PRESIDENT BUHARI RE-APPOINTS FEMI ADESINA, GARBA SHEHU

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-appointment of Mr Femi Adesina as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity and Malam Garba Shehu as Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity.

The President also re-appointed Mr Laolu Akande as Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President.

President Buhari equally retained Tolu Ogunlesi, Bashir Ahmad, Lauretta Onochie and Nazir Bashiru as Special Assistant, Digital/New Media, Personal Assistant, New Media, Personal Assistant, Social Media and Personal Assistant, Visual Documentation, respectively.

Following the election of Hon. Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada, the former Personal Assistant, Broadcast Media, as the lawmaker representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the President has appointed Buhari Sallau as his replacement.

All appointments take effect from May 29, 2019, except that of the new entrant into the team, Buhari Sallau.

Abiodun Oladunjoye
Deputy Director (Information)
August 21, 2019

BOSF CONGRATULATES MR LAOLU AKANDE ON HIS REAPPOINTMENT AS SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANT(MEDIA AND PUBLICITY) TO THE PRESIDENT, OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT


Wednesday, 21st of August, 2019


We write to congratulate Mr. Olaolu Akande on his expected reappointment as the Senior Special Assistant(Media and Publicity) to the President, Office of the Vice President. Our appreciation, and experience of the energy and strength with which Mr Laolu Akande devoted to his duty in the presidency, coupled with his wit, proficiency and effective delivery especially in these times of abnormal opposition we believe, midwifed his reappointment as SSA(Media and Publicity) to the President, Office of His Excellency, Vice President.

BOSF is proud of him and his track record in the presidency. We understand the rigour the office poses, and we trust that his consummation and patriotism, goodwill and service to this country will urge him ahead in excellent continuity of the role.

Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front is glad to congratulate him. We ask him to do more and keep being a model and image of hardwork to us. In real sense, Mr Laolu Akande remains an institution we study and draw inspiration from.

Congratulations to the quintessential man and best wishes in his continued assignment to the good people of Nigeria.


Signed:
Mr Liberty Olawale Badmus
National Chairman, Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front

Distributed:
Directorate of Media and Publicity, Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front

www.bosf.ng

Quick Briefs On Ministerial List - To Guide Social Media Posts


#KnowYourMinisters
#TheList
 
• The list includes seven former governors, seven former senators, a collection of party leaders in some states and a couple of fresh nominees.

• Of the 43 people that made ministerial list, 7 are women.
 
• PAULINE TALLEN (Plateau) - Minister of Women Affairs
The 60-year-old politician served in the cabinet of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. One-time Minister of State for Science and Technology. In 2007, she was elected deputy governor of Plateau state making her the first female to be a deputy governor in the northern region.
• MARIAM KATAGUN - Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment
Katagum is Nigeria’s ambassador and permanent delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),a deputy director at the ministry of education, one time secretary-general of the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO. She is also the deputy chair of the board of governors of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
• SAADIYA FAROUQ UMAR (Zamfara) - Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development
She is the federal commissioner of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons. Between 2011 and 2013, she was the national treasurer of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
• SHARON IKEAZOR (Anambra) - Minister of State for Environment
Ikeazoris a lawyer by profession. She was the executive secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). In 2011, she was elected the national women leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and emerged APC’s interim national women leader after the merger. In 2014, she was appointed to APC board of trustees.
• GBEMISOLA SARAKI (Kwara) - Minister of State for Transportation
She is the daughter of OlusolaSaraki, former strongman of Kwara politics. In 1999, she was elected into the House of Representatives to represent Asa/Ilorin West federal constituency of Kwara. In 2003, the 54-year-old, who holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Sussex, was elected senator representing Kwara central senatorial district.
• RAMATU TIJJANI TIJANI (Kogi) – Minister of State for FCT
 
RamatuTijjani is the national women leader of the APC. The 49-year-old holds a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from the Ahmadu Bello University. In 2010, she became the national woman leader of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and on June 2014, she became the national woman leader of the APC.
 
• ZAINAB AHMED (Kaduna) – Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning
She was appointed a minister of the state of the budget and planning in 2015 and later substantive minister of finance in 2018 following the resignation of KemiAdeosun. The 59-year-old holds a degree in accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a master’s in business administration from OlabisiOnabanjo University, Ogun. state.
• ISA PANTAMI (Gombe) – Minister of Communication
Isa Pantami before his nomination was the current Director General (DG) of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Prior to that, he was a professor of Computer Information System at the Islamic University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia. He had both his first and second degrees in Computer Science from AbubakarTafawaBalewa University, Bauchi after which he got a PhD in Computer Information Systems from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. He was also a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology Bauchi for over a decade
• SUNDAY DARE (Oyo) – Minister of Youth and Sports
Sunday Dare, a seasoned multimedia journalist, was commissioner in charge of Stakeholders management in the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC).  Before his role at NCC, he was the Convener of the Social Media Clinic, a new media platform that educates people on the use of information technology tools. He also worked with the former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu as the Chief of Staff as well as Special Adviser on Media. He got his first degree in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos. He later studied Media and Public Policy at the Harvard Nieman Journalism Fellowship.
• GODSWILL AKPABIO (Akwa Ibom) - Minister of Niger Delta
He is a lawyer by profession. The former two-term AkwaIbom State Governor and Senate minority leader got his Law Degree from the University of Calabar, Cross River State.
• UCHECHUKWU SAMSON OGAH (Abia) - Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development
A Consultant Physician/Cardiologist (Special Grade) University College Hospital, Ibadan, served as Commissioner/ Chief Executive officer, Ministry of Health and member of Abia State Executive Council (August 2010- May 2015). He is a major stakeholder in the oil and gas sector.  
• MUHAMMADU MUSA BELLO (Adamawa) - Minister of FCT
Born in 1959, Adamawa state, Bello is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he obtained a B.Sc. in Management with a major in Banking and Finance in 1980 as well as an MBA in the same field.
• CHRIS NGIGE  (Anambra ) - Minister of Labour and Productivity
He is a medical doctor, who made his mark in the federal civil service. He was governor of Anambra State in from May 29, 2003 to 17 March 2006. He was elected Senator for Anambra Central Constituency in April 2011. He is one of the returning ministers and served as minister of Labour and Productivity in the last cabinet.
• ADAMU ADAMU (Bauchi) - Minister of Education
Adamu is an accountant, writer, former journalist and minister of Education. He served in the last cabinet as education minister  
• TIMIPRE SYLVA (Bayelsa) - Minister of State for Petroleum
Former Governor of Bayelsa State and He was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the 1990s Sen.
• GEORGE AKUME (Benue) - Minister of Special Duties  
He was the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015. He was also the Governor of Benue State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.
• MUSTAPHA BABA SHEHURI (Borno) - Minister of State for Agriculture
Former Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing. Born July 4, 1961, he graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and Anthropology.  
• GODWIN JEDI-AGBA (Cross River) - Minister of State for Power
A farmer, and bureaucrat, Judy-Agba has a Degree in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru, Zaria,1983, and a Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos, Akoka, 1989.
• FESTUS KEYAMO (Delta) - Minister of State for Niger Delta
Keyamo is a senior Advocate of Nigeria, columnist and human rights activist; he received a Bachelor of Law degree in 1992 from Ambrose Alli University at Ekpoma, Edo State and was called to the Nigerian Bar on December 1993. He was the spokesman of President Buhari’s campaign team in the 2019 election
• DR. OGBONNAYA ONU (Ebonyi) - Minister of Science and Technology
A returnee and immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Onu graduated with a first-class degree in Chemical Engineering in 1976 (UNILAG), and obtained a PhD in Chemical engineering in 1980 from University of California, Berkeley. He was first civilian governor of old Abiandu State before the creation of Ebonyi State.
• DR. OSAGIE EHANIRE (Edo) - Minister for Health
Immediate past Minister for state Health, Studied Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany qualifying as a physician and went to Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland where he obtained postgraduate Diploma in Anaesthetics.
• CLEMENT IKANADE (Edo) - Minister of State for Budget and National planning
Agba Former Commissioner for Environment and Public Utility, Edo and also briefly served as Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Housing.  
• OTUNBA RICHARD ADEBAYO (Ekiti) - Minister of industry, trade and investment
A lawyer by profession, First Executive Governor of Ekiti State from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2003. He attended the University of Lagos where he studied Law and obtained (LL.B Hons)
• GEOFFREY ONYEAMA (Enugu)- Minister of Foreign affairs
The immediate past Foreign Affairs Minister has a (B.A) degree in Political Science, Columbia University, New York (1977), (B.A) degree in Law from St John’s College, Cambridge (1980), and Masters of Law (LL.M), London School of Economics
• EMEKA NWAJUBA (Imo) – Minister of State for Education
He was called to the Nigerian bar in 1989, pursued his LLM at University of Lagos and PhD at University of Jos. He served as House of Representatives committee chairman on Land, Housing and works from 1999 to 2003
• SULEIMAN H ADAMU (Jigawa)- Minister of Water Resources
The Former Minister for Water Resources has a B. Engineering (Hons.) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1984; and M. Sc. (Project Management) Univ. of Reading, UK, 2004.
• DR MOHAMMED MAHMOUD (Kaduna) – Minister Of Environment
Former Chairman, Universal Basic Education Commission.  
• SABO NANONO (Kano) – Minister Of Agriculture
Mr.Nanono, who was a former chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, in Kano… Ahmadu Bello University [ABU], Zaria… B.Sc [Business Administration – 1972. The University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA
• MAJ. GEN. BASHIR MAGASHI (Kano) – Minister Of Defence
He is a lawyer and a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. He holds a national award of CFR. He was military Governor of Sokoto State in the 90s.
• SEN. HADI SIRIKA (Katsina) – Minister of Aviation
Former Minister of Aviation, former pilot, Former General Manager Katsina State Transport Authority, Former Member House of Representative, and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria  
• ABUBAKAR MALAMI (Kebbi) – Minister of Justice
A lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He is Nigeria’s immediate past Minister for Justice and Attorney-General. He graduated from UsmanuDanfodiyo University where he studied Law and was called to the bar in 1992.  
• LAI MOHAMMED (Kwara) – Minister of Information and Culture
He earned a bachelor’s degree in French from ObafemiAwolowo University, in the year 1975. He proceeded to obtain a Law degree from the University of Lagos, and then Nigerian Law School.
• BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA (Lagos) - Minister of Works and Housing
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Fmr. Governor of Lagos and Immediate past Minister of Power, Works and Housing. He studied Law at the University of Benin from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws, LL.B.(Hon), a degree in 1987.
• ADELEKE O. MAMORA (Lagos) – Minister of State of Health
He obtained a B.Sc, Health Sciences, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) University of Ife, Ile-Ife and became a Health Practitioner. He was Senator for the Lagos East between 2007 to 2011
• MOHAMMED A. ABDULLAHI (Nassarawa) - Minister of State for Science & Technology
Former Secretary to the State Government, Nasarawa State.Fmr. Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice Nasarawa. UsmanDanfodiyo University Sokoto LLB/BL (1990), Nigerian Bar Association 1991.
• AMBASSADOR ZUBAIRU DADA (Niger) - Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
He is a diplomat and also an Ambassador, Embassy of Nigeria, Warsaw Poland, since 1999….
• ARCH. OLAMILEKAN ADEGBITE  (Ogun) – Minister of Mines & Steel Development
He is the former Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Ogun State.
• SEN. TAYO ALASOADURA (Ondo) - Minister of State for Labour
Obtained the Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA) of England Certificate as well as that of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria(ICAN) All in 1974
• RAUF AREGBESOLA  (Osun) - Minister of Interior
Former Governor of Osun state, Fmr. Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure has H.ND in Engineering.  
• ROTIMI AMAECHI (Rivers) – Minister of Transport
He is Former Governor Rivers State, and immediate past Minister of Transport. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) in English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt in 1987  
• MOHAMMED MAIGARI DINGYADI (Sokoto) – Minister of Police Affairs
Former Chairman, NCCE Governing Board  
• ENG SALEH MAMMAN  (Taraba) – Minister Of Power
MammanKwagyangSaleh currently works at the Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Ahmadu Bello University. Mamman does research in Agricultural Plant Science, Food Science and Animal Science.  
• ABUBAKAR D. ALIYU (Yobe) – Minister of State for Works and Housing
He served as Deputy Governor of Yobe state for the past10 years, making him the longest-serving deputy governor in Nigeria’s political history.

A Butcher’s judgement ... typically British
By Louis Odion, FNGE

A poor reading of the verdict by the London court slapping a historic penalty of $9b on Nigeria last Friday is viewing it as an affirmation of the law of contract. No, it is not. Rather, it is the orchestration of international politics and neo-colonial power-play at their vilest.
Indeed, let no one be deceived that objectivity is assured in the interpretation of international law by even angels, especially when the interests of multinationals are in dispute concurrently across jurisdictions. In such circumstance, pure nationalistic instinct is likely to trump fidelity to reason or the universal principle of fairplay.
For ages, the doctrine of sovereign immunity was, for instance, often invoked by powerful nations of the West to commit blue murder anywhere across the universe. But good students of history will recall that attempt later in the 70s by newly independent African nations to draw on the same principle ended ghastly. In the international court, it now became fairly convenient to invert Lord Denning’s new theory of “market place” to hand Nigeria the short end of the stick in the landmark case of Swiss-owned Trendtex versus Central Bank of Nigeria.
A similar - if not identical - conflict is what is being stoked invariably by P&ID vs Nigeria. In choosing not to view things from the prism of the U.S. court (which can justifiably be seen as unencumbered by any possible nationalist bias), there is, therefore, a compelling reason to see the London court’s Justice Christopher Butcher as bending the arch of justice to favour a home company, with a covetous eye on Nigeria’s substantial assets domiciled within the U.K.
Given the severity of the penalty awarded, it was as if Justice Butcher opted to literally act out his fearsome name by dealing savage knife blows on Nigeria’s jugular.
What then appears ludicrous back at home has been the attempt by some cynical elements to scrounge some mileage from this sad development for their petty partisan politics. Only genuine patriots would have seen the development first as more of a huge slap on the nation by foreign interests, even if our leadership failing to an extent would still be admitted.
Note, the local airwaves had barely crackled by midday with the highlight of the London judgement when the social media was drowned with the hysteria of PDP agents against President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole culprit. They claimed the fine resulted essentially from his malicious discontinuation of another of Jonathan’s visionary projects.
But when more media insights began to pour in, that spin had to be modified ingeniously. The following day, Jonathan’s salespeople decided to sweep the entire blame to the gravesides of both ex-President Umar Yar’Adua and Rilwan Lukman now incapable of defending themselves.
Now, let us concede that Jonathan was completely locked out of Aso Rock while the sneaky contract was being facilitated by “the cabal” as the then ailing president was gasping for oxygen and Lukman (the oil minister) seemed too self-absolved in hauteur to submit the details of the contract agreement to the scrutiny of Michael Aondoakaa commonly regarded then as essentially a comical Attorney General.
But nothing can absolve Jonathan of liability for the non-consummation of the contract beginning from February 2010 as acting President and three months later as the substantive following Yar’Adua’s demise. P&ID began to complain more than a year later. By the time the company eventually resorted to arbitration in 2012, Jonathan’s much beloved Diezani Allison-Madukwe had of course become entrenched as almighty oil empress.
From what we now know, she obviously was too preoccupied with either signing Nigeria’s patrimony away to her younger “admirers” like now fugitive Kola Aluko in sweetheart oil-swap deals or immersing herself in the sheer effulgence of her mammoth jewelry collection to have mustered the presence of mind to grasp the contract idea, much less contemplate what benefits might accrue therefrom to the nation.
So, it bears restating that national interest was least served by those who committed Nigeria into such contract with improbable terms to begin with. That rape of Nigeria was not helped by Jonathan’s subsequent sloppiness. Today’s sorry outcome is traceable to yesterday’s tardiness.
But by far more atrocious is the taste of British jurisprudence the nation was offered brusquely by the London court last Friday. While the dereliction of Nigerian officials is regrettable, nothing can however explain the juridical logic summoned by Justice Butcher to enter a judgment that negates morality and mocks all the principles of natural justice.
Note, to corner this windfall, nothing in the convoluted narration made in British and American courts in the last seven years suggested that P&ID engaged in much toil between 2010 and 2012 other than its officials carrying briefcases around Abuja and meeting with Nigerian officials. It never as much as cracked any soil in Calabar to erect the envisaged gas processing plant (as expressly stated in the contract pact), to which Nigeria was expected to lay hundreds of kilometre of pipes.
To generations of blacks still stuck today with the trauma inflicted by the colonial disruption of African civilizations, Justice Butcher’s latest travesty must be a sad reminder of the culture of plunder and predation for which imperial Britain was quite exceptional even among fellow European exploiters in history.
Were the verdict to be enforced to the letter, it should qualify as the single most punitively prohibitive fine ever imposed in history on a sovereign nation relative to her fiscal strength. The $9b sanction represents a whopping twenty percent the nation’s present foreign reserve and a third of the current national budget.
At the arbitration court in London in 2012, P&ID began by filing claims of $40m expenses and proceeded to add “lost earnings” in the twenty-year tenure of the agreement based on impossible operation benchmarks of more than ninety percent capacity utilization and a patently unrealistic expectation that oil never fell below $100 per barrel.
As if that was not already shylock enough, the judge opted to play Father Xmas by granting the petitioner’s additional prayer that compound interest be paid on the fine imposed on Nigeria. That explains how P&ID’s preliminary claim of $40m in 2012 mushroomed exponentially to the $9b awarded last week.
No sane person will accept such sham without a fight in the first place. Buhari could, therefore, be said to have acted most patriotically by refusing the initial hefty $800m payout proposed by a departing Jonathan in May 2015. In any case, with Nigeria technically insolvent by the time PMB was taking over having lapsed into a recession described as the worst in a generation, there practically was no way Nigeria could have paid, assuming the new administration was even willing.
Expectedly, the government soon mounted a vigorous counter-attack by filing appeal in the U.K and the U.S. against the claimant. Whereas the U.S. upheld Nigeria’s objection to the enforcement of the claim by pleading sovereignty, the British court chose to dismiss the plea as “frivolous”.
What makes the Butcher’s verdict all the more curious is a subsequent media expose suggesting a determined conspiracy to raid Nigeria’s exchequer. Ahead of the judgment, a whopping twenty-five percent stake of P&ID was snapped up in a strange deal by a hedge fund manager known as VR Capital Group in March. Since the Friday judgment, the sidetalk in global financial circles is that the hedge fund manager had all along been pulling levers of influence in the U.K. and the U.S. to make Nigeria either settle or be willing to forfeit her assets. So, it would then seem the vultures had long been hovering overhead as the nation began to wallow in the British dock.
Now the big question: did VR Capital Group read Justice Butcher’s mind ahead? Or, could his judgment be mere coincidence?
Developments like this will only reinforce long-held suspicion that the British jurisprudence is half of the times tainted and can, therefore, not be trusted to avail us justice on own accord without us standing up to the system, nor can its integrity be vouched for to protect our interest behind our back.
For instance, a survey conducted sometime ago by an anti-corruption group, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer, came with the damning report that one in five people using the courts in the U.K. said they or a household member paid a bribe for favourable outcome, even as one quarter of people in the country believe the courts and judiciary are corrupt. But the supreme irony is that British leaders or officials are often the first to label us as the most dubious or “fantastically corrupt”. The enduring hypocrisy in such condescension is that their London is renowned worldwide as one of the most receptive of money stolen from relatively much poorer Third World countries and the ultimate haven of shell companies used to launder dirty cash from dingy provenance across the universe. According to Britain’s own National Crime Agency, over £100b is laundered through U.K’s financial system annually.
So, who does not know that the one who receives the stolen ware on the ground is as culpable as the one who initiated the pilfering from the rafter?
A decade ago, I had a rather funny encounter with a British “expert”. I had been invited by a Nigerian-born promoter of a start-up to sit in during a presentation by the visiting consultant. Because the service concern would be prospecting in the international market beginning with Europe, it was necessary that an high-profile office be opened in London. So, the guy’s brief was to design an international marketing roadmap.
To me, the visiting specialist had sounded authoritatively smooth with his power-point presentation with a laptop inside the dimly-lit penthouse office until he veered into the media aspect. Not knowing my media background, his proposal here was nothing short of a crafty splitting of what ordinarily should be a single activity into assorted briefs for the sole purpose of escalating the costs to justify about a million British Pounds he was demanding as fee for the London outing.
Once the presentation was over and I was invited to comment, I took out a hammer, went straight to the media section and mercilessly knocked down the castle of fraud our friend had meticulously erected. Perhaps out of over-excitement over the dramatic turn of event, our host abruptly got up and asked to be excused to use the bathroom.
In-between the moments he was away, our British friend moved over and, without shame, attempted to literally smolder me with all the charms he could conjure, while his two other white “accomplices” pretended to be conversing on the couch nearby. From complimenting me with “Oh, your baritone voice is so commanding” to praising the “fantastic embroidery” of the kaftan I wore, he let be known to me that he was open to a “one-on-one” with me thereafter if I “cooperated” when the host returned.
I disappointed him during the remainder of the sesssion. Against his high expectation, our host, obviously now seeing things differently, did the smartest thing by aborting the signing off on the deal.
Needless to say that the trio didn’t as much as utter a word to me while we flew back in a private jet to Lagos that day, nor offered me a handshake while departing at the local airport.
Till date, what I still cannot understand is how they expected me to betray a man, my own countryman, so trusting to have invited me to join the session in the first place. And the lesson I learnt is never to assume a white guy will not try to fleece me given the opportunity even while customarily affecting superior airs.
Reacting to the London judgement, the Nigerian government has pledged to not only appeal but also vigorously defend national interest to any length possible. It is the most sensible thing to do.

*Meet Prof. YEMI OSINBAJO, a man driven by Passion, Honesty, Integrity and commitment to the masses*


Ever since 1992 gave us a good idea of what true leadership and politicking was, I have never met a leader more committed to the entity Nigeria than Professor Yemi Osinbajo (PYO), a man with so much commitment, dedication, Confidence, Passion and such a good Communicator he almost rivals Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) and Lt. Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu.


Professor Yemi Osinabjo is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a Professor of Law and the current Vice President of Nigeria since 29 May 2015.


As vice president, his roles and constitutional powers include; participation in all cabinet meetings and, by statute, vice chairmanship of the National Security Council, the National Defence Council, Federal Executive Council, and the Chairman of National Economic Council.


Although the vice president may take an active role in establishing policies in the Executive Branch by serving on such committees and councils, the relative power of the Nigerian vice president's office depends much upon the duties delegated by the president.


With the above limited executive functions accorded a vice president of Nigeria, Osinbajo has established policies that are more masses oriented and beneficial to the general public.


Unlike past vice presidents, Prof. Osinbajo has won the trust of the President and the masses alike with his integrity and passion for a better nation.


Osinbajo's poverty and hunger fighting policy (NSIPs) have earned him accolades from far and near including President Muhammadu Buhari, who on the 8th march, 2019, described Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as a “very dependable deputy” with whom he had established a special bond.
The president further said that professor Osinbajo has in the past four years diligently championed the values of setting the foundation for peace, progress, and stability of Nigeria, by working very hard to build a resilient economy while promoting transparency and accountability.


Prof. Osinbajo has shown he is not only a VP for Christians, APC or Yoruba's alone but also, a VP for all religions, political parties, tribes and all geo-political zones in Nigeria.

When you think he is most popular in the south south, a video of him visiting States in the south east will appear, then the argument immediately becomes that he is more popular in that region. In the north and south west, it's the same level of euphoria.

This earned the VP respect of all past governors of the last administration, given that, he is the chairman of the National Economic Council, NEC.


The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed (a PDP governor), noted that, Chairman (VP Osinbajo) led a strong team through various areas requiring attention in the economy. He made robust efforts in security giving direction, confidence and comfort.


In the same vein, the Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, said "Osinbajo provided leadership and in the past 4 years, exhibited humility, giving everyone a sense of belonging."


The 36 governors said the vice president treated everybody equally regardless of their political parties.


Professor Osinbajo has been nicknamed the *Star Boy* by the public especially by those on social media yet his popularity has not come without its negative sides.


Some people have sponsored lots of hate and false news campaigns against a man committed to fighting poverty and hunger in Nigeria with his National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs).


Ask me or any other non-partisan Nigerian of a hardworking and committed political leader and we would all point to Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

It gives me great joy that he is a Nigerian and one that has stood out in all his ways.

*Oladele Peter, a psychologist and social commentator*

FIRS BOSS NOT UNDER INVESTIGATION SAYS PRESIDENCY

Following reports making the rounds in some media outlets, it is necessary to state categorically that the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is not under any investigation.

The letter from the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, on which the purported rumour of an investigation is based, merely raises concerns over the negative run of the tax revenue collection in recent times.

Taking a cue from today’s (Monday) presentation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Retreat for Ministers-Designate, Federal Permanent Secretaries and Top Government Functionaries , which dwelt on an ‘Overview of the Policies , Programmes and Project Audit Committee,’ a body he chaired, projected revenue of government falls behind recurrent expenditure even without having factored in capital expenditure.

Consequently, it would appear that the country might be heading for a fiscal crisis if urgent steps are not taken to halt the negative trends in target setting and target realisation in tax revenue.

Anyone conversant with Federal Executive Council deliberations would have observed that issues bordering on revenue form the number one concern of what Nigeria faces today, and therefore, often take a prime place in discussions of the body.

It is noteworthy and highly commendable that under this administration, the number of taxable adults has increased from 10 million to 20 million with concerted efforts still on-going to bring a lot more into the tax net.



Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media and Publicity)

August 19, 2019

IS NIGERIA IS ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING A GLOBAL FOOD BASKET?

Nigeria is a nation with several endowments, but yet there is still the threat of hunger and extreme poverty which requires urgent attention. In terms of quality and quantity, Nigeria is known worldwide for the production of several agricultural goods such as Cashew nuts, Cassava, Cocoa Beans, Ground Nuts, Gum Arabic, Kola nut, Melon, Millet, Palm kernels, Palm Oil, Plantain, Rice, Rubber, Sorghum, Soybeans, amongst others. The list abounds.

Yet our farmlands perform below expectations due to factors ranging from low fertiliser usage to poor farm management, insufficient financial access and market access. A strong and efficient agricultural sector would enable Nigeria to feed its growing population, generate employment, earn foreign exchange and provide raw materials for industries.

The good news is this: the strategy of using Agro- based industries for accelerated economic growth is slowly beginning to take shape and the Nigerian government, through private sector partnerships and investments is working to enable a strong and efficient agricultural sector to feed its growing population, generate employment and provide raw materials for industries. 

The Agro-allied industry is a collection of companies engaged in a high-scale 
production, processing, and packaging of food with the use of modern equipment and methods aimed at achieving these goals. Just like any other industry, the agro-allied industry has a positive relationship to economic development in 
Nigeria. Several million metric tonnes of agricultural products are exported every year; after a bumper harvest, reasonable amounts of these products get bad each year. A shortage in supply of these agricultural products is created, and the remaining products are sold at low prices in the international market, we then import these products back in a processed format but at higher prices. This practice is not economical, thereby depriving Nigerians of creativity and innovation in adding value to our agricultural products. It has discouraged economic growth and development as well as generated high unemployment rate by empowering foreign based agro-industries.

Nigeria’s ambitions for accelerated and inclusive economic growth are contingent on achieving a vibrant Agriculture sector that can support extensive down-the-line enterprise development and employment. Alongside job creation, Agro-industrial enterprises often provide crucial inputs and services to the farm sector for those with no access to such inputs, inducing productivity and product quality improvements and stimulating market induced innovation through chains and networks, facilitating linkages and allowing domestic and export markets to become mutually supportive.

During a meeting with a delegation of Chinese investors and other officials from the African Development Bank (AfDB) on August 6 2019, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN stated that ‘In line with its commitment to develop a thriving agro-industrial sector, the Federal Government will welcome partnerships and initiatives that would make Nigeria actualize its potential of being the food basket of the world’. Through the African Development Bank, the Chinese investors hope to commence the processes of investing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector under an initiative known as the Agro-Industrial initiative with focus on crop production, forestry, fishery, and livestock production.  

Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka of the AfFB said the framework of the initiative is to develop a programme that leverages Nigeria’s comparative advantage in key areas of agricultural production. According to him, ‘the overall investment, under the initiative, amounts to between $16 billion to $25 billion over a period of four years with a strong government support and private sector leadership.’

The challenge of feeding Nigeria’s growing population, which is expected to reach 402 million people in 2050, requires new strategies and new multicultural and multisectorial rethinking, capable of generating new forms of dialogue, at different specialist levels, towards a more sustainable use of the available natural and human resources, to ensure food and nutrition security. Agro-industrial development can contribute to improved health and food security for the poor by increasing the overall availability, variety and nutritional value of food products, and enabling food to be stored as a reserve against times of shortage, ensuring that sufficient food is available and that essential nutrients are consumed throughout the year. This new development if implemented well will have a direct impact on the livelihoods of the poor both through increased employment in agro-industrial activities, and through increased demand for primary agricultural produce.

Vice-President Osinbajo believes that the proposed partnership, especially the agro-allied aspect of it will help deliver the kind of growth needed in Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem. According to him, the FG and AfDB will ensure that the investors have no troubles in setting up and operating their businesses efficiently.

Agro opportunities abound in Nigeria. We have the 9th largest arable land in the world and most of that is still largely untouched. Nigeria’s potentials in this sector are limitless, thus becoming the food basket of the world may sound like a tall order, but it is not surmountable. That lofty goal will depend on how we are able to get high quality inputs, seedling and others, and how we are able to use technology especially the benefits of industrial agriculture to our advantage. Moves seen in the Buhari administration - from its revolutionary Anchor Borrower’s Programme, to other massive unprecedented investments from the likes of Olam to Friesland Campina WAMCO among others - show that Nigeria has left the realm of potential as it makes it way to reality, that indeed we have the capacity to be a global food basket. Consistency of policy and determination is however key to this ambition, else, all would be mere bark, no bite.

Richard Ogundiya is a journalist and researcher resident in Lagos.

*FOWLER’S STELLAR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE BEYOND DOUBT*

The attack on Babatunde Fowler of the FIRS appears to be deliberate, carefully manicured and clearly carries a political undertone. If this isn’t the case, what should anyone have against a man under whose leadership the agency has been able to achieve?

1. The growth of FIRS collections rose by 53.81% from ₦3.30 trillion in 2016 to ₦5.32 trillion in 2018, the highest collection ever in the history of the agency;

2. There was also a remarkable boost in the tax base from 10million to 20million tax payers with the potential for an increase of up to 45 million in 2019;

3. Growth in the IGR of States rose by over 46.11% from ₦800.02 billion in 2016 to ₦1.16 trillion in 2018;

4. Automated tax processes such as the e-Stamping, e-Registration, e-Filing, e-Payment and a host of others were introduced to make the entire process more efficient and user-friendly.

THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO TURNING POWER SUPPLY AROUND; AND WE SHALL DO IT – OSINBAJO
*Additional 669MW coming this year

*How we plan to close 5.3million consumers metering gap

“There must be independent power suppliers and this why we have all these regulations for micro-grid and other willing-buyer-willing-seller arrangements and that is the way by which we can go forward and ensure that we are able to serve many of the unserved and underserved communities that we have today.”

SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE COMMISSIONING OF NDPHC PROJECTS IN ABEOKUTA AND ITS ENVIRONS ON THE 15TH OF AUGUST, 2019.

PROTOCOLS

I am honoured to commission today, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) reinforcement projects around the Abeokuta environs and also the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) projects.

This commissioning is an important part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the supply and quality of power to homes and businesses in Nigeria.

Indeed, in the past few years, resolving the power supply problem has been top priority for the Federal Government of Nigeria. Permit me to give a brief update on the state of the power sector today and a glimpse into the very near future.

Today, we have about 13,427MW of installed capacity, and an available capacity of about 8,342MW. This was achieved through the efforts of government and its private sector partners in the rehabilitation and commissioning of turbines in Shiroro, Egbin, Delta Power, Sapele and Gbarain.

Before the end of the year, new generation is expected from Gbarain and an extra 115 MW; Kashimbilla (40 MW); Afam III Fast Power (240 MW); Gurara (30 MW); Dadin Kowa (29 MW); and Kaduna (215 MW).

In the long term, several solar plants will come on stream. The national grid already has the capacity to transmit 7,000MW, an increase from less than about 5,000MW in 2015 and this is due to the completion and improvement of several transmission projects. We have been told by the MD of NDPHC, Mr Chiedu Ugbo, the completion of projects already done by TCN, like the Ikot Ekpene switching station and the completion of the Ikot Ekpene-Ugwuaji-Makurdi-Jos loop, which was done by the NDPHC in 2017. But distribution capacity in the 11 DisCos are significantly low, hovering at around 4,000MW on average with a peak of about 5,400MW.

So, despite the availability of 8,000MW of generation and 7,000MW of transmission capacity, the lack of DisCos’ infrastructure to absorb and deliver grid power to end users has largely restricted generation to an average of about 4,000MW and sometimes falling below 4,000MW.

Apart from the lack of infrastructure is the inability of DisCos, first, to provide distribution assets generally and also metering, and you have heard what the MD of TCN said about the unavailability of distribution assets, there is also the unavailability to provide metering to consumers. In resolving this issue, the Federal Government stepped in through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulation of 2018. This is essentially regulation to provide metering, through independent or third parties to consumers all across Nigeria.

On May 1 2019, MAPs, commenced meter rollout; over 250,000 applications have been received and processed by DisCos to date and of course, that is then supposed to be forwarded to MAPs for installation. This figure is expected to quadruple by the end of 2019, and double by the end of 2020, largely closing the current metering gap of about 5.3million consumers.

But it is evident, despite all the efforts that has been put into trying to expand the national grid and do a lot more, and of course, we have also heard that there is need to recapitalize the Discos, but despite all the efforts so far, it is evident that the structure of the market today cannot deliver on the government’s promises to give power for domestic and industrial use. A substantial change of strategy is necessary. What we have done in the past has taken us to a point but clearly, there is a need for change of strategy.

At the heart of that strategy is the recapitalization of DisCos. We have to simply come up with more resources. Part of that recapitalization process is in the Siemens Phased Electrification Roadmap which was commissioned by the President recently.

Now the whole idea of the Siemens Electrification Roadmap is to deploy financing and technology on commercial terms agreed with transmission and distribution companies in partnership with the German Government and Siemens to: [in Phase 1] increase transmission and distribution capacity to enable power delivery of at least 7,000MW to consumers; [in Phase 2] eliminate bottlenecks in transmission and distribution, to enable full utilization of existing generation for power deliver of 11,000MW to consumers; and [in Phase 3], upgrade and expand generation, transmission and distribution for end-to-end power delivery of 25,000MW.

The Siemens Electrification Project must not be seen as all there is to enhancing transmission and distribution. the TCN still has a major role to play in all the various projects that the TCN itself has dedicated itself to doing. At the same time, the DisCos must come up with more capacity and resources to upgrade what they have been doing and ensure distribution assets are available including metering.

Second is the opening up of the market to new investors in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, transacting directly with each other to serve willing customers, including deploying off-grid power and using micro-grids, especially for deployment of solar power.

We must ensure that we open up the space for other investors or end-to-end generation to distribution. We cannot restrict the space that we currently occupy, we must ensure that we open up the space.

Now we have successfully done this in Sabongari market, Kano; Ariaria market in Aba and recently, we launched the first of several solar power plants in Universities with the 2.8MW plant at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi State. Over the course of the next few months, the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effrun Delta and Bayero University in Kano will have their off-grid Solar Hybrid Systems commissioned.

In each of these places, a private power provider is licensed to provide end-to-end power for a particular community or cluster, usually on a willing-buyer-willing-seller basis.

The policies and regulations to empower customers to get the services they want at prices they agree to, are largely in places because we already have the law that allows willing-seller-willing-buyer arrangement and the different categories of those laws.

The first is the Independent Electricity Distribution Networks (IEDN) 2012. This allows for the installation of an independent distribution network with the minimum capacity of 1MW where there is currently no distribution network, or where existing distribution network is not sufficient to serve existing customers. That is the first regulation that we have.

The second is the Mini-Grid Regulation, 2016, which was issued on the 24th of May 2017. This allows for unserved or underserved customers of a distribution company to be supplied power on agreed terms by a developer of a grid-connected or an independent electricity distribution system, with an embedded power station of up to 1MW.

Then we have Eligible Customer Regulation issued on the 1st of November, 2017. This allows for unserved or underserved consumers of more than 2MW of power, to buy power on agreed terms, directly from generating companies who have contracted with providers and operators of transmission and distribution infrastructure for its delivery.

The last is the Electricity Distribution Franchising Regulation, which is still in public consultation and preparatory to its issuance of regulations that will govern it. The whole idea is that it sets out the rules for a distribution company to appoint, or be compelled to cede consumers who will be connected to a 33kV or 11kV feeder, or a designated area to an agent or third party, willing to make investments in lines, metering, transformers and other equipment to serve the customers better at a mutually agreed tariff.

Now with a lot of these policies, the whole idea of it is to create a regime whereby there can be more willing-buyer-willing seller arrangements. It is in my view completely impossible, to satisfy Nigeria's power demands from the national grid alone. There must be independent power suppliers and this why we have all these regulations for micro-grid and other willing-buyer-willing-seller arrangements and that is the way by which we can go forward and ensure that we are able to serve many of the unserved and underserved communities that we have today.

These polices when fully implemented, will enable the opening up of the market to new investors in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, transacting directly with each other, to serve willing customers and this is the way which the Federal Government will proceed to ensure that we increase some more opportunities to existing DisCos and to other investors who may wish to serve Nigeria’s huge power market, which of course, at the moment is terribly underserved.

But back to today’s land mark event. Electricity supply to Ogun state, especially along the axis of Otta right up to Abeokuta the State capital, was initially via a Double Circuit 132kV line into Otta. It was supplied from a 330/132/33kV Grid Transformer Substation at Ikeja West, which serves as a marshalling station for several power plant inflows into Lagos.

A 130MVA capacity substation was built at this Otta location for supply to Otta and environs. Out of Otta, a single circuit lower capacity 132kV line was built to connect Abeokuta via an intermediate 132/33kV Substation at Papalanto within the premises of Lafarge Cement Company. The Abeokuta Substation was also equipped with 2X40MVA 132/33kV transformers for suppling Abeokuta and its environs.


Over time, all these facilities became overloaded and lacking capacity to cater to growing demand in these locations. So, this is why government felt the need, through the NDPHC, to design a set of transmission projects to resolve this problem and with various segments which we have heard today. Particularly today we have:


· A 1X60MVA 132/33kV transformer addition to Otta with associated switching bays and a dedicated 33kV Substation to facilitate Four (4) extra 33kV feeders into Otta environs.


· A 70.5km long higher capacity 132kV Double Circuit line to replace the old low capacity 132kV Single Circuit line connecting Abeokuta. This new line (carrying two circuits in place of the pre-existing single circuit) was designed with switching facilities (bays) at Otta, Lafarge and Abeokuta, to accommodate the extra high capacity circuits that now exist along this route.

· A new 2X60MVA 132/33kV Substation was built here at Kobape in Abeokuta and named New Abeokuta with facilities for six (6) 33kV feeders offtake for improved supply to the growing Ogun State Capital and its environs.


· A new 7kmhigher capacity 132kV Double Circuit line to connect old Abeokuta Substation to this New Abeokuta Substation was also built to complete improved power flow from Otta to New Abeokuta through Papalanto and Old Abeokuta.

We expect that these reinforcements of existing transmission and distribution infrastructure will substantially improve power supply in the Abeokuta axis.

We know that with all the work that is being done, and what we have also heard, the various ideas that our very dynamic governor has laid out in Ogun State, we are sure that power supply in Ogun State is bound to grow in leaps and bound. And so, in the next few weeks we will be commissioning and formally declare open the NDPHC Intervention on all the projects in Abeokuta and environs.

I want to say that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that we have adequate power supply both in our home and also in our various places of business. Power supply is the life blood of any economy and we will remain committed to ensuring that power supply is adequate everywhere. Just as you heard, it is certainly not going to be a short walk, but as we have seen, from all what we have heard so far, there so much to be done and we are committed to doing it.

I want to thank you very much for making the time to attend this event and to thank the NDPHC and TCN, for the very hard work and our host governor, Dapo Abiodun, for ensuring that we are well accommodated and we are very hospitably treated.

Thank you very much. God bless you.

Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
17th August, 2019

*El-Zakzaky chose Indian hospital, says Group*

*...plans to internationalise his group's activities*

A non-partisan, public policy and good governance group in Nigeria has stressed that the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) chose the hospital which he hurriedly ditched to return to Nigeria on Friday.

The Initiative to Save Democracy in a recall that the Press Release by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information had clearly revealed that it was th e cleric who made the choice, just like he also indicated in his request to the Court. The group dismissed insinuations that the Federal Government had anything to do with his choice of the hospital.

In a press statement on Friday signed by the Secretary of the group, Peter Oladele said the suit filed by El-Zakzaky's lawyer which resulted to his release for medical treatment stated the hospital where he will be receiving treatment.

He said the Nigeria Shiite leader and the IMN are only trying to be mischievous by politicising his abrupt return to Nigeria.

"The facts are there and they are clear, Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his lawyers picked the Medanta Hospital so he has no reasons to complain.

He stressed that the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Grace Isu Gekpe, said the Indian authorities were vexed by the unruly behaviour of El-Zakzaky.

Mr. Oladele said El-Zakzaky refused to subject himself to preliminary medical checks after officials resisted pressure to give him his international passport.

Quoting Mrs Gekpe, he said, "He demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds and also requested to be allowed to be checked into a five star hotel instead of being admitted in a hospital.

"The request was rejected on the ground that he came into the country for medicals, and not as a tourist, especially with the visa issued on medical grounds and not tourism.

"Against medical ethics and standard practice, he requested to nominate doctors of his choice to join the ones tasked by Medanta Hospital to perform medical treatment on him and his wife.

"That demand created a stalemate as the hospital insisted that he would not dictate to it on the choice of medical personnel to carry the required medical treatment.

"Frustrated by his antics, the Indian authorities have expressed willingness to return him to Nigeria with immediate effect. This is on the account that they will not allow him use their country to internationalise his group's activities."

THE REPATRIATION OF IBRAHEEM EL-ZAKZAKY FROM INDIA

The Federal Government wishes to inform the public about the latest development in the Ibraheem El-zakzaky medical trip controversies to India. The Government notes with dismay the acts of misconduct exhibited by El-zakzaky that necessitated his repatriation. .

The earlier statement of 14th August 2019 by the Government addressed the issues that would have raised some questions with the latest occurrences and particularly the uncelebrated return of El-zakzaky from India. The public may note that El-Zakzaky’s actions in India demonstrated malicious intents that were capable of embarrassing the Governments of Nigeria and India.

With total disrespect and complete loss of decorum for international procedures while in India, he initiated contacts with a team of lawyers led by Ali Zia Kabir Chaudary and Gunjan Singh in that country. He also contacted some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), such as the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and other Shiite groups. His aim was to seek asylum and eventually relocate to another country.

It is important to note that if an Indian court had granted El-zakzaky asylum or leave to travel to another country, it would have violated the Nigerian court order that granted him permission to travel for medical treatment. However, he used the opportunity of being in India to attempt to internationalise his cause by mobilising the Rights groups. Even most unfortunate and rather embarrassing as earlier stated, was his quest to be relocated to a 5-Star hotel to receive visitors instead of being admitted in the hospital as a sick person he claimed to be.

In spite of his misconduct, El-zakzaky’s spouse went further to antagonize the Indian and Nigerian security agents and accused the latter of killing her children. These acts were aimed at winning international sympathy as well as disparaging the Nigerian Government. Having subordinated the quest for medical treatment to other ulterior motives, it became obvious that El-zakzaky was focused on realising some sinister motives thus the decision to return him to Nigeria.


Grace Isu Gekpe
Permanent Secretary
Federal Ministry of Information and Culture
Abuja

16th August 2019

WHY OBLA IS IN TROUBLE WITH THE PRESIDENCY


Activities and conduct of the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovey of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has been under critical review for sometime in the Presidency and his outright dismissal and prosecution is imminent, a top government official has disclosed.


Specifically the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister had earlier recommended to the Presidency, among others "that a thorough investigation be conducted into the allegations of forgery levelled against Mr. Obono-Obla," while also proposing suspending him from office."


The Presidency has also received more recently an indicting report on the Panel Chairman bordering on acts of forgery and misconduct.


According to the Office of the Attorney-General, Obla has been accused on various issues "ranging from abuse of office, intimidation and unauthorized malicious investigations, financial impropriety, administrative misconduct, and allegations of forgery/falsification or records, to mention but a few."


In fact late last year, the matter of the madate of the Panel became an issue of judicial interpretation at the Appeal Court in the case of TIJJANI MUSA TUMSAH V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.


In that case, the Appeal Court held that the Panel headed by Obla lacks prosecutorial powers and cannot seize properties belonging to anyone or obtain forfeiture orders against any public official.


The Court also held that the duty of the Panel upon conclusion of an investigation is to submit its report to the head of government and that the Panel, as against the conduct of the Chairman, cannot act outside its enabling Statute, the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act of 1984.


Actually once when confronted with some of his alleged misconduct and other allegations, Obono-Obla pleaded profusely and was  made to sign a written undertaking to mend his ways. However, no sooner he signed that he abandoned the undertaking and continued singularly violating the law and regulations in place in the conduct of the work of the Panel.


According to an authoritative source, "following a series of violations for which he was queried, Mr. Obla submitted a written undertaking to the effect that the panel under his leadership would only act on a written mandate received from the Presidency, and will seek authorization from the Presidency to undertake fresh mandates in accordance with extant laws of the Federation."


The main grouse against the Panel Chairman was that while the Panel was supposed to investigate only cases referred to it by the government, according to the law establishing the panel, the Chairman has single-handedly taken on cases outside of its mandate and in gross violation of Rule of Law, including violations of people's fundamenetal human rights.


Said the source, "inspite of the specificity of the mandate of the Panel, the FG has been inundated with complaints against Mr. Obla. These include complaints of violation of the specific mandate of the Panel, human rights abuses and conduct unbecoming of an official of Government, which conduct and actions had a number of times subjected the Panel and the Government to ridicule.”


Matters however came to a head when the other four members of the 5-man Panel wrote a petition against Obla, asking for urgent action to curtail the "several identified unlawful conducts of the Chairman of the Panel.


According to the Panel members, while two cases involving NEXIM Bank and CBN, Finance Ministry, Nigeran Ports Authority were referred to the Panel, the Chairman single-handedly took on over 50 cases outside the mandate of the panel.


They also stated that "contrary to the fact that the Panel is an investigative panel by its enabling law, which lacks prosecutorial powers, Mr. Obla has unlawfully engaged lawyers to file charges against suspects without recourse to the Attorney-General's office."


"The man has been busy extorting money running into millions from suspects and engaged in excessive behaviour towards individuals, government agencies, private companies and even foreign missions in Nigeria," another government source noted.


For instance after an illegal secondment of over 100 policemen to himself, Chief Obla attempted to arrest the Executive Secretary of TETFUND "with a truck of mobile policemen which led to the petition written to the Attorney-General's office over the incessant illegal harassment."


Among several petitions against Obla which has caused considerable concern in the government is the one by the Human Rights Writers Association bordering on allegations of forgery of WAEC result used for admission into the Law Faculty of the University of Jos.


The Office of the Attorney-General in its recommendation to the Presidency also mentioned Obla's "unauthorized investigations of several judges initiated by Mr. Obla through the issuance of notices to them to declare their assets, an obligation which these Honorable Jugdes had hitherto complied with through the authorized agency-the Code of Conduct Bureau."


It was also stated that Obla had used the Panel to arrogate the powers and functions of the EFCC and the ICPC.


“In the circumstances, the Government is left with no choice than to review his appointment and possibly prosecute him for allegations of forgery and possibly also for criminal extortion, “ a source noted.

WHY OBLA IS IN TROUBLE WITH THE PRESIDENCY


Activities and conduct of the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovey of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has been under critical review for sometime in the Presidency and his outright dismissal and prosecution is imminent, a top government official has disclosed.


Specifically the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister had earlier recommended to the Presidency, among others "that a thorough investigation be conducted into the allegations of forgery levelled against Mr. Obono-Obla," while also proposing suspending him from office."


The Presidency has also received more recently an indicting report on the Panel Chairman bordering on acts of forgery and misconduct.


According to the Office of the Attorney-General, Obla has been accused on various issues "ranging from abuse of office, intimidation and unauthorized malicious investigations, financial impropriety, administrative misconduct, and allegations of forgery/falsification or records, to mention but a few."


In fact late last year, the matter of the madate of the Panel became an issue of judicial interpretation at the Appeal Court in the case of TIJJANI MUSA TUMSAH V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.


In that case, the Appeal Court held that the Panel headed by Obla lacks prosecutorial powers and cannot seize properties belonging to anyone or obtain forfeiture orders against any public official.


The Court also held that the duty of the Panel upon conclusion of an investigation is to submit its report to the head of government and that the Panel, as against the conduct of the Chairman, cannot act outside its enabling Statute, the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act of 1984.


Actually once when confronted with some of his alleged misconduct and other allegations, Obono-Obla pleaded profusely and was  made to sign a written undertaking to mend his ways. However, no sooner he signed that he abandoned the undertaking and continued singularly violating the law and regulations in place in the conduct of the work of the Panel.


According to an authoritative source, "following a series of violations for which he was queried, Mr. Obla submitted a written undertaking to the effect that the panel under his leadership would only act on a written mandate received from the Presidency, and will seek authorization from the Presidency to undertake fresh mandates in accordance with extant laws of the Federation."


The main grouse against the Panel Chairman was that while the Panel was supposed to investigate only cases referred to it by the government, according to the law establishing the panel, the Chairman has single-handedly taken on cases outside of its mandate and in gross violation of Rule of Law, including violations of people's fundamenetal human rights.


Said the source, "inspite of the specificity of the mandate of the Panel, the FG has been inundated with complaints against Mr. Obla. These include complaints of violation of the specific mandate of the Panel, human rights abuses and conduct unbecoming of an official of Government, which conduct and actions had a number of times subjected the Panel and the Government to ridicule.”


Matters however came to a head when the other four members of the 5-man Panel wrote a petition against Obla, asking for urgent action to curtail the "several identified unlawful conducts of the Chairman of the Panel.


According to the Panel members, while two cases involving NEXIM Bank and CBN, Finance Ministry, Nigeran Ports Authority were referred to the Panel, the Chairman single-handedly took on over 50 cases outside the mandate of the panel.


They also stated that "contrary to the fact that the Panel is an investigative panel by its enabling law, which lacks prosecutorial powers, Mr. Obla has unlawfully engaged lawyers to file charges against suspects without recourse to the Attorney-General's office."


"The man has been busy extorting money running into millions from suspects and engaged in excessive behaviour towards individuals, government agencies, private companies and even foreign missions in Nigeria," another government source noted.


For instance after an illegal secondment of over 100 policemen to himself, Chief Obla attempted to arrest the Executive Secretary of TETFUND "with a truck of mobile policemen which led to the petition written to the Attorney-General's office over the incessant illegal harassment."


Among several petitions against Obla which has caused considerable concern in the government is the one by the Human Rights Writers Association bordering on allegations of forgery of WAEC result used for admission into the Law Faculty of the University of Jos.


The Office of the Attorney-General in its recommendation to the Presidency also mentioned Obla's "unauthorized investigations of several judges initiated by Mr. Obla through the issuance of notices to them to declare their assets, an obligation which these Honorable Jugdes had hitherto complied with through the authorized agency-the Code of Conduct Bureau."


It was also stated that Obla had used the Panel to arrogate the powers and functions of the EFCC and the ICPC.


“In the circumstances, the Government is left with no choice than to review his appointment and possibly prosecute him for allegations of forgery and possibly also for criminal extortion, “ a source noted.

BUHARI ON TOP OF NIGERIA'S SITUATION, BMO TELLS NORTHERN GROUP

President Muhammadu Buhari is a forward-looking and proactive leader who has continuously concentrated on unifying the country and addressing any grievances in the polity. Therefore, .any advice to him to address "mounting national grievances" can only be superfluous and diversionary.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) made this observation in its reaction to a call by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) for President Buhari to address urgent and mounting national issues.

BMO, in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, noted that the coalition’s position on President Buhari’s governance style is founded on misconceptions and lack of adequate information.

"There is no evidence that the President has shirked his responsibilities. Rather, he has, since assuming office, made efforts to solve age-long socio-economic problems afflicting the country."

On CNG's allegation that the South-West political players are not ‘’genuinely desirous of the President’s success,’’ BMO said "it is important we remind the coalition that President Buhari considers all sections of Nigeria as his constituency and will never alienate any part of the country, based on his belief in fairness, equity and justice.

"As the administration commences its second term in office, we are confident that the President will continue to extend his hand of fellowship to all Nigerians in the task of rebuilding the country for the benefit of present and future generations of Nigerians.

"While we admit that the Coalition of Northern Groups and indeed the Northern Elders Forum are at liberty to seek any political alliance of their choice, since we are operating a democratic system, yet their actions must be focused towards building a more prosperous and united country where all citizens will be secure and fulfilled.

"We believe that President Buhari is discerning enough to know his friends and, as a leader, is fully committed to bequeathing a country where every citizen will have a sense of belonging."

The pro-Buhari group, therefore, enjoined the Coalition of Northern Groups to appreciate the efforts of the Buhari administration at making Nigeria great again by tackling insecurity, boosting the economy and fighting corruption.

Twitter is having issues. How would the VP block his own account. Its not happening and will never happen.

NIGERIA IS ON THE WAY TO BECOMING GLOBAL FOOD BASKET, SAYS OSINBAJO



*VP meets Chinese investors interested in agro-allied sector

*About $16B to $25B investment envisaged says AfDB

In line with its commitment to develop a thriving agro-industrial sector, the Federal Government will welcome partnerships and initiatives that would make Nigeria actualize its potential of being the food basket of the world, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President stated this on Tuesday when he received a delegation of Chinese investors and officials from the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the Presidential Villa.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “I think that Nigeria is a place where there is tremendous opportunity. We have the 9th largest arable land in the world and most of that is still largely untouched.

“We have a tremendous potential of being the food basket of the world but a lot of that will depend on how we are able to get high quality inputs, seedling and others, and how we are able to use technology especially the benefits of industrial agriculture to our advantage.

Referring to the interest of the Chinese investors in the agro-allied sector, the VP noted that “we believe very strongly that this partnership is the one that will deliver the kind of growth, the kind of quantum leap we are looking forward to. We think that with your partnership with us, especially the agro-allied aspect of it, if it works very well, we can achieve a lot.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “this is the reason why we are engaging at this (presidential) level of government alongside the AfDB, to ensure that our investors have no trouble at all in being able to operate their businesses and do their businesses efficiently.”

The Chinese investors are in the country at the instance of the African Development Bank to commence the processes of investing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector under an initiative known as the Agro-Industrial initiative with focus on crop production, forestry, fishery, and livestock production.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Zhao Zhihai, the leader of the Chinese delegation, said a consortium of Chinese investors were committed to the development of Nigeria’s agro-processing zones and especially the agro-allied sector.

In his own remarks, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, the head of the AfDB team at the meeting, said the framework of the initiative is to develop a programme that leverages Nigeria’s comparative advantage in key areas of agricultural production.

According to him, “the overall investment, under the initiative, amounts to between $16 billion to $25 billion over a period of four years with a strong government support and private sector leadership.”



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
6th August, 2019

NIGERIA IS ON THE WAY TO BECOMING GLOBAL FOOD BASKET, SAYS OSINBAJO



*VP meets Chinese investors interested in agro-allied sector

*About $16B to $25B investment envisaged says AfDB

In line with its commitment to develop a thriving agro-industrial sector, the Federal Government will welcome partnerships and initiatives that would make Nigeria actualize its potential of being the food basket of the world, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President stated this on Tuesday when he received a delegation of Chinese investors and officials from the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the Presidential Villa.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “I think that Nigeria is a place where there is tremendous opportunity. We have the 9th largest arable land in the world and most of that is still largely untouched.

“We have a tremendous potential of being the food basket of the world but a lot of that will depend on how we are able to get high quality inputs, seedling and others, and how we are able to use technology especially the benefits of industrial agriculture to our advantage.

Referring to the interest of the Chinese investors in the agro-allied sector, the VP noted that “we believe very strongly that this partnership is the one that will deliver the kind of growth, the kind of quantum leap we are looking forward to. We think that with your partnership with us, especially the agro-allied aspect of it, if it works very well, we can achieve a lot.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “this is the reason why we are engaging at this (presidential) level of government alongside the AfDB, to ensure that our investors have no trouble at all in being able to operate their businesses and do their businesses efficiently.”

The Chinese investors are in the country at the instance of the African Development Bank to commence the processes of investing in Nigeria’s agricultural sector under an initiative known as the Agro-Industrial initiative with focus on crop production, forestry, fishery, and livestock production.

Speaking earlier, Prof. Zhao Zhihai, the leader of the Chinese delegation, said a consortium of Chinese investors were committed to the development of Nigeria’s agro-processing zones and especially the agro-allied sector.

In his own remarks, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, the head of the AfDB team at the meeting, said the framework of the initiative is to develop a programme that leverages Nigeria’s comparative advantage in key areas of agricultural production.

According to him, “the overall investment, under the initiative, amounts to between $16 billion to $25 billion over a period of four years with a strong government support and private sector leadership.”



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
6th August, 2019

HOW BUHARI LIFTED OVER 5 MILLION NIGERIANS FROM POVERTY - BMO



President Buhari’s goal to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is on course. According to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), the President's success in lifting five million Nigerians out of the poverty bracket in a short time is quite commendable and a sign of greater things to come.



In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the group stated that the Buhari-led administration had put in place policies, since it came into power, targetted at eradicating poverty and improving the lives and welfare of the Nigerian people.



“The Buhari administration put in place the Social Investment Program (SIP)aimed at tackling poverty, unemployment and improving the living standard of Nigerians. Within the last three and a half years since the program has been operational, it has successfully impacted the lives of over 12 million Nigerians, directly and indirectly.



“The program, with its four components, has provided employment to hundreds of thousands of local farmers through the Home Grown School Feeding Program. These farmers are the suppliers of farm products that are used to feed the over 9.5 million children this government is feeding in our public primary schools.



“The Conditional Cash Transfer program which simply gives a stipend to the poorest of the poorest families in Nigeria, has given a new life to over 350,000 Nigerian families that were far below the poverty line before this administration came on board. With N10,000 given to them every two months, they now have more disposable income; they can now buy new clothes, improve their hygiene and send their children to school.



“This sum, put into the hands of caregivers of these over 350,000 families, has rescued these families, with at least four beneficiaries per house, from the claws of poverty and has given them new life and hope.”



The group noted that the GEEP loans the Buhari government has been giving to traders, businesses and farmers has reached over 2 million beneficiaries.



“The thing about these loans is the domino effect of their impact. Traders now have more credit, they can now expand on their businesses. As they expand on the businesses they grow, they can help people around them. The lives of beneficiaries who they support improve as well.



“There is also the N-Power Program that has provided employment to 500,000 previously unemployed graduates.”



BMO noted that the impact being made by the administration was being felt at the bottom of society’s pyramid, with the poorest Nigerians finding succour through these programs.



BMO stated further that President Buhari’s statement that with good leadership Nigeria can lift 100 million Nigerians out of extreme poverty, whether deemed ambitious or not, was practicable.



“President Buhari had emphatically said that with good leadership 100 million Nigerians can be lifted out of extreme poverty, and with his good leadership he has started this journey and steady progress is being made.”

FG'S ENERGIZING EDUCATION PROGRAMME WILL HELP IMPROVE POWER SUPPLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SAYS OSINBAJO


*VP commissions 2.8 MW solar hybrid power plant, other projects in Ebonyi

*Programme will equip 37 Federal Universities, 7 Teaching Hospitals with solar plants in 4 years

The Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme is geared towards delivering on several critical policies and objectives of this administration in the Next Level, including improving power supply around the country by providing solar hybrid plants in 37 Federal Universities and 7 teaching hospitals in the next four years, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Friday in Ebonyi State, where he commissioned some projects including the 2.8 MW decentralized solar hybrid power plant that will supply 7,700 students and over 1,800 staff of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) with clean, reliable and efficient power.

Before the end of the year, similar projects would also be commissioned in Bayero University Kano (BUK), Kano State and Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State; as well as the University of Lagos, he added.

By providing decentralized/off-grid solutions, the Vice President noted that the programme is also expected to reduce the dependence on the national grid and increase universal access to electrification in the country.

He said, “We are decentralizing so that we have upgrade capacity in several different States of the Federation and several communities so that we can provide private power in universities and economic clusters. For example, we have private power in Sabon-Geri market, Kano. We are commissioning another 7,000 shops there, we have private power also in the Ariaria market in Abia State, both solar power and we have a fuel-based and gas-based power plant there as well.”

According to the Vice President, this will further increase access to modern quality education by providing adequate power supply to critical learning resources such as science laboratories, design and technology workshops and Information Technology resources.

He added that the project is also aimed at “providing conducive, safe and secure learning environments, with the aim of eradicating cultism, rape, kidnapping and other criminal activities that may occur.”

The Vice President added that the objectives of the Energizing Education Programme includes “empowering Nigerian women through the provision of education and training programmes for STEM and dedicated training on renewable energy in world class energy training centres, improved quality of healthcare services which will ultimately reduce mortality rates in our healthcare institutions; and the development and implementation of environmentally friendly projects for cleaner, healthier environments.”

Prof Osinbajo also commissioned the renewables workshop and training centre to promote renewable energy and over 7.5KM of street lighting to enhance security and safety on the campus.

Noting that students of the institution would not only reap the benefits of clean, reliable and affordable electricity, the Vice President added that they would also receive hands-on training on renewable energy which can be applied beyond the walls of the university.

He said, “This solar hybrid power plant being commissioned today (in FUNAI) is the first to be heard of the 37 Federal Universities and 7 teaching hospitals, that will be provided with a plant that is similar with what we have here under the Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme and we hope that this will be completed in the next four years.

“The phase 1 of the project consists of nine Federal Universities and one teaching hospital which cuts across 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria and it is currently being implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

“The phase 1 project will benefit a total of about 127,000 students and 28,000 staff of the Universities, 4,700 staff in teaching hospitals (including 819 doctors), powers 2,850 street lights and result in the decommissioning of hundreds of generators.”

This phase, the Vice President said, is fully funded by the Federal Government and will train 180 female STEM students.

The Vice President said the project will further create more jobs in the power sector chain.

“This project itself created 108 energy related jobs from power system engineers to electricians and as stated earlier, trained 20 young women with the skills to work in the energy sector anywhere in the world,” he said.

Prof. Osinbajo urged more effective collaboration and synergy amongst government bodies at all levels, in order to achieve significant growth for the country.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
3rd August, 2019

VP RECEIVES NEW UK SECRETARY OF STATE


*British MP praises Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business Reforms


Nigeria can benefit from the United Kingdom in its ongoing reform of the business environment by learning from how the British resolved similar challenges, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President spoke today, during a meeting with the newly appointed United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Development, Mr Alok Sharma, at the Presidential Villa.

According to Prof Osinbajo, “one of the critical issues with the ease of doing business is with respect to the registration of property and how the process is long drawn.”

The Vice President noted that while States like Lagos and Kano have done well with issues around land registration, there are still some outstanding issues. He said this is an area where the UK and Nigeria can collaborate.

“I think one of the ways by which we could get some help is in the whole land registry concept”, the Vice President noted. He recalled that Lagos State actually had such collaboration when he was serving there. According to him, the UK “gave us quite a bit of help in establishing what was used in Lagos State land registry years ago.”

“Every state has its own peculiar issues and challenges. How to document across the various states is what poses the challenge,” Osinbajo observed.

Prof Osinbajo also explained the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP, stating that the Federal Government and States decided on ranching as an option for livestock breeding.

States determine the implementation methods in their respective States, while both the Federal Government and the States will share the costs.

Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Sharma commended the Vice President for his role in driving the Ease of Doing Business reforms and commended the country for moving up 24 places in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking. On the specific issue of land registry, he noted how the process was simplified in the UK using technology.

Both the Vice President and the UK Secretary, among other issues, also discussed the rehabilitation of the Northeast region and how the British could support the process going forward.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
1st August, 2019

PROMOTING NATIONAL UNITY FOSTERS PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY, SAYS OSINBAJO

*VP restates position on community policing as panacea for Nigeria's security challenge

Promoting national unity and cohesion amongst Nigeria's diverse population rather than divisiveness will guarantee the kind of progress and prosperity that citizens have long desired, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday in Lagos while delivering the 70th Anniversary Lecture of the Lagos Country Club, entitled, “Promoting National Cohesion for Progress and Prosperity."

According to him, “Everything we have learned from the annals of history and from contemporary reports from all over the world, tells us that social diversity can either be a trigger for conflict or a fountain of prosperity and progress.

"Diversity in and of itself is not a problem; it is what we do with it that matters. Whether or not sociocultural variety results in strife or collective success entirely depends on how a society choose to manage it."

The Vice President said though the challenges of insecurity occasioned by hate speech and promotion of divisiveness is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, the same principle of diversity and national cohesion driving economic growth in other successful nations applies even in Nigeria.

Citing local examples of States that have harnessed their diversities to attain some levels of progress and prosperity, the Vice President said, “our most dynamic economic spaces have been historically multicultural cities like Lagos and Kano".

"Lagos as a port city obviously benefitted from its coastal location as a gateway to the African continent for traders and adventurers from beyond the seas as well as from the hinterland. Kano was a major terminal on the trans-Saharan trade drawing commercial traffic from as far North as the Maghreb and the Middle East and from Southern Nigeria.

"The conscious decision of Bola Tinubu then Governor of Lagos to appoint his commissioners from everywhere in Nigeria is partly responsible for the peerless progress of Lagos State.

"He appointed Mr Wale Edun from Ogun State as Finance Commissioner, Rauf Aregbesola from Osun as Commissioner for Works, Fola Arthur Worrey from Delta as Commissioner for Lands, Ben Akabueze from Anambra as Commissoner for Budget and Planning, Lai Mohammed from Kwara State as Chief of Staff and I, from Ogun State, as his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

"Lagos undertook fiscal, real property, judicial and environmental reforms that has made the State a model for the rest of the country. Nigeria is the same nation that produced Philip Emeagwali, an Igbo Christian; Africa’s first Nobel laureate in Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Yoruba, of no known religion; and Jelani Aliyu, Fulani, Muslim, a world class designer of motor vehicles. Nigeria is the nation it is because of the collective strength of its many talents, attributes and contours.

"From the foregoing, it is clear that when we create spaces for migratory talent to flourish without discrimination, there is an economic multiplier effect that results in an ever-increasing radius of growth," he said.

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said, “It is no accident that that the most affluent economies in the world are places that have learned to leverage diversity. In the 21st century, the true wealth of nations is human capital."

According to him, “this means that places that have learned to attract and retain the most diverse pool of skilled human resources are easily winning the race for success. Diversity means a multiplicity of perspectives and world views, but this also provides a broad range of cultural, philosophical and intellectual approaches for solving problems.

"In this rich soil, nourished by various ideas and schools of thought, productive synthesis is possible and innovation flourishes. Thus, the world’s richest nations are those places that have learned how to attract talent from various places and to harness diversity as a driver of growth."

The Vice President said Nigeria can transform its diversity into cohesion that would lead to greater prosperity, noting that the Buhari administration has adopted and initiated programmes that leveraged on the diversity of Nigeria's population.

He said, “The classification of Nigerians as “indigenes” and “non-indigenes” is our own form of divisionism and has long contradicted our declared aspirations towards unity in diversity. All that should matter in evaluating ourselves is where we live and fulfil our civic obligations. This is why our Social Investment Programmes are being administered on the basis of residency.

“The eligible beneficiaries were selected based on their states of residence and none was discriminated against on any basis. This approach is consistent with our broader philosophy of fostering national cohesion by broadening access to opportunity for all Nigerians without qualification.”

He urged Nigerians to “continue to defuse the potential perils of diversity by continuing to pursue measures that promote social inclusion and national cohesion.”

On ensuring the protection of rights, lives and property in a diverse society like Nigeria, Prof. Osinbajo said, “one of the most important ramparts of national cohesion are the guarantees of fundamental freedoms. The right to life, which comes with the duty of governments to ensure peace and security, freedom of movement, freedom of Worship, and the rule of law."

According to him, “everyone must be reasonably assured that their lives and livelihoods will be protected by government, that their disputes will be fairly and justly resolved regardless of their ethnicity or faith. Our challenges as a nation basically centre around these issues - religious conflicts, farmer-herder clashes in the North Central and many parts of the North West, Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, and militancy in the Niger Delta.

"When law enforcement institutions are weak there is a huge opportunity to run divisive narratives. By that I mean that where, for example, the security agencies do not speedily apprehend criminals, or the criminal justice system is slow, then there is room for people to say that authorities don’t arrest and prosecute Fulani herders when they kill because the law enforcement officers are often not resident in the communities where they are posted for policing duties; then it is easier to promote doubt about their commitment to ensuring the safety of the communities they police."

Still on the issue of law and order, the Vice President said, "where the quality and integrity of judges is in doubt, it is easier to find parochial reasons for unfavourable decisions.”

Citing the reforms carried out by the Lagos State Government between 1999 and 2007 as an example, the Vice President said "we must strengthen our judicial system, first by the appointment of judges of integrity and sound legal knowledge and then putting in place a welfare package that discourages misconduct."

He added, “In diverse societies we must do all that is necessary to strengthen the institutions of law enforcement, security and the rule of law. The challenge is dynamic and our approach must also be dynamic.

"Which is why I believe that State Police in a large, diverse federation is imperative. However, this requires constitutional amendment a product of consensus of our legislators. In the interim the Federal Government has approved the community policing option.

"The IGP recently announced the plan. An important component is that in the new approach to police recruitments. Police officers will be recruited in each local government and after training will be required to remain in their local governments.

"The plan also involves interfaces between traditional rulers, State neighbourhood watch or vigilante programmes and the police. The security architecture is now being reengineered for greater use of technology and more integration of the use of security platforms."


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
30th July, 2019

FG IN NEW PUSH TO ENFORCE RECOVERY OF OVER N5 TRILLION AMCON DEBTS

*Relevant agencies directed to collaborate in determined bid to go after 20 top defaulting entities & individuals

*Criminal procedures will now be applied

In a renewed and spirited effort to ensure the effective recovery of over N5 Trillion being outstanding debts owed the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), a new task force has been set up to get the job done without fail.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, gave the indication during a meeting with board members and management of AMCON and selected heads of government agencies, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday evening.

Those agencies include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and also the Permanent Secretaries of the Justice and Transport Ministries.

To this effect, a special task force/committee comprising of the Heads of AMCON, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Ministry of Justice, will be working to develop and implement new strategies that will ensure that the determination of the FG to recover the money is speedily achieved.

Prof. Osinbajo said all the relevant agencies have to re-strategize to achieve the desired results.

“The key is collaboration. We need a small team comprising these agencies to look at the next steps that we need to take, especially the criminal aspect, forfeiture, and all of that," the VP directed.

He said the task force should look at the top 20 AMCON defaulters closely and develop a plan of action that brings results.

It would be recalled that the Vice President had previously in May met with AMCON management to discuss how to resolve the issue.

According to the AMCON Chairman, Mr. Muiz Banire, SAN, almost 67 per cent of the outstanding N5tn debt is owed by just 20 individuals/entities.

Banire noted that the agency had been “trying its best in its attempt to recover this through the civil judicial process, but had encountered several challenges."

Also present at the meeting was the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu; Chairman, ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye; Director/Chief Executive, NFIU, Mr. Modibbo Tukur; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari; and other senior government officials.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
30th July, 2019

YOUNG AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURS WILL CHANGE NARRATIVE ABOUT THE CONTINENT – OSINBAJO


* VP adds: This generation of Africans is the smartest ever

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE FOUNDER’S PRESIDENTIAL DIALOGUE, 2019 TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION (TEF) FORUM, AT THE TRANSCORP HILTON, SATURDAY, JULY 27, 2019.

Protocol.

No matter how young or old we might be, our lives are essentially stories that are being written and revised every day. And those stories range from what is, to what could be, from the reality we are born into, to the ambitions and dreams that we create, desire and those we strive to achieve.

As I prepared for this event, I encountered a few of the many stories of the businesses and lives transformed by the Tony Elumelu Foundation and its various initiatives.

We have Mavis Nduchwa, who trained for the hospitality industry, and went on to a career as a TV presenter, and is today a successful farmer with the goal of feeding her native country, Botswana.

A decade ago, a Nigerian, Zion Oshiobugie, looked ahead at life as a domestic servant for a family member. Today, he is the proud CEO of a consulting company based in the same city where he started out as a domestic servant.

There is Mohammed Daoufhi of Morocco, founder of a 3-D printing company that produces affordable artificial limbs. Every day, he makes it happen for someone, he gives life to someone who had thought all life was lost when they lost their limb.

Cameroon’s Michel Nkuindija actually tells, and retells stories for a living through his company, Noohkema Game Studios, which develops video games that are based on traditional Africa myths and legends. His goal is to change the way Africa is perceived globally, and to give young Africans a reason to be proud of their cultural identities.

Across the continent in Uganda, Joel Cherop is a farmer, pushing the boundaries of agriculture using irrigation technologies, through the Atari River Integrated Irrigation Initiative Limited (ARII). Every day, he makes a difference in farming in his country.

From the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lino Alain Muniono, used seed capital to start an architectural firm, and Jose Kimoalou founded Wapimed, a health tech company providing quality healthcare across communities in the DRC.

Benin Republic’s Vital Sounouvou is promoting trade across Africa with his fintech start-up, Exportunity, a virtual market that is now directly supported by a leading African banking institution, UBA. In the age of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), there is perhaps no bigger or better opportunity to be exploring right now.

There are the hundreds who are also here and these stories are just a few of the thousands told and experienced by entrepreneurs, whose lives have been touched and transformed by the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP).

And even all of those thousands of inspirational TEEP stories are themselves, just a representation, a fraction, of what is out there across the continent. A landscape emboldened by multitudes of young people who are refusing to wallow in self-pity or frustration; who have realized that conquering the challenges of their environments are the milestones for outstanding success. Young men and women who have come to fully understand the transformational power of technology in the 21st century.

Here in this room is a great representation of what the private sector can accomplish. It is also hugely inspiring to us, as governments, and I am glad that a number of African governments are represented here, we are challenged to create the enabling environment for all of these young entrepreneurs to thrive.

Our continent continues to be defined by unsavoury and unwholesome stories, which do not often accurately represent the reality of life and opportunity. The people in this room are the perfect and long-awaited counterpoints to those one-dimensional narratives of Africa that have sadly gained ground over the years.

Outside on the streets of every village, town and city in Africa, are many more individual embodiments of the potentials of this great continent. But we can change some of the false and some of the true but unfortunate narratives of Africa. We must find young entrepreneurs and provide opportunities for capacity building. Our school curriculums must emphasize, not just Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics which we are doing now, but Critical Thinking and Entrepreneurship. And the promises that we have made of establishing Entrepreneurship Banks must be kept.

By birthing this particular intervention, TEEP, Tony Elumelu has compelled us to focus on what really matters, our youth and their dreams. The message to Africa’s emerging business giants is a clear one, how and what can you contribute, like Tony Elumelu, to empowering the next generation, helping them to realize their own dreams? And you gathered here in this room, helping you write, rewrite and revise the next chapter of your continent-changing stories.

Permit me a word to you, young entrepreneurs, I want to say to you that you live in the best of times. Always be suspicious of those who remind us of the “good old days.” They are probably suffering from a bit of memory loss.

Fareed Zakaria our moderator today, made a fascinating statement to the 2012 graduating Harvard class, where he made the commencement speech. He said that the smart phones that the young men and women in the room had in their hands, had more computing power than all the computing power in the Apollo aircraft that landed the first men on the moon.

Today, as we waited out here, I reminded him of that statement and his reply was, “Yes that was 2012. Today the smart phones these young men and women have, has 100 times more power, than all of the computing power of the Apollo aircraft that landed men on the moon.”

Today is the most advanced moment in human history and your generation is the smartest that has ever lived. We are holding our breaths for the incredible achievements you will make.
God bless Africa.

Thank you.

Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
27 July, 2019

IT IS TIME FOR A NEW BEGINNING, VISION & DIRECTION, OSINBAJO SAYS IN ANAMBRA

**Restates President Buhari's commitment to development of region*


The victory of President Buhari at the 2019 Presidential election, the nomination of notable persons from Anambra State into the Federal cabinet and the execution of important federal projects in the region is ushering a new beginning, new vision and new direction for the region and its people, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.


Prof. Osinbajo who stated this on Friday in Awka, Anambra State during an APC Stakeholders Summit, said the foundation has been laid for the region to move to the Next Level.


According to. him, "In 2015, people were saying don't join APC, it is a Northern party or Southwest party. So, some were not convinced that they should belong. It is time for a new beginning; it is time for a new vision, it is time for a new direction."


Continuing, the Vice President said President Buhari had demonstrated enough commitment to support the development of the Southeast region and Anambra State in particular, through project execution and implementation of policies and programmes.

He said "I believe strongly that Anambra has a special place in Mr President's heart. First, in his political career, the first two times he ran for President, his Vice Presidential nominees were from this State - Senator Dr. Chuba Okadigbo (from Ekwueme Ogbunike) and Barrister Edwin Ume-Ezeoke ( Amichi).

"Aside from that, I am glad that the chairman of our party has already noted that the President has ensured that he has not failed to appoint Anambra indigenes and to do projects. The Second Niger Bridge, Zik Mausoleum, (contract originally awarded 1996, completed and commissioned by Buhari Administration). The 18km stretch of Onitsha-Awka road, ongoing Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Sukuk-funded), electrification project at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (making the campus one of the first Nigerian Universities to be given its own independent power supply provided by the Federal Government).

"Anambra State is today, one of the 7 States that has two ministers in the present cabinet. In the Social Investment Programme - under the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, the number of school pupils currently being fed is put at 119,760 in 869 schools while 1,045 cooks have been engaged."

Prof. Osinbajo, however, clarified that in order to guarantee transparency in the Social Investment Programmes, especially the N-Power programme, they are not executed along party lines.

"It is for Nigerians irrespective of which party you belong, under the N-Power, candidates have to fill the form online, you do not need to belong to our party.

"Under the N-Power scheme, Anambra has 16,348 beneficiaries while under the TraderMoni loan scheme, 30,774 loans have been disbursed. Under MarketMoni 4,340 persons have benefitted, while 7,207 have been paid under the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme."

While urging party leaders and faithful to leverage on the good deeds of the Federal Government in the region and work together for the growth of the party ahead of future elections, Prof. Osinbajo said, "I am here to open a fresh chapter."

"Life is dynamic. Things are moving on every day. Standing still or not moving is not an option. Anyone or group that fails to move in a dynamic environment will find that you are actually going backwards. Anambra State must move on," the Vice President reiterated.

Earlier, while appreciating the President for recognizing the State, the party members and stalwarts requested for more recognition at the national level.

The meeting was attended by party leaders in the Southeast, including acting APC State Chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike.

Others at the meeting include former Governor of Anambra State and Minister-Designate, Dr Chris Ngige; APC Gubernatorial Candidate in the last Election, Dr. Tony Nwoye and APC National Auditor, Sir George Moghalu. Also, former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, was represented by Rt. Hon. Eugene-Odo, former Speaker Enugu State House of Assembly.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media &Publicity
Office of the Vice President
27 July 2019

WHY NIGERIA NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL LIVESTOCK TRANSFORMATION PLAN

Not too long ago, news about the Ministry of Agriculture’s proposed ‘RUGA Settlements’ broke, evoking outrage sparked by tribal and religious sentiments that fueled misconceptions, debates and misunderstanding of what the program was set to achieve.

The nomenclature seemed to be part of the problem: Ruga is a Hausa word that means “a Fulani settlement”. With a raging sentiment founded on ignorance and ethnic division, an internal form of xenophobia, against the Fulani ethnic group, more or less because President Buhari is one, the term Ruga it seemed would not fly in many parts of the country. Yet the concept, though inchoate, if well thought-out, planned and deployed was aimed at placating clashes between herders and farmers. Herders and their cattle are accused – and most times rightly so - of illegal grazing activities on farmers’ farmlands. This has been scientifically blamed on environmental and demographic forces, especially desertification caused by climate change and population explosion. The proliferation of small and light weapons in the intense competition for land and resources have further aided criminals and marginalized groups to capitalize on the conflicts; thus there has been the consequent rise in cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed robbery, insurgency, rural banditry and ethnic militia. Given that host communities (including farmers) have access to sophisticated weapons, minor disagreements or provocation often degenerate into violent clashes causing widespread destruction of property and human casualties.

According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI, 2018), nearly 1,700 violent deaths have been attributed to clashes between herdsmen and farmers between January and September 2018, six times more people than those killed by the terrorist group Boko Haram in that same year.

Land scarcity, the over use of resources, and climate change have dried up fertile land in many parts of Northern Nigeria which the Fulani have historically used for grazing, driving many of these pastoralists into other states inhabited by farmers; crop yields of Nigeria's middle belt and southern-based farmers are threatened due to the increased presence of cattle roaming on farmlands. The Fulani herders are mostly ascribed the Muslim identity, while the farmers are predominantly ascribed the Christian identity, seamlessly adding a religious dimension to the conflict over resources. These farmers, especially those in the southern parts of the country perceive the influx of “Muslim” herders as an Islamization drive. Hate speech has also become an accelerator of violent conflicts alongside the phenomenon of fake news worsening its negative impact. As such, the insecurity and unavailability of land in both Nigeria's northern and southern states has the long-term potential to disrupt the country’s agricultural and livestock economy.

But it has always been a looming crisis. Back in 1965, the Northern Region Government created a ‘Grazing Reserve System’ with over 417 grazing areas across the north. Under this structure, the government provided space, water and vaccinations for the livestock while the herdsmen paid taxes in return. However, the discovery of oil and subsequent exploration made Nigeria an oil rich economy, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s spawning an abandonment of the project. As a fallback, herdsmen began to resort back to their traditional and seasonal grazing routes which had been interrupted by industrialization, urbanization and other natural factors marking the beginning of a decades-long conflict between farmers and host communities. Till date, these clashes have been on the increase and now constitute one of the major threats to Nigeria’s national security.

As part of measures to end the persistent friction that has claimed lives and properties, states like Benue and Taraba began enacting legislations prohibiting open grazing within their borders. This, they hoped would reduce the risk of herdsmen destruction of farm lands and the associated attacks causing displacement and loss of many lives. But little or no progress has been made; while the clashes seem to rear its head every now and then.

The contest has thus created 2 key gaps in Nigeria’s agricultural practice - first, an inability to meet domestic food requirements and second, an inability to export at quality levels required for market success. One of the Federal Government’s approaches to curb this dilemma and protect lives as well as the nation’s food security is the development of the National Livestock Transformation Plan, which many still confuse as RUGA. [ Recall that the Ruga Model Settlement was suspended by the President, as it was said not to have been in accordance with the already approved plan by the National Economic Council, the National Food Security Council and the Federal Executive Council’s National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP). It was also a unilateral implementation by the Ministry of Agriculture.]

The NLTP commissioned by the National Economic Council which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo chairs is a blueprint that will support and strengthen the development of market-driven ranches in the livestock ecosystem for improved productivity through breed improvement, pasture production, efficient land and water capacity enhancements. The scheme seeks to provide a similarly conducive habitation for nomadic herders and those who rear livestock using a private public partnership model for its set up. It is designed to create a basis for leading agribusiness companies to emerge along the lines of Brazil’s JBS, The USA’s Perdue or the Sino - American Smithfield. Most importantly, the scheme will, to a great extent, stop the spread of violence and insurgency in the affected regions, by simply keeping herders away from the farms of farmers. It potentially would aid significant boost in Nigeria’s agricultural productivity, a sector that currently employs about 38% of the total working population and accounts for a large share of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is killing two birds with a stone; restore peace in the region and create more wealth for the those in the line of farming and livestock business.

Contrary to speculations, NLTP benefits all involved, from the farmers to those in animal husbandry and not just cattle herders; with no intent of enforcing the project on any states, as states are not just at liberty to adopt, they are expected to develop their own home grown plans for implementation. The FG’s Plan is to settle them in an organized place with basic amenities like schools, hospitals and veterinary clinics, thereby adding value to meat, diary and other animal products. The project is voluntary for all 36 States, with options of presenting their unique delivery mechanisms according to their respective challenges. To be clear, while a number of states in the conflict zones will receive high levels of attention, the purpose of NLTP is to catalyze a transformation in livestock production systems across Nigeria in a defined and effective manner. However, the process will continue to require an expansion of the role of private capital and investors, accelerating the rate of formation of small and medium sized enterprises and improvements in overall condition of doing agribusiness.

Recent estimates puts Nigeria’s livestock population at 19.8 Million cattle, 43.4 Million sheep, 76 Million goats and 213 Million poultry, all under traditional pastoral management - the reason our productivity is amongst the lowest globally. Thus the need for commercial ranching models for a country with 250 million people by 2030. Nearly 60 percent of the ruminant livestock population is found in the country’s semi-arid zone and mostly managed by pastoralists. Domestic production of livestock products is far below the national demand, resulting in large imports of livestock and its products. The annual expenditure on food exportation amounts to USD 3-5 Billion annually putting pressure on the National foreign exchange with milk importation alone amounting to USD 1.3 Billion per annum. Except for eggs, the domestic production of animal products is less than half the demand for beef mutton and goat meat, while for milk and pork products it is less than quarter the demand.

The livestock industry development is constrained by low productive breeds, inadequate access to feeds and grazing lands, lack of processing facilities, low value addition and technical inputs in the management of the animals, diseases and conflicts.

The NLTP’s agenda is to to create new opportunities for farmers and provide more affordable and healthier diets for future generations. Managing this growth also requires a complex institutional response that can stimulate income and employment opportunities in the rural areas, protect the livelihoods of small farmers, improve resource-use efficiency at all levels of the value chain, minimize negative environmental and health consequences, and ensure adequate access by the poorer sections of society to the food they need to live healthy lives.

NLTP plays an integral role in revolutionizing how livestock farming is practiced and its effect on the nation’s economy, social well-being of its citizens and huge export capacity. Its implementation strategy identifies five main pillars as priority areas: Conflict Resolution, Justice and Peace, Humanitarian relief, Human Capital Development and issues on Gender, Youth, Research Information and Strategic Communication.

As the decades old conflicts between farmers and pastoralists surface and resurface every now and then, a sustainable solution must be designed, one that equally looks at the big picture that caters for the economic opportunities that come with pastoralism and husbandry, while also developing the needed human capital for the long term. This is what the National Livestock Transformation Plan ultimately seeks.

The needless sentiments that followed the RUGA scheme must be put aside as the Federal Government looks into the implementation of this programme alongside willing states. Ethnic, tribal and bigotry-defined points of view must be set aside to accommodate the NLTP’s long-term solution. Needed stakeholder consultations have been made through the National Economic Council, with input from traditional rulers and relevant stakeholders of cattle breeders and farmers associations. It is expected that Governors and these stakeholders carry the message of peace, reconciliation and development that the NLTP brings to their states and their local communities to ensure there is understanding and buy-in of it before acceptance. This is where Ruga failed. Nigeria needs the NLTP as much as it seeks peace, stability and development.

Richard Ogundiya is a journalist and researcher, and writes from Lagos.

LET THE COURT DECIDE EL ZAKZAKY’S FATE



The Presidency appeals to El-Zakzaky-led Shiite members to desist from needless violent street protests and await the decision of the court in Kaduna where their leader is currently being tried.

The issue of El-ZakZaky is before the court in Kaduna and his supporters should focus on his on-going trial instead of causing daily damages, disruptions and public nuisance in Abuja.

It is wrong to be in court and resort to violence at the same time in order to get justice for anybody accused.

The destruction of public property in the name of protest is not within the right of this group of Shiite members and no government anywhere would have tolerated a situation where any group would take over public roads in cities as they have done in Abuja and interfere with the rights of other citizens who are prevented from reaching their destinations.

We imagine a situation where families are taking their loved ones to hospital for emergency treatment and they are held up needlessly by the protesters. No government anywhere in the world would turn a blind eye to this unlawful behavior.

As far as this country’s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case involving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain. The Federal Government no more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at the centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court orders as being trumpeted everyday.

These rallies and street dances ostensibly to openly insult the President and other leaders, threatening bloodshed will lead nowhere because President Buhari will not ask the country’s judiciary to abandon due process and set a suspect free. At the same time, the administration is determined to enforce the decision of the court clearly issued. The Buhari administration has absolutely no hand in the on-going court case and the courts are free to determine the bail request and the final outcome.

The mentality that you are above the law and that your own rights are superior to other people's rights is unacceptable.

You can't be provoking other citizens by interfering with their own rights on public roads and disrupting their businesses and call it democratic freedom. In democratic traditions, their rights end where the rights of others begin.

Law abiding citizens must avoid deliberate lawlessness. It is not within the rights of any group to enter protected public institutions such as the National Assembly by force to attack police and destroy public and private property.

It is always advisable to embrace dialogue and eschew violence in all our actions so that we can continue to live together in peace.

We therefore appeal to the Shiite group to stop deliberate provocations that result in violence and fatalities and allow the trial of El-ZakZaky to take its course.



Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media and Publicity)

July 9, 2019

LET THE COURT DECIDE EL ZAKZAKY’S FATE



The Presidency appeals to El-Zakzaky-led Shiite members to desist from needless violent street protests and await the decision of the court in Kaduna where their leader is currently being tried.

The issue of El-ZakZaky is before the court in Kaduna and his supporters should focus on his on-going trial instead of causing daily damages, disruptions and public nuisance in Abuja.

It is wrong to be in court and resort to violence at the same time in order to get justice for anybody accused.

The destruction of public property in the name of protest is not within the right of this group of Shiite members and no government anywhere would have tolerated a situation where any group would take over public roads in cities as they have done in Abuja and interfere with the rights of other citizens who are prevented from reaching their destinations.

We imagine a situation where families are taking their loved ones to hospital for emergency treatment and they are held up needlessly by the protesters. No government anywhere in the world would turn a blind eye to this unlawful behavior.

As far as this country’s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case involving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain. The Federal Government no more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at the centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court orders as being trumpeted everyday.

These rallies and street dances ostensibly to openly insult the President and other leaders, threatening bloodshed will lead nowhere because President Buhari will not ask the country’s judiciary to abandon due process and set a suspect free. At the same time, the administration is determined to enforce the decision of the court clearly issued. The Buhari administration has absolutely no hand in the on-going court case and the courts are free to determine the bail request and the final outcome.

The mentality that you are above the law and that your own rights are superior to other people's rights is unacceptable.

You can't be provoking other citizens by interfering with their own rights on public roads and disrupting their businesses and call it democratic freedom. In democratic traditions, their rights end where the rights of others begin.

Law abiding citizens must avoid deliberate lawlessness. It is not within the rights of any group to enter protected public institutions such as the National Assembly by force to attack police and destroy public and private property.

It is always advisable to embrace dialogue and eschew violence in all our actions so that we can continue to live together in peace.

We therefore appeal to the Shiite group to stop deliberate provocations that result in violence and fatalities and allow the trial of El-ZakZaky to take its course.



Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media and Publicity)

July 9, 2019

NIGERIA WILL BE PEACEFUL AS FG, STATES TACKLING SECURITY CHALLENGES - OSINBAJO
*VP pays condolence visits to Pa Fasoranti & Mr. Olakunrin in Ondo


The Federal Government is making concerted efforts to tackle the country's security challenges to ensure protection of lives and property, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, said today in Ondo during a condolence visit to Pa Reuben Fasoranti, whose daughter, Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, was killed by gunmen a few days ago in the State.


Condemning the killing, Prof. Osinbajo prayed for God to comfort the family, noting that Government and security agencies will ensure the killers are brought to book.


The Vice President who was accosted by journalists after condoling with the Fasoranti and Olakunrin families in Ondo stated that "this is a massive tragedy as you can imagine, and we have seen it precipitated here and there, kidnappings and death. By and large, we are looking at the whole security architecture and trying to upscale the security architecture, to ensure that we are able to protect the lives and property of Nigerians."


"We can be hopeful that we will see peace and calm as some of the steps we are taking come into fruition. As you all know, I have met with the Governors in the Southwest and Governors in the different zones, everybody is coming together to look at what to do to ensure that security is adequate and that everyone feels safe and secure."


Speaking further, the Vice President emphasized the importance of community policing to prevent the occurrence of such dastardly crimes.


He said, "As you know, the President, very recently, met with the Service Chiefs, and also with the Inspector General of Police, and they have laid out a new policy on Community Policing. One of the most important things in these sorts of crimes, because they are largely economic crimes, is that people are trying to make money by kidnappings.


"One of the most important things is gathering intelligence and that is why we have Community Policing; where policemen will be trained in their own local governments and remain there. This is as close as we can get to the Community Policing structure that we expect to have.


"The other thing is that we are also engaging the Army, so there will be a bit more military presence, especially along the roads and as you’ve heard, the Inspector General of Police has committed to full coverage with even helicopters, first in the search for the killers, and also to ensure adequate presence to deter this kind of terrible situation from recurring."


While noting the challenges of security in a hugely populated and dynamic country like Nigeria, the Vice President said the government will continue to take dynamic measures to tackle the challenges to secure lives and property.


Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity

Office of the Vice President

14th July, 2019

*Punch Newspaper continues the Dubai strategy with baseless story on VP'S former law firm– Group*



*Calculated plot to distract, maliciously attack Osinbajo 



A political group in Nigeria has accused Punch Newspaper of allowing itself to be used by the Peoples Democratic Party to propagate its Dubai strategy aimed at tarnishing the image and goodwill of persons in government, especially the President and the Vice President.



The Initiative to Save Democracy, ISD, in a press statement on Saturday said the latest report by the newspaper:  OSINBAJO'S FIRM LINKED TO COMPANY FINGERED IN ALLEGED N100B ALPHA BETA SCAM, was a pointer to the fact that it was working to spread fake news and be mischievous.



Sunday James Akinloye, President of the group, said even though Punch Newspaper failed to establish any clear cut relationship between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's former law firm and Ocean Trust Limited, it still went on to publish the report.



“To think that three reporters and perhaps two editors sat down to deviously concoct a fake news against the Vice President is rather frightening. Prof. Osinbajo has nothing to do with this old and stale matter, yet the paper used his name as the headline, trying so hard and desperatly to link him to it.



“Is Punch saying that if the VP has stakes in First Bank, MTN or any other company he is responsible for the actions and inactions of such organizations? This is the worst kind of reporting particularly from Punch, a newspaper that is fully implementing PDP’s Dubai strategy. Nigerians and all people of goodwill are hereby reminded of the evil intentions behind the whole charade against the VP.



“Let me state categorically that Simmon Coopers is not Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s firm as alleged by Punch Newspaper. Even the skewed report stated that Simmons Coopers was listed as a company in which Prof Yemi Osinbajo (now Vice-President) ‘had’ a stake in his asset declaration form in 2015. The VP could not have continued with the firm and he resigned before he became VP. This is public knowledge."



Mr. Akinloye then went on to explain that not only does VP Osinbajo have nothing to do with the law firm or its transactions; Simmon Coopers again has said it is not the Company Secretary. This is also in the public space.



“Our checks with Corporate Affairs Commission officials show that Simmon Coopers were never appointed Company Secretary instead there was a resolution to appoint Simmon Coopers but they were never appointed.



“Punch was handed fake documents which they published on their website. Anyone can go to CAC to verify the documents, they are completely fake claims. A paper submitted by a company to  CAC of its plans or intentions is not the same thing as a CAC document.  It is intriguing that Punch editors and reporters could not understand or comprehend this basic things."



He pointed out that the inaccurate report by Punch tried to link the VP to a case he knows about. “This is what Punch Newspaper has become and it is no surprise that two of its editors were recently sacked for this poor sense of judgment and professionalism. We hope these reporters are served same treatment,” he said.



“Students of history, will be perplexed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in July 2018 had investigated this matter, 7and the Vice President was not associated with the case in anyway.



He said the reporters who wrote the story, they have a track record of reporting falsehood especially against the VP, a part of the Dubai strategy.



“Nigerians still remember the fake news by Eniola Akinkuotu, one of the many lies on VP like “Osinbajo puts TraderMoni tour on hold” or Tobi Aworinde’s “Buhari return and sidelines Osinbajo” or “Tinubu, Ambode alleged feud puts godfatherism in the spotlight” where they all sought to malign the person of VP Osinbajo.




“This is unacceptable to attempt to link a man to an issue he has no business with and this is the way that Punch newspaper has been conducting itself for many years.



“Prof. Osinbajo is a man of integrity, he is a honest man who has served Nigeria in every way possible, the least he deserves is this kind of fake reportage. Nigerians must be weary of reports like this."



This story is a clear malicious attempt to impugn the stellar credentials of perhaps Nigeria's most influential & hardworking Nigerian VP, ISD noted, adding that such will not fail."

Idris Abdulkareem’s Protest Against Adeboye, Misguided And Offensive - ISD

The recently held protest by a group led by the musician Idris Abdulkareem against the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God has been described as misguided with ulterior motives, with a lack of understanding and offensive to the institution of the Church by the Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD).

The socio-political and democratic group, led by Akinloye James, its President issued a statement stating that the protest had certain politicians behind it, and had found a pawn in Idris Abdulkareem to carry out such distasteful move against the Church.

The group went further to describe the protests as a waste of time, as the protesters had little or no understanding of the issues they were raising, most of which bordered on what it described as “The delusion of Islamization.”

“Over time Nigerians have been bamboozled by an idiotic delusion that the country is being shepherded into islamization. Nothing could be more idiotic. Forgive the hard words, but it is expedient. Anyone who cries out that there is an Islamization agenda has zero understanding of Nigeria’s laws. And cannot comprehend what it means to Islamize a country where the population is divided equally between Christians and Muslims.”

“There can be no Islamization of Nigeria. It is impossible. The leadership of the country is already shared between a Muslim President and a Christian Vice President. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who I know personally is a Christian and the leader of the men’s fellowship in his Church in Wuye, Abuja.”

“We have a legislature that is abundantly filled and divided with members of both faith, so how is it possible that a law for Nigeria’s Islamization would pass through? In fact who would sponsor it?”

The group also stated that the claim that the Church had been silent on the issue of the abduction of Leah Sharibu was absolute falsehood.

It noted that Churches, both individually and collectively were constantly praying for Leah Sharibu.

“Asides the fact that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has been a leading voice for the release of Leah Sharibu, he is in full knowledge of the facts that would lead to her release and is making the needed interventions for its hasty but diligent execution as the number two man in government. In unison, the Church is also praying. Daddy Adeboye is praying. Daddy Oyedepo is praying. Daddy Adeferasin is praying. Among many others. Both in the face of the public on their pulpits, and also in their closets. They don’t have to tell you.”

“But we don’t expect a man who has no known morality, and who doesn’t understand Christianity to know these facts. A man who has been sponsored by demonic elements would not know these things.”

“Idris and his group of dense protesters would not also know that over 12,000 women and children have been released from captivity from Boko Haram - both Christians and Muslims. He also seems to be unaware that the Ruga policy has been suspended.”

The group accused Idris Abdulkareem of being used to push an agenda of fear and evil.

It went further to blast Idris Abdulkareem for having a comatose career that he was seeking to refresh by turning himself into a protester-for-hire.

“Idris Abdulkareem has presented himself as fodder to be used to desecrate the house of God. That a man who has no career, who has no moral standing, is being used to pitch the house of God against men of God is unfortunate and offensive.”

“We as a socio-political group would not condone, nor accept such insulting moves. We call on those behind this to leave the house of God out of their dirty and crude politics that disrespects the divine.”

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE
NIGERIA’S GROWTH LIES MORE IN THE PEOPLE, THAN OIL & GAS, SAYS VP OSINBAJO
*FG, States collaborating to get over 10m out-of-school into classrooms

*About N200B UBEC funds available this year

* How Buhari administration is driving State, LG governments to take basic education more seriously

“…we have with the collaboration of State governments, undertaken an ambitious programme to get the over 10 million out-of-school children into schools. This will be helped by the President’s June 20 declaration. It is a complex process requiring the full cooperation of State governments and religious authorities as well as the resources to build schools, equip them properly and train the required number of teachers. Our school feeding programme is already leading to improved enrollment and the N-Power programme can be a source of the initial requirement for teachers. We found that it is not so difficult to train. The N-Power teachers have a tablet like this, they have training materials on it.”

“…it comes to reason that with its huge population, Nigeria’s growth potential lies more in its people than in oil and gas. The examples of India, China and Indonesia, also show the growth possibilities if we get human capital right. So really at the root of the problems of development that we have, is human capital.”

FULL TEXT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH AT THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF REUNION SYMPOSIUM OF UNIVERSITY OF IFE’S ECONOMICS CLASS OF 1979, HELD AT MUSON CENTRE, LAGOS ON THE 5TH OF JULY, 2019.

PROTOCOL

I have been asked to speak on Human Capital Development, I will be focusing as you will see in my presentation, on basic education which I think in some sense, is fundamental to what could be seen at the other level of education.

I am very honoured to have been invited to share this special occasion of the 40th anniversary of your graduation from the University of Ife and now Obafemi Awolowo University, with you. 40 years since graduation, well you guys are old! But I speak to myself as well, this year marks my 40th year post call as a lawyer. I graduated at the University of Lagos just a year earlier than you but I was in Law school in 1979.

I was in Youth Corps with colleagues such as Ambassador Dipeolu, who is Economic Adviser to the President. But I am especially pleased to have this opportunity to share thoughts with a room full of my successful peers, professionals; men and women of commerce who studied economics formally and went on to achieve great heights in various professions.

No one needs to restate how important the economist is; it is as I am sure you will agree, second only to the legal profession (GENERAL LAUGHTER).

But quite seriously, it is the stock of economists that form the pool of talent from which our accountants, bankers, financial experts are mostly drawn. They play an equally important role in framing the discourse on national economic policy, teaching the next generation of economists and in drawing up national development plans and strategies.

I have found, as chair of the National Economic Council and our Economic Management Team, that economists are invaluable. Of course, not only do I have a very strong team of economists to support the work that I do but also, I find that economists are possibly some of the most realistic that we find in our midst most of the time. The reason is that they are usually wrong and initially its discovered that these things are never precise. So, they become humbler, I believe in their approach to life generally. But they provide a most important resource which is, at least, a scientific way in looking at some of the issues and you cannot do without economists when you are thinking of the economy, anyway or thinking of national planning generally.

I was to speak on the broader subject of our plans for Human Capital Development (HCD) in Nigeria. That is a huge topic and I doubt we would achieve much beyond barely scratching the surface. So, I thought this morning might be more usefully spent, focusing on one aspect of HCD so that we can hopefully drill deeper. (Perhaps, we will be able to interact a bit more during the question and answer interactive session) That aspect is education, especially the interface between our national growth objectives and the educational system. And I want to concentrate on basic education; meaning education in the first nine years of a child’s life.

The conventional wisdom is that growth depends on productivity which itself results from getting right the appropriate mix of labour, capital and technology which is human capital. Taking this perspective, it comes to reason that with its huge population, Nigeria’s growth potential lies more in its people than in oil and gas. The examples of India, China and Indonesia, also show the growth possibilities if we get human capital right. So really at the root of the problems of development that we have, is human capital. What is the quality of those that do productive business?

What are the qualities of those who we rely on for economic growth? But what is more compelling is the prospect of being by 2050, (as we are told repeatedly) the world’s third largest country by population without a sound plan for the education of 70% of the population, which is the young people. No, if you don't have a sound plan for the education of 70% of the almost 400 million people that we expect, (as we will be the third largest by population of the world,) then that will be a tragedy indeed.

This is why in addition to the Federal Government’s visible efforts in the real sector, as well as in hard and soft infrastructure, our focus in the next four years would be to lay and implement a relevant and dynamic educational plan for Nigeria. When I say relevant, I mean a plan capable of providing jobs and entrepreneurial skills for an increasingly globally competitive job market. But the challenge we must immediately acknowledge is that the Federal Government’s role in the first nine years of a child’s life is slight. It is primarily the constitutional role of States and local governments. But we (Federal Government) consider the matter of basic education a matter of national emergency, consequently it is the role of the Federal Government to guide, to inspire, to coordinate, co-fund and also co-implement the basic education strategy.

Improved educational outcomes are crucial to our overall strategy to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality and remain in the path of sustainable growth. Everybody talks about poverty. People say oh, Nigeria is now poorer in terms of relative numbers more than India which used to have that large number than ourselves. But the question, of course, is that poverty does not happen overnight, poverty doesn't appear in a year or two years.

In 2012, when the last household study on poverty was done, we were earning the highest in our oil earnings and poverty figures at the time stood at 112 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty. But because we did not take a holistic approach to dealing with the question of poverty, beginning with education and the other indices of human capital development. Of course, the situation worsened and it did not improve. And that is exactly what we get if there is no deliberate plan for improving human capital development.

While the arguments will rage as to just how crucial education is to end extreme poverty, there is no question that illiteracy or lack of access to quality education is very closely associated with poverty.

The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report and the Education Commission’s Learning Generation Report provide important evidence on the impact of education on an individual’s earnings and economic growth.

The Education Commission which some of us are familiar with is the commission that was established to look at the issue of global poverty and education at the same time.


Teacher experience will be complemented with teaching aids, instructional materials and greater use of technology. Already in N-Power, some 200,000 graduates in the N-Teach programme have tablet devices with instructional materials which they use to structure their lesson plans and teaching. Learning assessments and performance management processes will also be deployed.

Friends, ladies and gentlemen, you and I belong to an idealistic generation. We had and still have great hopes for our nation. We probably have one of the lowest numbers of those who chose to live abroad. Being successful here in Nigeria meant and still means the world to us.

We are forever discussing Nigeria; our chat groups are on fire on every issue. Our nation’s journey may sometimes appear disappointing at various points; indeed, the task of nation-building may sometimes appear recursive, one step forward two backwards. But all you need are a few determined men and women who keep focused until they leave the earth.

The challenge today, especially in human capital development calls for help in thinking and action from all of us. And we are never too old to participate actively in public service; Buhari is 76, Trump is 73, Biden is 76; Nancy Pelosi 79, Bernie Sanders 77, Mahatir Mohammad of Malaysia is 94 years, Michael Pence is 60. How old are you anyway?


Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
6th July 2019

Copyright © 2019, Office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, All rights reserved.

A COMMUNIQUE OF A MEETING BY THE NEC COMMITTEE ON FARMERS/HERDERS CRISIS ON 3RD JULY, 2019 AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA, ABUJA.

1. The NEC Committee on the Farmers/Herders Crisis under the chairmanship of Mr. Vice President, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo met today, 3rd July, 2019.

2. Members that were present were Mr. Vice President who presided over the meeting, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State who is the Chairman of the NEC-Sub Technical Committee on Farmers/Herders crisis, Governor of Kebi State who is the Vice Chairman of Food Security Council, Governor of Plateau State, Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President; office of the Vice President, Permanent Secretary; Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Andrew Kwasali-Secretary of the NEC-Sub Technical Committee on Farmers/Herders Crisis and Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

3. Members deliberated on the NEC and Federal Government approved programme of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).

4. Members are aware that Mr. President has suspended the implementation of RUGA programme initiated and implemented alone by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources because it is not consistent with the NEC and FGN approved NLTP which has programmes of rehabilitation of displaced IDPs within crisis States and development of Ranching in any willing State of the federation.

5. The beauty of NLTP is that what NEC and FGN approved is only voluntary to all the 36 States who may like to participate.

6. That any state that is interested in NLTP is required to bring development plan in line with NLTP for implementation in his State which will be unique to the State based on the challenges of the State.