigation has revealed that Sylva and Kyari played the ball as suggested by the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly so as to lobby the lawmakers and to circumvent the processes needed for the passage.

According to the source, “while every members of the House of Representatives and the Senate received $10,000 each, the Committee on Petroleum Upstream/Downstream and Gas members as well as the NASS leadership were rewarded with between $13,000 and $15,000 each.”

While Senator Bassey Albert Akpan coordinated the sharing among the senators, Hon. Victor Nwaokolo coordinated the business at the lower House.

Another source who denounced the outcome of the exercise wondered why Sylva would supervise the shortchanging of his South South zone by bribing lawmakers to vote for the reduction of the entitlement for the oil producing zone from 5 percent to 3 percent.

“It is clear that the Minister is working for the North against the interest of the Niger Delta region. He has sold out. Even the Southern Senators’ efforts to get more for the oil producing people were effectively blocked by Sylva and the Senate President. If he had insisted on the 5 percent as agreed by the House of Representatives, the uproar in the Niger Delta region wouldn’t be this much.”

Recall that efforts by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Senators James Manager and George Sekibo for an upward review were rejected.

Sekibo, in a move to sustain his agitation for an increase in contributions to host communities, relied on Order 73 of the Senate Rule and called for a division.

But the Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, prevailed on him to withdraw his call for division and reminded him of the commitment of senators to fostering unity while keeping in mind their obligation at all times to protect the national interest.

Lawan also told Sekibo of the overwhelming support of the lawmakers who had earlier approved that host communities should receive remediation and relief from monies accruing from gas flaring in the PIB.

...Urges National Assembly to review provision for peace to reign

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday, rejected the three per cent and five per cent of operating expenditure of oil companies approved for the development of host communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill by the Senate and House of Representatives respectively.

Frank in a statement in Abuja, called on the National Assembly for an urgent upward review of the five per cent proposed by House of Representatives during their conference committee meeting to harmonise their positions.

He urged all lawmakers from the South in the National Assembly to ensure that this is done, saying those from the oil producing states would be held responsible should they once again allow this proposed rape on the region.

He urged the Federal Government not to once again take the people of the Niger Delta for granted by treating them likes slaves in their ancestral land or as a conquered territory.

He insisted that no amount of development fund for the region can be too much in view of the environmental, social and economic degradation the people have continued to suffer as a result of oil exploration and attendant pollution of the environment.

He said the people have not forgotten how the region was deceived by the present regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari that it was ready to clean up the Ogoni land and remediate the polluted environment which has never seen the light of day since 2015.

Only recently, the Federal Government through Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, pledged to constitute the Board of the NDDC at the end of June. Where is the board?

“One wonders why the National Assembly should earmark 30 per cent from oil and gas production sharing contract profits to exploration activities in the frontier basins which include the Benue trough, Gongola trough, Chad basin and the Sokoto basin and propose a paltry three or five per cent of operating expenditure of oil companies for a region already pauperised and make dead by oil pollution.

“According to Uthman Dan Fodio, ‘A society can live with unbelief, but no nation can survive with injustice.’

“What has been meted out to Niger Delta region in this PIB is gross injustice and peace can only thrive where there is justice.

“Niger Deltans demand justice in the percentage to host communities in the PIB if the Federal Government is desirous of keeping and maintaining the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta,” he said.

He called on the Southern Governors Forum to insist on their resolution concerning the provision for host communities in the PIB, saying, “our people will demand from you, especially governors from oil producing states, to give account of your actions or inactions at this trying times to avert this potential calamity.”

He called on the people of Niger Delta to hold their federal lawmakers, who are either chairmen or members of the petroleum and gas committees who sat at various meetings and approved such a detrimental, obnoxious and anti-Niger Delta provision as oil communities’ stake in the PIB.

He warned that failure to up the stake of the host communities in the PIB would mean that the Federal Government deliberately ostracized the region from the scheme of things and hence the Niger Delta will left with no choice than to insist on self determination to preserve its heritage and economic survival.

“Niger Delta will not forgive these lawmakers who connived with the Federal Government to stab the region in the back. There names shall be complied and circulated in due course,” he declared.

Pantum groups Ltd eyes Africa

Barring new changes, UK-based conglomerate, Pantum Groups Ltd is set to extend its services to Africa. According to a statement from the management, on Monday, the company is set to launch its services first in Ghana before expanding to other parts of Africa in the near future. Other African countries it plans to spread its tentacles to, include Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Nigeria.

Pantum Groups Ltd is a UK based conglomerate company that provides bespoke services in the UK and internationally in the sectors of Sports, Real Estate, Interior design and recently launching a construction company in the UK.

Mr. Festus Mansaray, Founder & CEO of Pantum Groups Ltd while unveiling this plan, said he has his vision and focus in Africa and he is determined to see the company brand expand in the UK and also in Africa.

Mr. Festus Mansaray a former footballer himself who has played & had trials for clubs such as Watford Football club academy, Leicester city football club academy, Hendon football club and also in Holland for Ado den haag football club and due to health problems and injuries he had to stop playing football and focus on his business career.

He has sold few high end properties especially to professional footballers and his first property he sold was sold for £1 million to a professional footballer who plays in the English premier league and he has gone to sell a few more to top professional footballers.


He is very well connected within the football industry as he knows alot of professional footballers and his aim is to help create financial stability for these professional footballers ahead of life after football.


“We looking forward to the challenges ahead of us in Africa and we are also excited about this journey we are about to embark in Africa,” Mr. Festus further added.


For inquiry about the services of the company, visit: www.pantumgroups.com.

The Performing Musicians’ Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has reacted to the news of the impending repeal and re-enactment of the Copyright Act (Cap. C.28 Law of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004.

PMAN’s reaction was based on the apparent speed and secrecy with which the Bill to repeal the Act and re-enact a new one was shrouded.

About two weeks ago, the media (both print and electronic) were agog with the news that the Bill to repeal and re-enact the Copyright Act 2004 has passed second reading at the floor of the Senate.

PMAN hearing and reading this news, contacted notable groups and associations in the creative industry, particularly, the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) and the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN), all which denied any knowledge of the Bill and its contents. We then became very apprehensive that some sinister motives are at play to halt and reverse the progress already made in the field of copyright administration and enforcement.

PMAN immediately wrote a formal letter to the Senate Leadership, specifically, the Senate President, the joint Chairmen of Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Trade and Investments, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Senate Chief Whip among others, to express PMAN’s concern over a Bill that touches upon the livelihood and constitutional rights of Nigerian Musicians without their knowledge or input. PMAN’s simple request was that it should be availed of a copy of the Bill to at least know what it contains and if necessary, make input.

PMAN did not stop there; we wrote a letter to the sponsor of the Bill, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru, expressing the same concern and requesting the Distinguished Senator to recall the Bill for stakeholders’ consideration. We received a very nice and swift reply from Senator Abiru who advised us to access the Bill from a link which he gave as www.nass.gv.ng. From our attempts, we discovered that the link does not exist and we used our initiative to access the National Assembly website and found that the said Bill was not among the posted Bills pending consideration before the National Assembly (both the Senate and the House of Representatives). We then rightly assumed that we were deliberately sent on a wild goose chase by the Distinguished Senator and came to the incontrovertible conclusion that certain forces are pushing the Bill secretly while trying to present the image that the process is open.

PMAN rejects this process in its entirety, noting that the Sponsor of the Bill, Senator Abiru, is not an author, painter, artist or a musician. As far as we know, we are not able to trace any interest to him that could be classified as copyright-related that would make him so interested in pushing a Bill that would affect the lives and constitutional rights of millions of Nigerian stakeholders without their knowledge and input.

We have contacted our allies in other organisations and associations and they expressed the same worries. Some have actually written to the Senate Leadership expressing their concerns.

Our concern is more fuelled by a recent Public Hearing held on 16th and 17th June 2021 by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values on the Bill to Repeal the National Film and Video Censor’s Board Act and Enact the National Film and Video Censorship, Classification and Exhibition Regulatory Commission Bill 2019 in its place. Up to the date of that Public Hearing, stakeholders in the industry were not aware of the Bill and its contents.

PMAN is stating for the umpteenth time and the records that the works of our intellects, which consist of literary works, musical works, artistic works, cinematograph films, sound recordings and our performances are our private property. They are our Constitutional and Fundamental Human Rights. Any attempt to tamper with them with a view to appropriate them for anybody or authority be it private or public shall be resisted.

PMAN calls on other stakeholders in the entire creative industry to rise and team up for the defence of their moral and economic rights.

PMAN also calls on the leadership of the National Assembly both at the Senate and House of Representatives to thread softly on these Bills until the real stakeholders have made their inputs and had their say.

Thank you.



Pretty Okafor
President
29 June 2021.