₦airaland Forum

Sponsors of Zamfara Killings Will Be Exposed – Bishop Fomson

Foremost clergyman, Bishop Musa Fomson has prophesied that the politicians behind Zamfara killings will be exposed in a matter of weeks.
In his message released ahead of the New Year, Bishop Fomson, warned that the only thing that will save the people behind Zamfara killings from disgrace is if they repent of their dark ways to embrace light and confess their sins against Nigeria.

Fomson, who predicted former President Goodluck Jonathan’s loss in 2014 when he was widely believed to be on the way to being re-elected, lamented that “the blood of the murdered innocent is crying to God for vengeance”.

In the message, the Bishop revealed that “those who sow human blood in the hope of reaping political powers will be exposed and disgraced before we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, whose birth we celebrate this season.

He said “Embittered politicians are the one behind these killings. They empower killers. They sow sorrow. But it is a business that they have just a few days to repent of lest the disgrace that they have been piling up will be heaped on their head.

“Their ways are unclean in the manner of the abomination of the idol worshipping rulers that led Israel to sin in the Books of Chronicles and Kings. They walk in dark paths and shall perish if they refuse to embrace light, confess the sins they have committed against Nigeria by being behind the killer bandits.

“They support bandits to kill law-abiding Nigerians and their ways have been measured, weighed and found wanting before God, which leaves repentance as the only viable option before them. They may thwart the laws of men but the blood of the innocent cry to God daily. There shall be recompense and they shall answer for their actions,” he prophesised.

He also revealed that “desperate measures will not avail much for the political class as only those that the people find truly appealing would win the positions they are contesting for.”

The Bishop urged people to be confident in God and appreciate what is happening to the country while charging that “remember what happened to the Israelites when being led to the Promised Land by Moses; they grumbled and wished to return to Egypt, which is unacceptable to God. We must never express the desire to return to the evil days that God has been kind enough to lead us away from.”

Understanding Why Boko Haram Urgently Needs A Territory

By Karen Goulding

Notorious terrorist group, Boko Haram (Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād) has ramped up its suicidal attacks. Suicidal in this context should not be missed up with suicide bombing in which person borne improvised explosive devices are detonated, killing the bearer and anyone unfortunate enough to be caught up within range of the explosion.

Suicidal is in reference to the attacks staged against military facilities and convoys, which until recently was successful for the terrorists until the Nigerian Army made it into a costly venture for any of the insurgents on Boko Haram’s posse to their chosen locations or targets. They get killed in droves.

This has not deterred Boko Haram as it continued these brainless attacks. The end game on the part of the terrorists has been confirmed as the desire to again have geographical areas under their black flag. If they succeed in doing this they would have achieved the same level of nuisance and threats that they were to the country pre-May 29 2015 when they announced a caliphate in parts of the north-east; if they succeed in doing this, their political sponsors would be able to claim that the present administration has not achieved anything in the four years it has been in the saddle.

A second consideration along this point is that Boko Haram, at least the faction branded the Islamic State in West Africa or Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), would be able to show itself as a worthy affiliate of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS/IS). The main Islamic State has been the recipient of a harsh medication dispensed by Russia and its allies, delivered in sufficient dose for the United States to be pulling out of Syria with President Donald Trump declaring that the group has been defeated.

With the US out of the picture Russia may dispense with any form of finesse, which could potentially imply a scorch earth policy for ISIS. Boko Haram could thus be eager to carry out attacks until it lays claim to a geographical area it can use to harbour the fleeing murderers from Syria and Iraq. Hopefully, the coalition led by Russia will see to it that ISIS commanders do not make it out alive from the enclaves in which they are presently holed up, hiding from the sustained attacks that has ensured their poison does not spread beyond its current reach.

On the domestic front, Boko Haram carries out these attacks because the terrorists are broke. They lack funds and it makes sense to deploy what is left of their strength and resources to stage attacks that can convince their financiers that they are still worth backing. In the past, attacks on the scales they have been able to pull off would have led to some phony negotiations that put money in their pockets but it is apparent that the government they are currently dealing with would not play ball as expected. The natural response to the government’s refusing to bend has been to scale up the attacks.

Escalating attacks is as well a kind of signal to the international terror brand, ISIS, to which Boko Haram is affiliated. ISIS no longer sees its Nigerian franchise as useful nor is it appreciated as a potent force to reckon with. The group that once attracted the label of the most bloodthirsty terror group in the world is now desperate to the point of emphasizing the ISWAP tag merely for its propaganda value. The chronic rant about a religious Jihad has since lost its value after the group was decimated, sent out of Sambisa Forest and now compelled to conduct cross border attacks.

The resort to ambushes and kidnapping of women to get stipends is also not flying on the scale it once did. The best ransom comes from French nationals, whose government somehow finds the means to pay millions of dollars in ransom. But even the French have learnt to avoid the harrowing experiences of being dehumanized by the terrorists before they regain their freedom. The market for kidnap-for-ransom has thinned out.

Even the strategy of focusing on military targets to win public sympathy has been jettisoned. It has returned to attacking soft target, on which attacks are becoming the order of the day. The return to attacking food supply, markets and farming communities might have driven terror into the hearts of the people that are proximate to areas where the terrorists operate, it has also sown a hatred for Boko Haram in their hearts. Now they know that the government forces are a better option above the terrorists any day.
Finally, elections are around the corner so those that want to prevent or postpone the polls appear to again be exploiting Boko Haram’s attacks as justification to distort the political landscape. The attacks from Boko Haram should have threatened the polls same way it happened in 2014 but each successive attack has only proven that there is not much that the terrorists can do to stop the exercise in any part of the country. If the attacks have not had the desired results then the politicians that would have financed more of them to disrupt the polls no longer see sense in throwing money away for terrorists that cannot do worse than the level they have been reduced to.

Boko Haram has been suffocated for too long as a result of sustained military action against them. The escalation of attacks by the group should be treated with the diverse perspectives to its dire financial needs in view. Beyond the unleashing of military might against the terrorists, there should be further efforts to starve the terrorists of funds, food and weapons. In addition, the earth should be swept from under their feet to ensure that they have to claim to a squared metre of territory over which to hoist flags less declaring a territory.

Authorities must also meet the terrorists on any other front to which they take the battle. As their attacks intensified, their media and online assets also activated, which makes it important that the government is prepared to counter the escalation they are coming with. The most critical part of course is not to allow these killers the breathing space to re-strategize.

Goulding, a counter-terrorism expert wrote this piece from the United Kingdom.

Banditry and Killings: Why is Zamfara different?

By Idoko Ainoko

Zamfara State is in the news again. So much so that I am tempted to ask if the state is jinxed with misfortunes. I am quite appalled with the security situation in the state. I am also somewhat at a loss as to why the killings in the state have refused to abate despite the numerous intervention of our security agencies. As a start, I have been one of those that have stated that the killings in Zamfara are a function of two variables. One bothers on failure in governance, and the other on a covert power struggle between two supposedly political heavyweights, Governor Abdul-Aziz Yari and Mansur Dan-Ali, the Minister of Defence.

Political egos have turned the state into a killing field. On the part of the governor, his abysmal performance has further entrenched a regime of agitations that has manifested in the senseless killing and maiming of innocent civilians. And as the level of poverty intensifies, frustrated youths are everywhere taking to antisocial behaviour by way of political thuggery, drug addiction, armed robbery, and the likes. The rural folks are also not left behind. They have even resorted to banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, produce theft, ransacking of villages, and genocidal killings. All just to make ends meet.

According to Data from the NBS National Corruption Survey for 2017 published in August 2017, it reflected that Crime and Insecurity was the most critical issue affecting Nigeria with 38.3% recorded by Zamfara State. Isn't this mind-boggling with regards to the fact that the defence minister is from the state and, as well as a democratically elected governor and chief security officer of the state as stipulated by law.

And yet, there is supposedly a governor who spends the bulk of his time in Abuja, roaming between countries and buying up properties like the world is coming to an end, while his state is up in flames. And guess what? As comical as he is, he would come up with a flimsy on how he has resigned as the chief security officer of the state from his abode in Abuja. Wonders shall indeed never end.

According to an inside source within the security agencies, it described the governor as a monumental failure and one that does not listen to advise but instead prefers to see things from the prism of his selfish interest. As a fact, the governor was once quoted as stating that he cannot spend a full week in Zamfara state because of the level of underdevelopment. To say I was astonished by this is more of an understatement because here was a man that was not under any form of coercion when he aspired to govern the state. And the last time I checked, the state capital is in Gusau and not Abuja.

That Zamfara is still reeling in underdevelopment is not surprising, and that the killings have refused to abate is also a manifestation of how meaningful governance has eluded the people thereby leading to increased crime rate and insecurity. Some school of thoughts would argue that poverty exists because of the inadequacy of government and the system we live in. And I would agree, and if we must tell ourselves the truth, people like Abdul-Aziz Yari should bury their heads in shame because they have failed woefully. Imagine a situation where killings are ongoing in the state and the governor is busy travelling from pillar to post or addressing press conferences in Abuja.

The minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali is also culpable in the Zamfara trajectory in my opinion. As a start, it is most despicable that the home state of the defence minister has been bedevilled with security challenges. I am also at a loss as to what qualified him to be so appointed as the minister of defence as colourless as he is. I mean, his foray in the military does not speak of any tangible contribution, both intellectually or otherwise. The closest he got to it was when he was appointed an acting director, military training. And that is the man that was so selected as defence minister. I wonder what we expect from such, hence why his home state has been on fire, and he seems confused.

The appalling angle to the whole story is that the Defence Minister has refused to come to terms with modern strategies in warfare, so much so that despite the intervention of the armed forces, there seems to be no headway in Zamfara because of what the duo of the defence minister and the state governor are doing. Some say they are in a superiority contest. Some say they are struggling for control of security budget. So also say both parties have been covertly fuelling the crisis so as they undermine themselves. In all of these, I think there is more to the drama in Zamfara state. The power struggle, the money, the control of political structures and resources, the quest for relevance and many others have made the Zamfara case different.

This is also despite the military operations like Operation Sharan Daji and Operation Whirl stroke II and others. Interestingly, one would have expected that since the defence minister is from Zamfara, he ought to have extended all the necessary support to the Armed Forces in securing lives and properties. But from what I have gathered, it appears the military has not enjoyed that support from the defence minister especially when it comes to military interventions in the state for reasons best known to him. Maybe he prefers the statuesque so he can further advance his political battles. While it is okay to fight political battles, but not at the detriment of the lives of innocent people, the killings in Zamfara must stop. And those in positions of authority that have in one way or the other through their actions and inactions contributed to the degradation of human lives in Zamfara state should bury their heads in shame.

Ainoko wrote this piece from Kaduna.

Defense Minister Speaks On Zamfara, Kaduna Killings

...Reveals Plan To Tackle Insecurity

The Ministry of Defense has reacted to the recent attack on Zamfara and Kaduna States, which led to lost of many lives and properties.

The ministry, under the leadership of Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, while commiserating with the government and people of Zamfara and Kaduna States, described the incidents as very sad and unfortunate.

The Minister, while praying Almighty Allah to grant the lives lost an eternal rest and also give their families the fortitude to bear the unfortunate lost, noted that Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Nigeria have remained committed and resolute in tackling current security challenges across the country.

Colonel Tukur Gusau, Public Relations Officer to the Hon Minister of Defence, in a statement issued on Friday, said the military ad been committed in ensuring safety of lives and properties as well as protecting the nation from both external and internal aggression.

The statement read, “It is pertinent to state that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is currently engaged in various Internal Security operations across the country and has made concerted efforts in tackling the incessant killings by armed bandits and other criminal activities in the North-West particularly in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

“It is worthy to note that some of the efforts made by the Federal Government include the creation of 8 Division, Nigerian Army in Sokoto and the establishment of a Brigade in Gusau and another one to be located in Birnin Kebbi to address security challenges in the North-West. Also, the Nigerian Air Force Quick Response Force was established in Gusau to give air support to the ground troops. Additionally, 500 troops of Nigerian Armed Forces and 500 other security agents were recently deployed to join Operation SHARAN DAJI to curb the activities of armed bandits and other security challenges in Zamfara and Kaduna states and the region in general.

“Recently, the Ministry directed the General Officer Commanding 8 Division to relocate his Tactical Headquarters from Sokoto to Gusau to adequately coordinate activities of Operation SHARAN DAJI until normalcy returns in the State.

“These are all geared towards realizing the mandate of the Ministry of Defence and achieving the Federal Government’s drive on security of its citizens and properties. However, it is noteworthy to state that the issue of drug abuse, unemployment and governance amongst others contributes to the deplorable security situation in Zamfara State.

“It is therefore suggested that the all necessary stakeholders should come together and take necessary steps to address these issues and to provide adequate support to security agencies so as to get maximum cooperation.”

Court Asked To Stop Security Agencies From Revealing Security Spendings

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has been asked to refuse the request to make available to the public details of security spendings in the war against insurgency.

According to the suit filed by a lawyer, Mr. Osaze Agbonifo, releasing security spending to the public will breach the provision of Freedom of Information Act.

A civil society organisations, Global Integrity Crusade Network, had applied for the release of security spending on insurgency in the North East of Nigeria under the Freedom of Information Act.

But reacting to the development, the civil rights lawyer said the disclosure of such to any unauthorized body will be a breach of the provision of the Freeodm of Information Act and not in the interest of the country’s image.

Respondents in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/159018, are the Office of the National Security Adviser, Ministry of Defence, State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Immigration Service.

In the suit dated December 20th, 2018, filed by Oghenovo Otemu, the plaintiff asked the court for an order restraining the respondents from releasing details of security spendings to any CSOs acting under the FOI Act.

The plaintiff in the suit asked for an order restraining the respondents from releasing or furnishing Global Integrity Crusade Network or any civil society organization, persons or entities that have applied for any for any information relating to OR connected with the world against insurgency in the North East Under the FOI Act.

He also asked the court not to allow the respondents release the following information:

*The amount received as budgetary allocations from the federal government of Nigeria for counter terrorism operation in the year 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

*The list of security hardware and equipment procured for counter terrorism operations in the year 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 so we can confirm, if the approved budgetary allocation were used for the intended purpose.

*List of contracts awarded, executed on ongoing in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 as well as of list of newspapers, journals and other media outfit wherein the bidding exercise for the said contracts were published to be able us ascertain if the the procedure laid down in the Public Procurement Act No. 65 of 2007 were duly followed.

*The breakdown of coat expended by your office on personnel running in the year 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 to enable us ascertain if more that one third of the budgetary allocation meant for counter terrorism operations was not used for payment of allowances to only top management staffer.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Olowu of Owu, Oba Oyelude calls for support for Nigerian Army

A highly respected traditional ruler in Yorubaland, the Olowu of Owu Kuta, Oba Hammed Adekunle Makama Oyelude, has called for total support for the Nigerian Army on the war against terrorism.

The Olowu was reacting to a report in the media which indicted the Nigerian Army for war crimes in countering Boko Haram and other threats to the country.

The monarch said the report, which accused the troops of war crimes was mischievous and disheartening, considering the sacrifices the soldiers have made in restoring peace back to the nation.

Oba Oyelude, while addressing a press conference on Thursday at his ancestoral Palace, implored Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation or convictions to come together and resist the cheap blackmail against our Army.

He said, “At this critical time in our nation's history, I consider it mischievous and malicious the timing of the release of the said report, and the usual double standard of the so called Amnesty International in demoralizing our patriotic Army.

“We were thrown into mourning some weeks ago, when our soldiers were slaughtered by insurgents.

“This resulted in low morale among troops and one must acknowledge all efforts put in place by the present administration and previous ones in motivating the Army to do its job.

“I believe the only way to go is for Nigerians in rare show of patriotism to reject this assertion and keep supporting the ongoing efforts of the present government through the Army and other security agencies in protecting the integrity and sanctity of our sovereignty.

“I call on all patriotic Nigerians to rise up against the agent of Colonialism under the disguise of pseudo Human Right Organizations , because their usual numerous activities have always been injurious to our fighting force, the Nigerian Army is our national pride, Long Live the Nigeria Army,” he added.

Buratai: Exemplary Leadership Perches Another Garland

By Paul Dickson

Ultimately, no leader expects unanimous acceptability wherever he serves his country or humanity. But in spite of the scanty reservations on his salutations, often spewed in utterances’, the efforts of a true, altruistic and genuine leader are accredited and appreciated by the clear-headed vast majority he renders committed service.

Truly, the life of a soldier is the most unenviable among professionals. He suffers self-depravity. Every minute, he is assailed by reality of harsh death. But he is neither perturbed nor depressed by the saturnine fear of this reality because he endorsed and consigned his life to it. he functions like a monk, by approving self-denial for others to have peace and security.

This is the fate of Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, the country’s numero uno soldier. As leader of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations in the nation’s darkest era in history, defined by unimaginable terrorism and insurrections, Gen. Buratai’s burdens are substantially deep. Added to it, is the temptation of self-preservation or patriotic national service.

But quite delightfully, Gen. Buratai has proved his mettle excellently in professionalism, soldering and leadership throughout his decades of an eventful military career. This combatant soldier has never cringed even for a moment in justifying his upbringing as soldier. His commitment to the protection of his fatherland and endangered peoples of the world, anywhere is constantly and fully measured anywhere service beckons.

It is normal for some personalities and institutions to irrationally despise and scorn him for the sacrifices he makes at their behest. However, it is more fulfilling and to know many more who are aware of his positive impacts in the defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria strive at every opportunity to comfort him. It obviates any malicious deconstruction against his personage and career.

In recent times, these accolades on Gen. Buratai have come in torrents and from unexpected quarters drumming his salient qualities. Days back, the Kaduna State University, (KSUK) Kaduna joined the legion of independent observers of Gen. Buratai’s lofty contributions and legacies for peace, security and his exemplary leadership dexterity in Nigeria.

KSUK, a pacesetter and fast growing institution ornamented the COAS Lt. Gen. Buratai with an honorary doctorate degree in leadership and peace. The time of the festooning ceremony itself was KSUK’s combined convocation. It radiated with a memorable ambience by its sheer assemblage of eminent Nigerians who converged to celebrate the varsity’s milestone in academic excellence.

Prominently, Visitor to the University and Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and Nigeria’s immediate past Vice President, Arch. Namadi Sambo among other eminent Nigerians were personally in attendance.

This infrequent honour by the varsity to Gen. Buratai, a serving Army General is the first of its kind. It echoes with resounding appreciation, the Army Chief’s uncommon military exploits, blended with outstanding leadership of the Nigerian Army. It bellows his triumphs in the counter-terrorism combats, especially in Nigeria’s hitherto extremely troubled Northeast region.

Many Nigerians have validated the decision of KSUK to fete and honour Gen. Buratai. This streams from the peoples reminisce of a shattered, disoriented, disheveled, undisciplined and formless Army, which he has reformed, restructured and professionally repositioned for optimal and flawless service to the nation.

A stickler to standards and established conventions, Gen. Buratai knows winning the war on terrorism needs a repackaged Army. An Army which will be strict with its job, while, respecting the fundamental human rights and dignity of Nigerians in the areas, troops are deployed for special assignments. So, he targeted and got an Army which thinks and acts within the confines of official creeds and professionalism.

The Army Chief ensured his leadership of the Nigeria Army availed its personnel all their basic legitimate requirements. His first priority was to equip his troops; prioritize payment of their welfare packages and extended fatherly love to even their families. He thought of soldiers’ welfare in renovated barracks, offices and post retirement housing schemes.

The Army boss was stern on discipline and orderly conduct; but also ruthless in handling issues of unwarranted insubordination and professional misconduct. He has either penalized or dismissed many renegades from the Army on this score.

The Army Chief made it a policy to smoothen military/ civil relations, which snowballed into execution of multifarious Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in every community soldiers stepped their foot for special assignments. Soldiers no longer bash into communities for operations; but first inform and court the understanding and support of the natives.

Nigerians have felt and operated with a friendly and considerate Army. How Gen. Buratai turned a previously hostile and crude Army into a civilized and disciplined force has remained a mystery to Nigerians.

Under Gen. Buratai’s tenure, the Nigerian Army is no longer a dormant institution by leading in its personal development and extending same to the benefit of Nigerians. The Army is building schools like the Nigerian Army Aviation School, the Nigerian Army University Biu and so forth, for the professional development of its personnel, other security agencies and Nigerians generally.

In the combat of terrorism in the country; Buratai’s leadership acumen has led his troops to surmount the toughest of hurdles to snatch victories from the jaws of Boko Haram insurgents. His combat strategies and tactics, do not only disarm Boko Haram, but are very dynamic and several nautical miles ahead of the plots of insurgents.

Nigerians are awed that scores of Gen. Buratai’s predecessors and commanders in the Northeast battlefield, vainly and severally attempted to penetrate the dreaded Sambisa forest in Borno, a protective fortress, housing Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau. But Gen. Buratai led troops to demystify this terrorists’ haven with the first attempt.

It is much of exemplary and cherished leadership attribute that the Army Chief has many times, led operations against terrorists in the warfront personally. He leads training sessions of his troops as an instructor. It’s a perfect leadership by example and portrays him as a leader who is neither bossy nor crazy with his status.

His innovations in the Army to berth excellence are exceptional. When he initiated Special Strike Force Teams, in the Northeast, it was to improve operational competitiveness’ against terrorists. His idea of the first Nigerian Army Female Corps was conceptualized as panacea to the rising incidences of female suicide bombers. It halted the trend.

When Gen. Buratai discovered the rough and unmotorable terrain in the Northeast posed difficulties in chasing insurgents on the narrow bush paths, he contrived the idea of motorbikes strike teams.

A culmination of these rare leadership qualities and its effective applications are responsible for the respite, restoration of peace and security Nigerians savour today in different parts of the country. It is under his leadership the Nigerian Army has recused tens of thousands of Nigerians held hostage by Boko Haram insurgents, subjected to dehumanizing treatments.

Joyfully too, hundreds of thousands of terrorists captives severed from their communities for months and years have been reunited with their families. They are enjoying the bliss of togetherness and communality in thankfulness to the COAS.

It is Gen, Buratai’s gifted and stainless leadership of the counter-insurgency war that has reclaimed over 24 LGAs in Nigerian territory, violently seized by Boko Haram terrorists in their hey days of atrocities and heinous acts against Nigerian people.

These efforts have generally climaxed into the return of the once devastated and ruined displaced Nigerians to villages and communities deserted for ages. His leadership splendor has aborted terrorists’ bomb explosion in Abuja and other parts of the North.

Congratulations Sir, for these superlative achievements’. And the rare recognition of you with an honorary doctorate degree in leadership and peace by a citadel of learning is well deserved, to say the least.

Dickson writes from British College of Journalism [BCJ] London.

Electoral Amendment Bill 2018: Two for the Price of One

By David Onmeje

But for President Muhammadu Buhari’s foresight Nigeria would have scored a world record in addition to whatever other unpalatable records we already hold as the land of the absurd. Nigeria was on the verge of conducting its next general elections with a set of two laws: the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 and the 2015 Electoral Act.

Activities from pre-electioneering period through the lifting of ban on politics till date were conducted under the 2015 Electoral Act. Had the amended bill been assented to, the other activities from the moment of assent would have then been conducted under the newly signed legislation. The confusion that will arise from this is better appreciated with the realization that judicial interpretation of the extant law is already a tall order so deciding which of the two documents is applicable would be a taller order.

President Buhari’s request that the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 should come into force only after the 2019 polls is therefore logical. The nation still gets to enjoy the benefit of the changes made without the headaches that would arise from making its application commence from an impractical time. But this and other clarifications by the president on why he declined assent to the bill are not striking the right chord with everyone as some people are of the opinion that the legislation should have proceeded to be used for the elections.

This would be doing a great disservice to the nation. Even if the application of the legislation were partitioned to cater to the identified timelines, the ambiguities that President Buhari identified in several sections of the bill would still haunt the votes. Those that will win and lose at the polls will be pressed to spend the period between the 2019 elections and the next polls in the court seeking interpretations to the contentious sections.

As logical as these observations are, they had not appealed to those that are bent on being critical of Mr. President’s decision. They have come up with one condemnation after the other in what is increasingly becoming apparent as a coordinated response from clique that had wanted him to make the mistake of assenting to the bill. They would have latched onto this mistake to demand for his impeachment, which would be reasonable because the shortcomings he has identified are grievous enough to warrant such.

In the hail of criticism against the President, the real culprits behind this fiasco are getting away with not even a slap on the wrist. The national lawmakers that came up with a document that inconsiderate should be answering to their constituents, to Nigerians – but this is not happening. Of course, the more they make the president the whipping boy the lesser the chance that Nigerians will recall their own wrongdoings in the entire affair.

Had the lawmakers focused on their primary assignment of oversight and law-making they would have made these amendments one clear year before the start of elections. If the refusal to assent to the bill had taken place within such timeframe there would have then been sufficient wiggle room to make changes as many times as necessary. Instead, the Senators and their counterparts in the House of Representatives wasted valuable time grandstanding to Nigerians over cross carpeting, decamping and other irrelevancies that added no value to governance.

Even as things stand, they are too selfish to take a break from their campaign trails for re-election to return to their chambers are expediently address the contentious areas that the president highlighted in his communication returning the bill to the National Assembly. They would rather carry on with their campaign instead of being selfless in immediately addressing the changes that would enable the bill to be signed into law. Even though the resulting law cannot be used for the 2019 elections as already stated, subsequent elections would at least have the legislation in place with the guarantee that this kind of drama from lawmakers would not bedevil the nation again.

For the now, we are stuck with the 2015 Electoral Act, with whatever strengths or imperfections that it may entail. Interestingly, the current crop of elected office holders are a product of this legislation so the lawmakers are in no position to rubbish it as doing so will qualify them as persons that enjoyed the privileges of office derived from a flawed electoral law, which would further suggest that the amendment they had carried out was done by people that should not be in office in the first place. But this is certainly not the case.

They must therefore give up the obsession with the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018, including making the mistake of overriding the President by way of a veto. First, neither of the houses can marshal the quorum needed to make this happen since each lawmaker would rather persist in their mission of seeking re-election. Secondly, there is simply not time left to activate the process by which to override the President, they left the passage of the bill for too late and knowing their capacity for bungling even the straightest forward of national assignments.

The reality we must all confront at this point is that the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018 has turned out to be a casualty of bad timing. Signing it would have amounted to using two laws for the same elections. If it were a supermarket having a sales promo of “buy one get one free” or “two for the price of one” it would have been a great deal that should be snapped up without hesitation. But this is about the safety of our democracy where two for the price of one is a guaranteed recipe for disaster and must be avoided like a plague.

On this one, President Buhari got it right and the lawmakers with his other critics are on the wrong side of the equation, history. They should be decent enough to let go of their obsession and hurt for the country to progress with the 2019 elections and sustain our democracy.

Onmeje is an advocate of common sense and writes from London, United Kingdom.

Olonishakin: A Perfect Military Navigator Cum Administrator

By Abu Duniya 

Leadership is a burden. Those who desire to succeed in leadership must know its rudiments’ and apply it conscientiously.  No one plans to fail in leadership; but its ensnaring entrapments impose an inglorious reign on some leaders.

Leading the military is a herculean task and a science in its unique class. Whoever executes this responsibility has to go beyond the ordinary to create a positive impression. He must imbibe the virtues of forthrightness, tact, versatility, discipline and precision.   He must be a team player and thorough in whatever he does; always aiming at perfection; with   a high degree of intolerance for mistakes.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin is an embodiment of these attributes.  He is less vocal, but a thoroughbred professional, who leaves nothing to chance in any assignment.

The CDS oversees and co-ordinates the three disparate arms of the Nigerian Armed Forces- the Army, the Airforce and the Navy.  But generally, the CDS is the ombudsman of all the Security Chiefs, just like the arduous task of securing Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against external aggressors or violent insurrectional sects rest on his shoulders. He personifies the wisdom and expertise of all subordinates’.     

Gen. Olonisakin’s is providing  leadership for service chiefs in Nigeria’s most tormenting era.  The country has found itself in a volley of insecurity challenges. He was appointed the CDS by President Muhammadu Buhari at a time Nigeria was roasting in the hands of Boko Haram insurgents, when swathes of territories in the Northeast came under the effective control of the terrorists. And thousands of Nigerians were  held captive in Boko Haram gulags.  

The CDS mounted the throne when armed bandits  and cattle rustlers feasted on states and communities in the Northwest region. This band of criminals courageously challenged the efficacy of state power in securing the lives and property of Nigeria.

The armed bandits would violently assail and sack whole communities. With brandished swords, knives and guns, they prevented locals from accessing markets; chased away farmers from farmlands and even imposed movement restriction codes on the citizenry, especially in Zamfara state.

Simultaneously,  violent separatists movements, like IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi  Kanu launched a reign of terror and  bloodbath in the Southeast under the pretext of campaigning for self-determination. Nigeria’s economic life- wire was threatened in the oil-rich Niger Delta, as militant sects, like the Niger Delta Avengers held the country at the jugular and to ransom. They multiplied in dozens, kidnapping oil workers, blowing up oil pipelines and installations excitedly.  

Also, the monster of herders and farmers clashes imposed insecurity in parts of the North central region. Conflagrations on the Plateau, bloodbaths  in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states among others competed for the attention of  the military, hence civil security was overwhelmed.  Sectarian killings in Southern Kaduna posed yet another pathetic challenge to the mountain of insecurity problems which brought Nigeria on its kneels.      

These were the enormity of the security challenges Gen. Olonisakin inherited. But he never faltered, but stepped out with a promise to himself and Nigerians of enthroning respite.   In perfect working relationship and synergy with Service Chiefs, the CDS has proved to Nigerians and the world that a professional and focused mind can post positive results from difficult situations where others fail.

Nigerians can testify that under Gen. Olonisakin’s reign as CDS,  the Nigerian Army  have blighted the raging fires of  Boko Haram terrorism in the Northeast and the country generally.  No part of Nigeria’s territory is under the control of insurgents. Sambisa forest, the safest haven of terrorists which was chillingly dreaded has been demystified under his strategic co-ordinating ingenuity.  Today, Nigerian troops are at the final stages of the total elimination of Boko Haram terrorism from Nigeria.

Peace has since returned to the Niger Delta  and oil exploration has attained stability in a peaceful environment.  The respite from militancy did not just happen; it took an ingenious confrontation of the militants by Nigerian troops to berth any measure of peace and security now pervading in the restive region.

Armed bandits and cattle rustlers have been mesmerized and repressed.  They have no capacity to occupy or hibernate in  the forests of  the Northwest to plan and execute horrendous attacks on Nigerian people.  The CDS has ensured farmers are no longer harassed on the fields and plantations nor are markets sealed by these armed assailants’

Gen. Olonisakin dealt a decisive blow on the audacious and criminally-minded rogues who populated IPOB and attempted to illegally erect a separate sovereign nation  within Nigeria.  People are no longer slaughtered by these armed gangs for their refusal to endorse or identify with the aberrational and destructive self-determination campaigns of IPOB.

And largely, the herders and farmers skirmishes’ have responded to the CDS’s dosage of intervention.  The hitherto troubled communities in North central are beginning to feel the aura  of peace and security. Nigerians can attest to the waning of these crises, and not its escalation. 

Normalcy has also returned to Southern Kaduna  and the CDS’s desire to sustain this peace has seen the permanent deployment of troops in these areas to facilitate quick responses to any insecurity threats.  Only a leader cast in the mould of Gen. Olonisakin can swim to safety in the midst of these barrage of insecurity challenges.           

Quite commendably, Gen. Olonisakin has not exuded any sign of fatigue from these rigorous national assignments. Every day, he radiates more stamina and capacity to do even more for the absolute liberation of Nigeria from the array of armed gangs.

Thus, the CDS’s strategic coordination of the Defence portfolio reflective in  the seamless  synergy with Service Chiefs is worthy of emulation. And the resultant taming of consuming insecurity in the country  through these efforts   automatically decorates him with the medal of professional and leadership competence.

Duniya is a security consultant based in Abuja.

ICPC And Persecution Of Maimuna Aliyu: Things Fall Apart

By Chukwudike Uwa

Then Balaks anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, but behold you have persisted in blessing them these three times! Numbers 24:10

The above Biblical quote would suffice to describe what transpired at the resumed trial in the case instituted by the ICPC against Maimuna Aliyu. For those who may not know this story drawn from the Holy Bible, I will just let you a bit into the facts. Balaam was a diviner who was hired by Balak the King of Moab to curse Israel. This, the King of Moab did because he was sore afraid of Israel. He knew he could not go to war physically against them and so needed a spiritual approach to achieve safety for himself and his subjects. The Supreme God was with the Israelites that when Balaam arrived, rather than curse the Israelites, God turned his tongue that he began to bless them. How does this relate to the court case initiated by ICPC against Ms Aliyu?

Hajiya Maimuna Sanda Aliyu has been facing several wars in recent times simply because she stepped on some big toes by revealing and questioning some financial impropriety and corporate governance issues she discovered in her last place of employment Aso Savings and Loans Plc. Those who considered her their enemy would stop at nothing to pull her down. They found some good allies, ironically at the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC); the same commission that Hajiya Maimuna had been previously nominated as a Board member but her nomination was later put on hold by the Presidency, no thanks to the same people.

Like the Moabites, the traducers of Ms. Aliyu were sore afraid of her because she has a dossier on them that could send them to jail if a genuine war is waged against corruption. Their tool would therefore include intimidation, threats, forgery and hiring of tutored witnesses against her in a trumped up charge in the court room. Like the Israelites, the supreme God is with Ms. Aliyu.

The Charge:
Aso Savings & Loans Plc had alleged that Ms. Aliyu disposed of some property belonging to the financial institution while she was a staff therein and appropriate the proceeds to her personal coffers. The Balaam in this case to nail Ms. Aliyu must be the buyer of the property who must say that he paid directly to Ms. Aliyu and that the transaction was just between the two. The buyer therefore is a key witness to the prosecution and his evidence must carry much weight.

On November 29, 2018 at the resumed hearing of the case at the FCT High Court 11in Jabi before Justice Nasir, the agent to the buyer of the property Babagana Bashir was called up as a prosecution witness. After being sworn to an oath gave his evidence in-chief and was later cross-examined by the Defence Counsel.

Things Fall Apart:

Babagana Bashir as prosecution witness, when asked to narrate his relationship with the Defendant with regards to why he was in court, stated that sometime in 2012, the Defendant called him to her office in Aso Savings and asked him to buy some adjoining 3 plots of land measuring 7500sq metres for N57m (fifty seven millon Naira). He stated further that he marketed the said property to his client Mr. Vincent Msheila who was agreeable to the offer and gave him dollar equivalent of the selling price to effect payment. That he took the dollars to the defendants office at Aso Savings to effect payment and conclude the purchase.

He added that the Defendant called her Managing Director through intercom to inquire if she should accept the payment in American dollars or ask the buyer to have it changed to naira. That the MD said she should accept the dollars. That the defendant dropped the phone collected the money from him and left the office. That she later returned, after about 30 minutes with the original documents to the said property, 3 plots of land and handed them to him- Babagana Bashir. That his client Vincent Msheila never perfected his title to the property until 2014. That they severally went to Aso several to assist with the perfection but they kept saying they were trying to sort out some documentation issues. That Aso Savings later said they do not have a record of the payments made for the said plots of land.

The Prosecution witness stated further that it was sometime in 2017 that he received a call from ICPC requesting he comes to their office to state his side of the story which he honoured and did state his side of the story. That after about three visits to the commission, the head of the investigation called a meeting of all parties and asked that the matter be resolved amicably. That he offered to get across to his client (ultimate buyer of the property) who was then in the US to let him know about the happenings. That when he did, his client offered to pay the purchase price again to avoid trouble.

That upon his clients return, he visited the ICPC and made another payment for the plots of land. He was issued a receipt and authority to collect all documents that would validly transfer ownership of the plots of land to him. Witness stated that he thought all issues relating to the transaction were finally resolved as the team lead of the investigation at ICPC had told him that he would do a report and close the file but he was surprised when some months back, his client called him to say that he was again invited by the ICPC and was made to change his earlier statement under duress. That his client asked for his advice and that he advised that his client instructs his lawyers to write the commission which he obliged and that he, Bashir has a copy of the said letter.

There was a pin drop silence in the court room. The prosecutor was sweating and could not do anything more than close his case.

The Defense applied that the ultimate buyer of the property Vincent Msheila be subpoenaed to testify in court. The matter was adjourned to January 2019.

It was indeed a true reflection of the Balak/Balaam scenario. I would want to think that prosecution would not have called this witness to strengthen the defendants case. There couldnt have been a reason to call such a vital witness to ruin your case. Things have indeed fallen apart for the traducers of Ms. Aliyu. Indeed:-

Falsehood flies and the truth comes, limping after it. As a lie travels around the globe, the truth is putting on its shoes. Falsehood will fly, as it were, on the wings of the wind, and carry its tales to every corner of the earth, while truth lags behind; her steps, though sure, are slow and solemn, and she has neither vigour nor activity to pursue and overtake her enemy. However, truth prevails at the end. The hand can never cover the light of the moon

It is my prayer that we shall all be alive to see how this suit ends, even as we anxiously wait to see what happens at the next adjourned date in January 2019.

There are, however, questions begging for answers. Why should an anti corruption agency the ICPC recall someone who had earlier written a statement at his own freewill and compel the person to change the statement under duress just to nail a suspect? Where lies the INDEPENDENT status of the ICPC? What Ministry supervises the ICPC and why is the Minister silent? What are the media aids to the President doing? Why have they not called the attention of the President to this, that is, if he has not read nor heard of the show of shame that is the lot of the commission? Is a government that came into office wearing the garb of an anti corruption crusader going to look the other way while these atrocities continue? Before taking Nigerians to the next level, the government of today at the Federal level ought to conscientiously address this impunity as there are so many Maimunas out there crying for justice.

Chukwudike Uwa writes from Abuja

2019: Atiku’s Misadventure, Buhari’s Ride To Success

By Okanga Agila

The struggle of Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to mount the horse as the country’s President has been legendary and sustained. Since 2003, when he deputized former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ), the ambition to lead Nigeria has refused to quench like a candle in the wind.

When the main opposition PDP conceded its 2019 presidential ticket to Atiku, it seems his closest permutation to Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of power. Observably, since the day Atiku was crowned PDP’s presidential flagbearer his excitement has known no limitations.

It’s being the happiest moment of his life, beaming with smiles, anywhere he makes public appearance, as though he has been declared winner of Nigeria’s 2019 presidential ballot. So, Atiku intensified his perpetually acerbic attacks on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, disparaging every single effort of the APC led government.

He promised Nigerians a redemption, which spurred fresh expectations of the magic his anticipated Presidency would offer the people. At last the chance is here for Atiku to make an impact; but he has bungled it from the outset.

Atiku stabbed himself on the back, November 18, 2018 with his vision in a launched policy document, variously christened “The Atiku Plan,” or “Let's Get Nigeria Working Again.” Itfailed miserably to inspire the confidence some Nigerians initially had in a possible Atiku Presidency.

Echoes are loud that Atiku’s policy document was flat or watery on critical areas Nigeria is yearning for further rescue from the Buhari Presidency. They faulted Atiku as barren of any grasp of problems of Nigeria and fresh insights, by his duplicity and or embellishments’ of most of the policies and programmes of Buhari, which he had relentlessly and voraciously criticized.

To put it mildly, the PDP standard-bearer failed to impress and others sensed some dubiousness on his change of stand on some of the issues he campaigned vigorously before his party awarded him its presidential ticket.

In some sections of the policy document, it appeared more like plagiarism of the policy initiatives of the Buhari Presidency. It dashed hopes and dampened spirits even in the camp of his most ardent supporters.

Nigerians have been analyzing the “The Atiku Plan,” document from the perspective of various critical sectors of the economy. Some Nigerians dissatisfied with the Buhari Presidency, point to the nuances of national insecurity; a tottering economy; hyper unemployment rate; a comatose industrial sector, reflected in abandoned national industries/companies; the clamour for restructuring and the least, but also, very important, power rotation among the six geo-political regions of the nation.

Disappointedly, Atiku’s vision in these sensitive sectors left a vacuum in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. Many have concluded that the Atiku quest for the Presidency of Nigeria is anchored on the crest of a swindle of Nigeria. They could not reconcile how a politician who has sought leadership of the country for years and vociferous in condemning existing structures and performance had nothing strikingly different in his policy document.

Atiku has contradicted himself on everything he promised Nigerians which propelled him to kick every shadow to ensure, he secures a ticket in the ruling or major opposition party to contest the presidential ballot.

From the policy document, its discernible Atiku does not either know what is restructuring of Nigeria as currently canvassed especially by Southerners or has developed cold feet towards the idea even before the opportunity to occupy Aso Rock. Quite clearly, Atiku dreads the North, which is viciously opposed to the idea of restructuring of Nigeria now.

And in order not to offend sensitive interests of the Northern oligarchs, Atiku glossed over the idea like a pupil reciting nursery rhymes. He shamelessly harped on independence of local government councils and mixed council autonomy with restructuring of Nigeria. Thereafter, he tactlessly strayed into natural resources.

Hear him; “Once power over minerals and mines is devolved to the concurrent list, states where deposits of mines and mineral resources are found will have control over those resources and only pay royalties to the center.”

This is sufficiently vague. It does not offer any clue on how his version of restructuring would be executed; but relied on an unconvincing probability of the devolution of powers from the concurrent list. Atiku parroted the issue of restructuring of Nigeria, everywhere in Southern Nigeria to earn their support for partynomination and the actual ballot in 2019.

People of the Niger Delta are infinitely discouraged about Atiku’s candidature. He hinted in the policy document of providing incentives to investors to invest in Modular refineries in the North to source crude oil from Chad and Niger through pipelines under a Public Private Partnership.

South-Southerners are already feeling a sense of alienation and abandonment under an Atiku Presidency. The people are feeling the experimentation of the Buhari Presidency with Modular refineries’ in the South-South, where the oil wealth is domiciled as a better sense of judgment from a neutral and impartial leader.

Nigerians are also averse to Atiku’s plan to privatize state-owned enterprises “including all three government-owned refineries and the concession of Nigeria’s sea and airports to reputable, strategic, and technically sound buyers.” It is a roundly rejected bitter pill to swallow by majority of Nigerians.

The OBJ/Atiku Presidency (1999-2007) conceived the concept of privatization of national assets. And Atiku was the chairman, National Council on Privatization and Commercialization (NCPC). It’s very clear to all Nigerians that the exercise was a rape of Nigeria, as the assets were undervalued and sold to cronies and undercover agents.

Very few of them are functional at the moment and unemployment has exacerbated in Nigeria because of the dearth of such industries and companies. The inclusion of this policy in the“ Let’s Get Nigeria Working Again,” document is a veiled message to Nigerians of the intention of Atiku and his cabal to re-launch the final sale of Nigeria to themselves, if elected President in 2019.

It has stirred disquiet in many quarters. There are speculations Atiku is likely to alter the document, by expunging such offensive sections.

To demonstrate that Atiku is bereft of any fresh ideas for seeking to govern Nigeria, the policy document also endorsed removal of oil subsidy, like Buhari’s government. But it discloses his target of establishing what he called, a “Special Purpose Fund” for the funds to be domiciled and channeled to “building infrastructure in education, health and the empowerment of women and youth.

What’s is new, Nigerians are asking? It was the same OBJ/Atiku Presidency that scrapped PTF, a similar concept, which would now be smuggled back under a new nomenclature? Therefore, what informed his quest for the Presidency exactly, if all he knows is retaining and renaming old concepts? Today, Atiku is concerned with expansion of modern railway lines, which are projects currently executed by the Buhari Presidency.

The PDP 2019 Presidential candidate dropped the final bombshell by stating that “To increase the nation’s refining capacity, we shall privatize all four-outstanding government owned refineries to competent off-takers with mandates to produce agreed levels of refined output.”

Nigeria is stressed on national insecurity many fronts. The Boko Haram terrorism; militancy in the Niger Delta; armed banditry and cattle rustling; kidnapping and violent separatists agitations and herders/farmers clashes. Atiku boasted when Buhari emerged President that if he were the leader of Nigeria, Boko Haram would have ended in six months.

But his policy document shied away from intimating on the details of what would have pass as a marvelous master plan. Nigerians fault President Buhari for his insistence on grazing reserves for Fulani herders, instead of ranches, especially by most states in the Benue valley.

Unfortunately, Atiku’s policy document portrays him as a leader with the worse sympathy for the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen. Atiku does not see open grazing by herders; the clashes with farmers and mass deaths as a national security threat. And so, his document is handily silent on it.

Its apparent Atiku’s failure to inspire the electorates with his long awaited policy document is his greatest nemesis for the quest to lead Nigeria in 2019. Worse still, while the North has just four more years to allow power transit to the Southern part of the country, Southeast possibly, Atiku plans his policy document extending to between six and eight years; an early sign of a sit-tight leader.

Having bared his mind, millions of Nigerians have come to the inevitable conclusion that President Buhari has no real alternative in 2019. With his cunning misadventure, through self-revelation, Atiku has made it an easy ride for Buhari’s success in the next general elections.

Okanga wrote this piece from Agila, Benue State.

A civil society group, the Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism in Nigeria (CATE) has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to quit playing politics with fallen national heroes.

Ahead of the 2019 elections, the opposition appears hell bent on dragging the ruling party to the mud – despite a recent pre-dusk raid on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State.

The group made this known in a press statement signed by its National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja.

According to CATE, the PDP is trying too hard to undermine the remarkable progress of the Nigerian military under the current dispensation which has helped to push Boko Haram to fringes of the Lake Chad only .

“A tragic attack on the military outpost in Metele village, Guzamala local government area of Borno state has become the latest incident that these politicians have latched upon to ply their dangerous ware of objectifying the nation’s fallen heroes that have sacrificed their lives for the safety and security of other citizens.

CATE expresses its condolences to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Military and the families and loved ones of the departed soldiers but is of the view that their memory should not be desecrated by those turning their sacrifices into campaign barbs.

“We specifically refer to the statements issued by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. They both only stopped short of mocking the fallen soldiers by the utterances and misrepresentation of facts contained in their responses to the attack and the resulting deaths.

“The PDP in its reaction sought to drag the military into partisan politics as it relied on insinuations and speculations to conclude that the presence of the Service Chiefs at an event in Abuja is itself enough to have allowed Boko Haram terrorists overrun the outpost.

“On his part, the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is calling for an investigation of what happened at the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, while completely feigning ignorance of the role he and his party, the PDP played in ruining the military before the present government commenced the efforts of rebuilding it to its current strength.

‘It is well known in the land that they created these problems, which the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is decisively dealing with. Had Atiku as a Vice President for eight year and the PDP as a ruling party for 16 years done the needful and developed the country in the period they were in the saddle, Nigeria would have been a better place by now. The grinding poverty in the land, to which they were the precursor, remains the single largest factor making it possible for Boko Haram to continue having a pool of dejected people to recruit from.

“It is the PDP that created the monster of Boko Haram and at the same time failed in those sixteen years to equip the military, which it now expected to be appropriately armed in a matter of three months. The same party and those that today masquerade as concerned saints in its ranks were also responsible for corrupting the military to an extent where other nations and international partners distanced themselves from offering the needed support for combating terrorists.

“We believe Nigerians deserve better than this shallow perversion of logic that the architects of today’s problems are putting out because even where politics is concerned there should be some measure of honour that demands that the truth be told.

“We invite Nigerians to note that Mr Atiku had issued a statement recently in which he admitted to the world that he knew how Boko Haram started. Incidentally, the little he was willing to divulge was that the political class to which he belongs was responsible for using thugs or rigging elections and then abandoning them. Giving the fact that the PDP is reputed for deploying thugs for hijacking elections, he has admitted being a founding father of Boko Haram terrorists.

“We therefore urge Atiku Abubakar to let the world in on the full details of all he knows about Boko Haram operating from his north east constituency is now needed for public consumption so that Nigerians can fully appreciate the magnitude of what they are dealing with.

“It is a great disservice to the people of the northeast that their plight, the existential threats to their families, have been reduced to a matter to bicker over because some unscrupulous politicians see it as something to be used to garner votes.

We at CATE see this as a new form of terrorism against these people since it removes hope and assurance of security away from them. Converting what is happening in these areas into a charade of political gladiators reinforces bad behaviour for the Boko Haram terrorists because they by default see the opposition politicians as clients who will appreciate further attacks on not just the military but also on the local population.

“Therefore, after taking time to reflect on this development, CATE warns the PDP, Atiku Campaign Organization to stop dancing on the grave of our patriotic troops. Nigerians truly sympathize with the military and will continue to stand strongly behind the Nigerian state to end the last remnants of Boko Haram Terrorism in Nigeria.”

Shehu Sani’s Cracked Mirror - By Philip Agbese

One of the greatest and terrible fallouts from the rise of Trumpism is the penchant for the cloning and replication of copycats across the globe, individuals that are deluded enough to believe they can replicate the wonder of rising from relative obscurity to winning elections. The tragedy is that some of them are succeeding. Trumpism, at the level of those seeking political office, consists chiefly of causing the wildest outrage to garner populist votes. It has worked for a handful of right-wing extremist leaders, some of who gained office only for the electorates to discover that the only substance about their persona and cult is the raucous rhetoric they use to deceive the people.

Nigeria is not short of this class of politicians, who, having nothing to offer, resort to the brashest of behaviours and unguarded utterances to win followers. They are succeeding. They have the corresponding gullible section of the population that believe they have found messiahs that will give them their dream Utopia. Even when that Utopia is a sure path to doom and ruination.

Nigeria’s Trumpists has its current symbolic head in the lawmaker representing Kaduna Central district, Senator Shehu Sani, who has recently, since the conclusion of party primaries taken his penchant for causing outrage to a theatrical level. He is now in the business of marinating his dubious credential in populist juice served up to the unsuspecting and the elixir of reason. It is poison to those that consume it even in its diluted form.

Shehu Sani, possibly buoyed by a false sense of an activist past that now stands largely discredited, has attacked just about anyone that he believes to be against his ambition to re-impose himself on Kaduna Central – has largely abandoned their assignment at the Senate to focus on packaging himself as Nigeria’s reply to Trump. He has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari, he has attacked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; he has issues with some military top brass for attending the launch of #NextLevel.
Of course, Shehu Sani had running issues with Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, which ultimately led him to renounce the All Progressives Congress (APC), jumped into the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), and intensified his drive to cause the widest outrage possible. Had he but engaged in the least form of introspection, the kind he demands of other people, he would have known that the problem is not with the mirror but with his sullied self. In the whole time he has been fencing with el-Rufai, not once has he been able to show that he had at any point offered a hand of fellowship to the governor. He has instead tried his best to rubbish whatever positive the state scored.

In the short time of joining PRP, the Kaduna Central Senator has succeeded in achieving what four decades has not done to the party, taint its ideals. He has hijacked the PRP for use as a rant platform that will rebrand the legacy party as vehicle for clowns and electoral jesters. He has premised his activities in the fold of the party not on its welfarist ideology but as avenue for hitting back at persons that had rocked his boat. If this so called activist is today dissing the APC that gave him the ticket to the Senate one can only wonder what he will do to the PRP in the vent that he wins re-election on its ticket.

This misguided stance, like the one adopted by the real Donald Trump, is a danger to the country. The danger is not that he will use his bad grammar to corrupt the already perverted syntax of his social media followers, the danger is far more insidious. The many instances that he has reacted to national issues do not come with the warning that his opinions and utterances are conditioned by a desperation to use outrage for garnering followers and sympathizers. They therefore follow him blindly with the consequence that he leaves in his trail a network of the children of anger that wrongly believe they have been wronged. These set may be in the minority but they remain a danger.

The country is fortunate that more of its citizens are tired of the theatrics of Nigeria’s edition of right-wing fanatics frothing at the mouth as they peddle all kinds of lies, notably against those they want to edge out of power. Shehu Sani’s tantrums fits the pattern. Would he have been critical of the other government officials if they had granted increased access to the loot? Like the people he attacks, Shehu Sani knows the answer – one does not talk while eating is a cultural code that has endured in the political sphere, so a handful more crumbs from the commonwealth to chew on would have quieten this pseudo activist faster than a pacifier will calm down a bawling infant.

Another thing that has rendered Shehu Sani’s rants uninteresting is the glaring double standard he has adopted. Here is the latter day crusader of transparency, accountability and good governance that has not deemed it fit to let Nigerians in on what the actual pay of Senator in Nigeria is. If he is truly uncorrupted as he tries to make people believe he would have at least shine a flicker of light on what he gets as a Senator – we will not worry about how he managed to raise the N10 million he tried to buy the APC senatorial ticket with. But like in the case of the Apostle of Common Sense, Omerta is the code.
That he was the only aspirant to attempt bribing the APC election panel speaks volumes about the show of piety he has put on for the benefit of his electorates. It is not surprising since distribution of cattle and camels is among the leading achievements he has to flog in asking the people of Kaduna Central to again come queue in the sun to give him another four years of earning undeclared jumbo allowances.

It is this questionable character that Shehu Sani is projecting unto others because he can only relate with the kind of behaviour he knows himself to have. That is why he sees everything from the perspective of a commercial transaction in which the actors have benefitted money; it is the reason he cannot divorce ethnic jingoism from decisions that are taken on the strength of facts and indices. He only see in others the reflections produced by himself, a cracked mirror that at best distort even perfection to cast eerie shadows.

His thoughts will grow darker as the realization set in that he is in the final months of deriving benefits from the mandate entrusted to him by the electorates while his utterances will become even more inciting. He will punch imaginary enemies and box shadows. This should not surprise the discerning because Shehu Sani can only become more desperate.

Agbese writes from the United Kingdom

Gov Okowa Salutes Ex-President Jonathan's Leadership Virtues At 61

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has applauded former President Goodluck Jonathan’s exemplary dedication to the service of Nigeria and humanity as he turns 61 years on Tuesday November 20, 2018.

In a congratulatory message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, on Monday in Asaba Governor Okowa described Jonathan, the 14th President of Nigeria, as a hero of democracy whose administration championed democratic ideals in Nigeria.

The Governor lauded the exemplary contributions of Dr Jonathan to the institutionalization of democracy and improvement of elections in Nigeria through his personal sacrifice and leadership by example.

Governor Okowa noted that Jonathan’s place in global history was assured with his famous quote that “his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian” which he aptly demonstrated when he made that all important call conceding defeat in the 2015 general elections.

He added that "The Goodluck Jonathan administration will also be remembered in history as the government that epitomized the rule of law and freedom of expression as there were no records of human rights abuses when he led the country”.

“It is with profound joy that I write on behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta State, to express very warm felicitations to you on your 61st birthday”.

“It is gratifying to note that our administration can continue to count on the solidarity and support of accomplished, highly respected, statesmen and committed patriots like you as we vigorously pursue our SMART Agenda for Deltans”.

“As you deservedly mark this anniversary, it is my prayer that Almighty God will continue to grant you good health, even as He guides, guards and prospers you in the many more years of fulfilling service ahead of you,” the Governor wrote.

IMN and its new level of hypocrisy – By Richards Murphy

The Islamic movement in Nigeria (IMN) seems to be in the news again with its release of names of its members that were supposedly killed when they confronted security agencies in Abuja and its environs recently. I am somewhat at a loss as for how to describe this recent posturing. So much so that I am tempted to ask, just like the majority of Nigerians, the real motives behind the IMN.

I also recall that Abdullahi Zango, one of its leaders stated during a press conference that “If we have weapons with us, Nigeria army is too small to face us. With our courage and brevity, with empty hands, they are running away from us talk less of when we have arms.” When this statement is critically analysed, it gives a peep into the minds of the adherents of the IMN and how that have constituted themselves into a state within a state. It is also indeed curious as to how such statements can be made when multiples sources have indeed confirmed that the IMN adherents indeed engaged the military with arms and other dangerous weapons.

And now, they have taken the propaganda to an astronomical level by releasing a fictitious list of people killed in the melee that ensued. But they failed woefully in stating their intent when they attacked troops of the Army Headquarters Garrison on official duty escorting ammunitions and missiles from Abuja to Army Central Ammunition Depot in Kaduna State. As a fact, when the troops’ convoy attempted to clear the roadblock, they met stiff opposition from the IMN members who used various objects to barricade the road and also pelted the troops with stones and other dangerous items. They smashed both military and civilian vehicles’ windscreens and windows.

For the IMN, when they go about town causing untold hardship and inflicting injuries on innocent Nigerians going about their daily activities, it is normal, when they also attack security agencies with dangerous objects and in some instances killing security agents, it is also normal. I recall that sometime in June 2018 in Kaduna State, when their leader was meant to appear before the Federal High Court in Kaduna state, the IMN members openly confronted police officers deployed to ensure peace and in the process, a police inspector was killed. They smashed his head continually with stones and other dangerous weapons until he died. Many others sustained injuries from the hands of the IMN adherents on that day. Is this normal?

I also recall that that scores of IMN members were arrested with dangerous weapons with which the planned to wreak havoc. As a fact, it is well known in Zaria and its environs that the IMN is a violent organization that disdained that police and other security agencies. This much they had exhibited when the attacked the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff sometime in 2015. In the report released by the National Human Rights Commission Special Investigation Panel, it stated that the right of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai was violated by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

When the report was made public, scores of individuals came out to state how they have been living in fear and terror imposed on them by the IMN. This much was corroborated by some well-known Islamic scholars from the north, who stated that the IMN remained a security threat to the country. The scholars also noted that the sect had manipulated the Holy Quran to suit themselves. Also, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Abdullahi Mahdi, stated that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shiite, poses a severe threat to the security and sovereignty of Nigeria.
He also declared that Iran, which according to him, is the sponsor of Shiite, is the “Nigeria’s number one enemy. Testifying before the judicial commission of inquiry investigating the December 12-14, 2015 clashes between the movement and the Nigerian army in Zaria, he stated that the IMN thrives on violence, that the group operates a state within a state.

Giving further details about how the IMN operates, Mahdi said: “Generally they operate in cells, in complete secrecy, the cells are spread across many parts of the country, especially in Northern Nigeria. “There is a kind of Central Working Committee which frequently meets under the leadership of El-Zakzaky. At the state level, each state has a governor and a secretariat. At the central and the state levels, they have committees such as education, finance, recruitment, and logistics. They have well-organized training programmes, especially for the training of cadets and different categories of the militia.

“Shiite propaganda gave the youths false hope regarding their future that the emergence of an alternative government in Nigeria was imminent- a Shiite government under the control of Zakzaky.” He added that the activities of Shiite have serious security threat to the stability and integrity of Nigeria. They constitute a security threat to all communities they are found.

This is a group that said it is non-violent. This is also a group that goes around town peddling false rumours in the most despicable manner by releasing a fictitious list of people killed in an attempt to gain public sympathy. But the irony is that this gimmick does not fool Nigerians. They want the world to believe that they are indeed victims of the state, while in truth, the state is the victim of their nefarious activities.

I can go on non-stop on this group that has vowed to overrun the military in a day. On the same group that has continued to push through their activities for the disintegration of Nigeria. When you don’t respect the rights of others, you subject others to many forms of human rights violations because they don’t belong to your sect, and you expect that others should have regards for you? He who goes to equity must go with clean hands.

They must respect the rights of other Nigerians. Nigeria is a sovereign country regardless of what their sponsors Iran have made them believe. This is just common-sense. If you don’t want others to live in peace, don’t expect to live in peace also. It is tit for tat. And I know for a fact that IMN is just an instrument for destabilization. Their antics would and cannot stand the test of time because Nigerians are enlightened and abreast of their activities. This propaganda would not work.


Murphy a security expert wrote from Calabar, Cross River State.

Stop acting like PR firm of the PDP, Christian group tells CAN

The Concerned Christian Forum has urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to stop ridiculing the Christian faith with its political utterances.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, national coordinator of the group, Elder. James Amedu said any attempt to politicize Christendom in the days leading to the 2019 election should be resisted.

Amedu accused the CAN of delving into politics and issuing utterances that run contrary to the Christian creed. He said something of the utterance depicts the CAN as working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to him, some of the CAN leaders have desecrating their pulpits by campaigning for certain candidates under the pretext that they are relaying God’s voice.

He said they should desist from abusing their position to muddle the waters by making their own political convictions to appear as something coming from their spirituality.

He said, "We will like to refresh memories to this time four years ago on the approach to the 2015 General Elections. It was a period that the Christian faith was ridiculed repeatedly because the then CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, reduced the association into the outsourced PR firm of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Things got so bad that CAN was practically dragged into a gun running scandal in South-Africa."

He said many Nigerians are burdened that Christendom is being politicised in the country by the leadership of CAN.

He said, "the current CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle, would have sought direction from Holy Spirit before again dragging the association into politics.

"we made this assertion for the following reasons: The reactions from the public discourse space is that Rev Dr Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle and the team that visited President Buhari are playing “approach the highest bidder” game in which they are making themselves visible as a force to reckon with so that the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar can approach them with his monetary bid to take sides with him. This is most unfortunate as CAN is rapidly being dragged back to the Oritsejafor era with all the damages likely to be done to the Christian Faith.

"The CAN team overreached itself and plodded into territories with which it is not familiar. They, for instance, asked that Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Leader of the Shiites, Malam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky should be released from detention. People are now asking if CAN leaders are supportive of the kind of theft that Dasuki engaged in or that they are continuing the legacy of the immediate past leadership of CAN, which was unclothed in bed with Dasuki.

"The aspect of the security chiefs having overstayed their welcome is one that we find dangerous because of how it can be interpreted to cause the collapse of Christendom should the same be applied to us. Let us not forget that there is a Corporate Governance Code by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria that was issued on October 17, 2016 which would have ended the eternal tenure of some those that are making this call. They found it outrageous that they could be told to serve limited term yet they are accusing Service Chiefs of having overstayed their tenure when they have not been four years in office. It will be interesting to see how the CAN leadership will react if the Corporate Governance Code is applied to confirm they have overstayed their own tenure in their various churches.

2019: Group Slams Atiku, Says Policy Document Half-truth, Full Of Empty Promises

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership (TICP) has described the policy document of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as half-baked and a package of empty promises.

The group said after a careful analysis by its team of policy experts drawn from, it was unanimously agreed that the policy document lacks any meaningful development template for the Nigerian state.

Steven Onwu, national president of the group, said the promises made by the PDP candidate in the policy document should not be taken seriously as he cannot fulfill any of them.

The group wondered why Atiku, who was at the helms of affairs between 1999-2007 is just coming up with his policy document.

He said said at a press conference that "The first observation in the said policy document is the reference to 2025 as its date of actualization of its set out objectives. While it is curious to state that the Nigerian Constitution provides for a four-year tenure for elected officials, (2019-2023) the insistence on 2025 is an indication that the said document a mirage and one not in tune with reality.

"The policy document also stated the intent to “sell all four national refineries, and cut corporate income tax to be one of the lowest in Africa.” It also stated plans to “expand oil and gas reserves and boost upstream and downstream production.” But, it was silent on how this was going to be achieved given the fact that it was going to sell all four refineries.

"The document was also silent on the alternatives when the refineries are sold. It was also silent on how the process of the sale of the refineries. At this point, we are constrained to add that we might be returning to the era of the Privatisation of Government. Recall that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai while testifying before an ad hoc Senate committee investigating the privatization and commercialization of government businesses from 1999 till date, stated that Atiku Abubakar, may have influenced the sales of government enterprises to his friends while he superintended over the Privatisation programme of the Federal Government.

"The New Initiative for Credible Leadership is also alarmed that in all the issues raised, not a single mention was harped on how to strengthen the institutional framework to reduce waste and corruption in the system. While we assume this is deliberate, it smacks a mockery of the entirety of the document.

"The PDP Presidential Candidate also contradicted himself when he promised amongst other things to crash the price of petroleum products to between N87-N97. While this negates the deregulation of the downstream oil sector that he promised in his policy documents, it also raised a red flag on how the government under Atiku Abubakar would be able to dictate or set a template for petroleum prices when such is usually dictates by demand and supply as standard in a free market setting.

"On the critical security sector, it was observed that the only meaningful sentence was the decentralization of our security agencies. While this might sound absurd, it raises vital questions bordering on implementation templates.

"It also refuses to address how the government would ensure the security of lives and properties of all Nigerians regardless of their status. Instead, it went on a wild goose chase.

"The New Initiative for Credible Leadership is therefore alarmed that the policy document of the PDP Presidential aspirant does not meet up with its set yardstick on leadership that would translate the hopes and aspirations into tangible realities.

"The worrisome aspect is the fact that the PDP Presidential candidate has operated at the highest level of governance in the country (1999-2007) and still cannot come up with a policy document worth its name.

"It is, therefore, our opinion that the policy document is a congregation of half-truths. And only a clever by half document."

In Defence of Gov. el-Rufai Against Obi

By Molokwu Bonaventure

Since former Anambra state Gov. Mr. Peter Obi was nominated the running mate of the 2019 PDP Presidential standard-bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, so much meaningless noise is spurred by his candidature. What is more worrisome is the exhumation or somewhat re-appraisal of his eight years tenure as Governor as imagined stamp of his splendor.

Also, Obi’s admirers feel he is unblemished and spotless. So, there is the desperate attempts to equate the administration of Nigeria, with Obi’s governing of his state. Irrationally, Obi’s whatever perceived perfection as Governor is lifted and imposed wholesale as his anticipated success in leadership of Nigeria, if his party ever wins the presidential ballot at all.

Obi’s acolytes foist a provoking angelic portrait on him from this conviction. But it is far from the truth. While serving as Anambra Governor, Obi exhibited the known and cherished arbitrariness peculiar to some Nigerian leaders. The idea of painting him with saintly sentiments is therefore extremely faulty.

Therefore, it was not out of context for Kaduna state Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai to punch at one of his numerous innate flaws, when he branded Peter Obi a tribal bigot. It understandably provoked the ire of his minions, but did not necessarily obliterate the truth.

Gov. el-Rufai twitted on Friday November 9, 2018 that former Governor Peter Obi surprisingly justified on national media his detention by the SSS in a hotel for 48 hours in 2014 under the pretext that ”El-Rufai has no business being in Anambra State as it is not Katsina State!”

And trust el-Rufai who leaves nothing to chance. He sued the SSS for unlawful detention and got awarded a N4 million damages. The aftermath justification of the act by Peter Obi was irrelevant.

But it chills to the marrow that a leader of Peter Obi’s status failed to see the unlawful infringement on the fundamental human right of a Nigerian, evident in unlawful restriction of freedom. Obi never saw it a nightmare on the victim simply because he (Obi) subscribes to the theory of ethnic supremacy, is to say the least, unfortunate.

So, what completely tainted Obi’s nationalistic posture and rubbished his reputation was the conspicuous imputation of a clannish slant as reflected in the phrase that Anambra state is not Katsina State. It betrayed Obi intention and why he swore never to appreciate el-Rufai’s plight over the unlawful incarceration.

If Gov. el-Rufai is presumed to have committed an offence, he is solely answerable to it, as prescribed by Nigerian laws. It does not extend to any member of his ancestral lineage or make them complicit. One can imagine what Peter Obi had on his mind when he mouthed this negative profiling of an entire state or tribe on account of his hatred of one person from the region. He demonized the people of Katsina state and probably, the entire North to satisfy his tribalistic ego.

Nigerians hate to be reminded of their sordid past and unpardonable blunders. Whatever interpretation or perception of Gov. el-Rufai nursed by Obi in this instance had antecedents. It only manifested on a prominent figure like el-Rufai to fascinate national attention. Obi’s intolerance of Northerners, especially, the Hausa/Fulani folks is legendary.

As serving Governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi allegedly made life hellish for the Hausa community in his state. The mosque at Onitsha was allegedly demolished on his orders and when the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III came visiting, he also snubbed him.

Obi’s draconian measures against Northerners, and ethnic bias in the Onitsha bridge head clean-up, where Hausa petty traders were targeted, forced them out of the state en masse. He knows himself as an unrepentant ethnic bigot.

Today, faced with the reality of a playback of the wretched events and payback time for yesterday’s wrong steps, Peter Obi impulsively denies everything. But when you recall his stereotyping of the Northerners in the Gov. el- Rufai’s illegal detention by the SSS, his compulsive denials are merely remedial and have failed to blend.

These actions and pronouncements’ have sold Obi out as an ethnic xenophobe, who is trapped by his own foibles. It is not enough for Peter Obi to list his security aides who were Northerners, but recline from reeling out statistics of how he patronized or empowered the Hausa community in his state, he is claiming love belatedly.

Elsewhere in the North, Igbos are patronized with appointments as coveted as Senior Special Assistants to the Governor, in addition to numerous multi-million contracts. Could it have been a bad idea for Obi to replicate same in his state?

And Northerners are not the only victims of Obi’s apartheid proclivity. As a staunch Roman Catholic faithful, Obi sees other Christians outside of the catholic fold as sinners and lesser worshippers of God Almighty.

Therefore, if today Gov. el-Rufai screams that Peter Obi is a tribal bigot, it can only be properly understood in the context of his perception of non-tribes while in Government House, Awka. It is a sharp contrast with what Gov. el-Rufai does with non-tribes domiciled in Kaduna state. He is not doing it because of the possibility of today probing Peter Obi.

He has engaged many contractors from other states, who are working for the state. Under el-Rufai, Kaduna state has non- indigenes in the holding key political appointments. But on the contrary, Obi has no such records of service to flaunt in public space when he served his tenure as Governor.

This penchant of Gov. el- Rufai has other historical examples. When he served as the FCT Minister, he never discriminated against any ethnic group, but fairly engaged all ethnicities to work for the collective development of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Peter Obi is devoid of such nationalistic tendencies. And it has been part of his life. Obi forgets easily that his chains of businesses are exclusively administered by his kinsmen; but he gets patronage from all Nigerians to stay afloat.

So, morality places a duty on him to reciprocate by patronizing other ethnic groups too. But it is innately embedded in Obi’s consciousness to despise and derogate other ethnicities in Nigeria.

Obi is a poor example of the emerging political leadership elite from the Southeast region . And to think he hails from Anambra, a state which has produced great Nigerian nationalists and stand as the cradle of Igbo identity is shameful enough.

The PDP Presidential running mate is advised to pick a cue from the likes of Gov.el-Rufai who are the younger generation of emerging leaders from the North groomed by President Muhammedu Buhari. The President has never ceased drumming it into their ears to see all Nigerians as their constituency, which should reflect in both official conduct and private lives.

For Atiku to have found favour in Peter Obi, ignoring both southeast political and traditional leadership is indication that they are in perfect accord on this score. It’s obvious that if leaders like Atiku/Obi with such bias idiosyncrasies’ rise to the pinnacle of Nigeria’s leadership, it beckons to unmitigated disaster. Everyone must fear for the kind of country Obi and Atiku intends to build.

The pair of Atiku/Obi know the lapses of their candidature on the discriminatory tendencies they have sustained over the years. And its clear, the ticket is being haunted by this ghost of intolerant disposition to others, which explains their constant sermons, on the imaginary division of Nigeria under the Buhari Presidency.

But if they have failed to chain their bigoted convictions at the lower rungs of leadership, is it possible to effect same on the larger Nigeria? Nigeria must rise up to defend their country against ethnic champions, who are stealthily plotting to snatch and destroy their unity and oneness.

Molokwu is a public affairs commentator based in Lagos.

Buhari: Workers’ New Bride

By Okanga Agila

To most Nigerians, the approval of a new National Minimum Wage (NNW) by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was unexpected. The time is very auspicious, much as it is relieving.

It was a surprise package as most workers never anticipated it. This is garnered from the reality that Nigeria has just recovered from recession. It silenced critics of the administration who never imagined, it was possible.

But hate or love him; you can even denigrate him, whichever way possible, it does not alter his compassion for poor Nigerians. Buhari remains a President with enviable welfarist proclivity and an abiding passion for the comfort of the less privileged Nigerians. His pleasant shock of Nigerian civil servants with the new pay package is just one of his numerous ways of silently saying,“I wish you lived better lives than what obtains.”

A genuine and true leader is judged by the fruits of his actions. He does not make propaganda a companion, but he is inextricably tethered to actions. And modalities are already being worked out for the immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage including a legislative instrument to make it a law.

Perhaps, those still shocked by this reality have no clue to the leadership focus and persona of President Buhari. Or they have forgotten about his antecedents so soon.

Any keen observer of Nigerian leaders would readily attest to their reluctance in tackling issues around workers welfare. They hate with a passion in signing salaries and pensions cheques. They casually sign fictitious contracts in billions of naira, but agonize to endorse salary bills.
But President Buhari has justified in words and action to be a remarkable departure from self-serving leaders who have found themselves in the corridors of power. The new National Minimum wage is yet another testimony.

Last year, the President was livid with State Governors who were still swimming in salaries and pensions indebtedness. When he met a delegation of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) led by Zamfara state Governor Abdullaziz Yari in the Presidential Villa, he bemoaned the plight of the Nigerian worker caused by non-payment of salaries so emotionally thus; “How can anyone go to bed and sleep soundly when workers have not been paid their salaries for months? I actually wonder how the workers feed their families, pay their rents and even pay school fees for their children.’’

A potent source of Mr. President’s unquenchable anger against the preceding administration is not so much about Nigeria’s squandered and looted commonwealth in the era of boom. But it is to the extent they also piled salaries and pensions debts, the least, any government can sacrifice for her people.

By May 2015, when President Buhari took over the reins of leadership, no fewer than 28 states of the federation out of 36 states were plunged into salaries and pensions debts, which ran into months and billions of naira. Federal civil servants were also not spared the menace of unpaid salaries and pensions. Despair, hunger poverty and misery defined the life of an average Nigerian under such embarrassing conditions.

President Buhari could not bear the sight of famished Nigerians ravaged by unpaid salary-induced hunger. He sourced funds from the Excess Crude account; LNG funds and a CBN loan and released a total of N1.2 trillion as bailout to states to defray backlog of salaries and pensions.

Thereafter, this Presidency also approved and disbursed three tranches of Paris Club refunds to all states of the federation. And at every instance, Buhari cares to counsel that it is meant to assist state governors clear inherited salary debts and the fresh ones they have accumulated.

Besides and on the same issue of salary debts, President Buhari has also approved countless budget support loans and grants to states of the federation. A number of states have freed themselves from the burden of unpaid salaries and pensions.

But other state governors have stubbornly refused to properly and judiciously utilize these interventions from the Presidency to put smiles on the faces of suffering Nigerian workers. But Nigerian workers are not deceived. They know it’s their respective governors who have held them captive. They testify to President Buhari’s unfaltering commitment to payment of salaries and pensions.

Since President Umaru Yar’Adua increased minimum wage to N18, 000, it is exactly 10 years today. But no political leader of Nigeria has ever again thought it necessary to review workers’ pay package until now.

Meanwhile, politicians holding leadership positions increase their emoluments and allowances almost every year. Workers have always been the weeping child. It explains why they are commending the President for the bold step to console them.

President Buhari has left no one in doubt that the wealth of Nigeria is for the masses of Nigeria, as against the prevailing practice where a few members of the ruling class corner everything for themselves and their families. It explains why his administration has reinstated federal workers, whose appointments were unjustly terminated.

In addition, Federal civil servants now enjoy promotions, which were stalled for years and the perks paid accordingly. If there is jubilation in the camp of staff of the defunct NITEL, its because the President knows they are human beings, with families, who deserves to live like any other Nigerian. And so, he cleared all their monetary entitlements deliberately held hostage for years.

Many other categories of federal workers and pensioners neglected in the past are chanting songs of glory to Almighty God and President Buhari in the euphoria of the solace of paid entitlements, which have redefined their lives courtesy of Mr. President’s non-segregatory policy of prioritizing workers welfare.

As the new National Minimum Wage knocks on the door soonest, workers in the states must remain vigilant to ensure further grants to state governors for the new pay package as not diverted as usual. Nigerians must be brave and courageous enough to hold their leaders accountable.

State Governors who would fail to implement the new wage should not feed workers with stale excuses because President Buhari would certainly do his bit. Subsisting federal accruals to state would be upped to accommodate the new approved national minimum wage.

Nigerian workers are appreciative of a President who sleeps and dreams about improved working conditions and conducive environment for the Nigerian worker. So, both at the federal and state levels, Buhari is feted as the newest and most beautiful bride of workers who have pledged to keep supporting him in this arduous task of redeeming Nigeria from the fangs of internal colonizers.

Okanga wrote in from Agila, Benue State

Atiku and The Restructuring Agenda: The New Deal

By Segun Jones

“Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink; a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom” – Eccl 10 vs 1.

The restructuring agenda of Atiku Abubakar despite the growing design of fears by some hatchet men and paid political pundits to shut down the restructuring debate without any visible alternative while the nation and her wealth are being plummeted and diverted into private wallets unlike never before and narrow it down to the 2019 power struggle by Atiku Abubakar is an unnecessary misgiving.

Although, many genuine political analysts have sincere concerns over restructuring, the merits of the political discourse as it affects the development course of the nation and her people outweighs the apprehensive interpretations given to it as an attempt to divide the country.
Atiku’s true federalism under the restructuring arrangement would be free of prejudices and fears of domination, because as it were, each state would develop at its own pace using the intellectual capacity of her people to drive the process.

It is a fact that some of those who are against the restructuring agenda of Atiku Abubakar believed that although, Nigeria’s glorious era was achieved under a restructured nation by the tripod that held the nation together at that time, namely; Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello, yet; due to political gulf, they have refused to embrace reason. The great strides under this tripod were accomplished under a negotiated regional arrangement that set the pace for the development of each region. It was the era of groundnut pyramid in Kano, the boom era in Cocoa trading in the South West and the rubber and oil plantations in the East were effectively developed for economic gains.

Today, the gains of that era have been frittered away by political gigolos and economic vampires covering themselves with dubious aliases while they perfected the annihilation of the economic gains of a people within a decade of their so called ‘intervention to save the nation’, as well as their demonic democratic antecedents. This generation is guilty of this wastage, nevertheless; a rescue mission is what we craved for. Therefore, it is in order to support the Atiku Restructuring Agenda to chart a new course for a people alienated from global development train in the midst of enormous God-given natural and human blessings!

The concept of restructuring is not about disunion or multiplicity, it is better understood as the intellectual mechanism that deactivates the pessimism attached to division or diversity; through the commitment of every citizen to a common goal for the growth of their community at their own pace and intellectual knowledge process.

Let us take for example, for the purpose of this discourse the case of Osun State where the government under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola could not afford to pay over 13 months salary of its workers despite the fact that over 10% of the world black market in gold comes from the state!
Could this be true, you may ask. Yes, it is indeed the truth but the damning aspect of it is that there is nothing the state could do to tap into this business legitimately to develop at the speed of light due to the grip of the federal government over mineral resources. There is bitumen in Ondo, Nickel has been discovered in Southern Kaduna. It is the same everywhere across the country, but the states are incapacitated because of federal government directives.

The Atiku Restructuring Agenda would liberate this grip to give each state access to their wealth and use them to develop at their own leap. That is the beauty of his restructuring agenda. It is a win, win situation whereby certain percentage of each state’s earnings would be contributed to the center for national development. One of the core issues antagonists of restructuring are quick to condemn is the issue of state policing. My understanding of Atiku’s restructuring agenda as regards state police is that, it is driven towards curtailing crime and criminality from the local level. It is obvious that there is absolutely no crime committed within any locality without additional information from criminals residing within.

The Atiku Restructuring Agenda is aimed at reducing drastically this menace because the security operatives in each locality are familiar with the people, hence; information would always be at the tip of their fingers. The fear of the unknown as being exhibited by the adversaries of state policing is not uncommon under the current federal arrangement. It is not uncommon to read from the dailies or see footages on the social media nowadays of hired assassins engaged by political opponents to kill or maim political foes from one state to another.

A situation whereby criminals unleash terror on a neighborhood and it took the police over an hour to respond to a distress call because they were purportedly waiting for an order from the above leaves a sour taste in the mouth! Under a State Police arrangement, each state would look after their own and more support, adequate equipment and quality welfare package would boost the morale of men and women in line of duty to perform their duty as at when due. We can go on and on about the gains of Atiku Abubakar’s proposed restructuring drive.

However, for political neophytes and die-hard fans of contenders of restructuring under the current administration, hear this. The recent narrative by the Vice President, the Pastor turned politician, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on his victories at the Courts while serving as the Attorney General of Justice in Lagos state over the seizure of Lagos state monthly disbursement under the Obasanjo regime as a knock for the current move by Atiku Abubakar, the Vice President at that time against restructuring was misplaced.

My understanding of what the governor of Lagos state at that time, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Lagos born political juggernaut intended to do was not restructuring as attested to by many events after the political brouhaha that followed. It was allegedly an attempt to create more ATM centers whereby the cabal in the state at that time can pick up their monthly allowances in addition to the existing posts, that is; the 20 local councils on ground. Olusegun Obasanjo was aware of this dramatic move by Tinubu and company and he vehemently denied them. Nonetheless, the law they say, is an ass!

By Segun Jones
National Coordinator
Atiku Abubakar Volunteers
Member, Eastern Union

When will the NASS ask Buhari to sack his wife?

By Philip Agbese

The National Assembly – Senate and House of Representatives – are persisting in their season of delusion. They continue to have an over bloated sense of the powers the Constitution confers on the legislature. Much as it is the arm of government with the most power, being direct representatives of the people just like the President who was voted by every Nigerian, the dubiousness and sheer ineptitude in the conduct of their affairs has made mockery of what the hallowed legislature is meant to be.
The latest in the errant direction chosen by these people paid on public fund is to chasing ghosts as evident in the shabby attempt to indict the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo of illegally approving N5.9 billion in disaster relief funding. Being the gentleman that he is, the Vice President took time to address the ignorance of the members that cooked up the misleading report.

But they had, in an attempt to get at the Presidency, aimed further down the hierarchy at those that answer to the Presidency. The report for instance demanded for the sack of the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Engineer Mustapha Maihaja. They brought a comical perspective into their report when they asked that employees of the agency that were suspended after being indicted for corruption be reinstated – that gives an indication into what else motivates them other than a morbid hatred of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo.

There is a long list of other heads of agency that the lawmakers have asked the President to sack. Ibrahim Magu of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission comes to mind same as Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police. The Service Chiefs have not been spared as the lawmakers at some point made the demand for their sack their raison d'être. They had at some point come even lower to ask for the sack of Jimoh Moshood as spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force.

In between using their oversight function as a blackmail tool to shake down public office holders and abusing their sacred office to witch hunt President Buhari, they practically investigated every single head of agency looking for a smoking gun to pursue the impeachment notice they never get around to drafting. The only person to have escaped their angst is the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari.

With the fact that they are fast running short of options – those they have investigated refused to play ball – it is a matter of time they will investigate Aisha Buhari. It will be interesting to see what indictment they will bring against her. She could be guilty of being the wife of the president – guilt by association. She could be guilty of not being flamboyant enough; guilty of not spending enough money or spending too much money; guilty of not supporting her husband enough especially with her occasional criticisms. Just any accusation will do so far as it targets someone connected to the President.

But Aisha Buhari definitely cannot continue to be the only one yet to be investigated by a National Assembly that has become the police and the law court in addition to its statutory role of law-making and oversight function. When the lawmakers are done investigating her, they will in their tradition, indict her of anything they fancy and come to the inevitable recommendation that President Buhari must sack her before they will consider the 2019 Budget. So just when will the National Assembly ask President Buhari to sack his wife?

It is the pattern they have adopted. It is the strategy they want to use with NEMA by demanding for Maihaja’s sack – it is a matter of time before they go off the cliff and even ask for Vice President Osinbajo’s sack. It is a matter of anything to create distraction for the executive arm.

This obsession proves they are the problem as opposed to the solution they are presenting themselves to be. As eloquently articulated in Professor Osinbajo’s response to their fictitious report, NEMA was able to act in the interest of displaced persons and disaster victims, who would have practically starved under the method they are proposing. Even with the acceleration of the intervention, due process was still followed to ensure that all the relevant stakeholders made the input necessary. Perhaps these are technicalities that the lawmakers would never be able to comprehend for as long as they are fixated on making money and exacting their pound of flesh from the Presidency.

The same way President Buhari has looked beyond lie mongering to retain the best hands he has on board is the way he must not be drawn into taking knee jerking reactions to the House Report, which would be falling into the trap they have in mind for him. If he sacks Maihaja the next thing the lawmakers will ask for is the sack of the Vice President and finally the President himself – all based on the report of an investigation that was not even transparently held in the open.

Agbese is a researcher in Human Rights Law based in the United Kingdom.

House of Representatives Report of Contradictions

By Gabriel Ikese

The House of Representatives last Thursday adopted at plenary, a report of its Committee on Emergency and Preparedness Response, chaired by Hon. Ali Isa from Gombe State.

The report indicted the governing Board of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), under the statutory supervision of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, over an alleged illegal approval of N5.8billion Northeast intervention fund. The House also recommended the dismissal of the Director General, NEMA over the utilization of N33.5billion emergency intervention fund for the agency.

However, a closer look at the report, show that it is full of contradictions, arrogance and smacks of mischief. It is a comprehensive package of lies dubiously cooked up as campaign of calumny to spite the Presidency and smear the good name and reputation of the Vice President of the Federal Republic.

Obviously, the report and it's content is politically motivated and deliberately designed to rubbish the war on corruption and distract the Presidency from consolidating on its rising profile and support of the people towards the 2019 general elections.

NEMA, in a swift reaction to the confabulated conjectures from the House of Representatives on Thursday, rejected outrightly the report, saying some of the conclusions arrived at did not reflect the facts and documents placed before the House Committee by the Agency.

Many Nigerians that are conversant with the developments in NEMA also expressed shock over the hasty conclusions by the committee on the issue, which did not reflect, in absolute term, the facts and reality on ground at the agency.

But reflecting on the antecedent of the National Assembly and its battered reputations, it is not entirely a surprise that the Green Chambers could do such a shoddy job of this nature. It is obvious that the existing political acrimony between the Executive and Legislature has frustrated their sense of reasoning.

A bunch that is sufficiently debased in morals with high appetite for financial lucre could sell their conscience for a plate of porridge. No discerning minds will doubt as to the extent to which our members of parliament can behave and blackmail anyone that fails to play ball as usual. It is a recurring decimal in the NASS that is very worrisome and remains a disgrace to our democracy.

Record has it that several of the legislative committees, particularly in the Lower Chambers, have been charged with losing sight of their duty of disinterestedness. In times of political passion, dishonest or vindictive motives are readily attributable to legislative conducts, which is repugnant to common sense.

Cases abound in the time past, at the House of Representatives which includes the Hon. Hemba Hembe Committee on SEC; Hon. Elelumelu Committee on Power and Hon. Faruk Lawan Committee on the downstream sector, among others. Reports rendered by these committees were badly dented with rotten ooze of dishonesty and lacking in substance.

The despicable action of the House of Representatives is instigated by the tension of the aggressive war on corruption embarked upon by President Muhammadu Buhari led government. President Buhari is reputed for his awful disdain and zero tolerance for corruption, and he has vowed to fight corruption that has eaten deep into the fabric of this country.

Some individuals in high places and politicians whose hands are soiled in dubious and sharp practices are jittery and getting agitated as the fight inches closer to their doorsteps. And for fear of prosecution, these elements are bent on frustrating the war on grafts. It is rather shameful and unfortunate that the House of Representatives could offer themselves as willing vessels to thwart efforts of government at dealing with the monster in full throttle. It is a plague that has stagnated growth and development in Nigeria for too long.

The atrocious misdemeanor in context occurred on the watch of the former Director General of NEMA and was left unchecked. Alh. Mustapha Maihaja came on board as the new Director General with loads of integrity and honest disposition. He could not tolerate the rots that seems pervasive in the agency under his watch and immediately deployed strategies to cleanse the system. Maihaja brought in the EFCC to interrogate the rot.

The EFCC investigations led to indictment of the former DG and some senior staff of NEMA who are culpable and recommended their immediate suspension to the governing board of the agency with Vice President Yemi Osibanjo as Chairman. In line with the letter of the constitution and in obedience to the rule of law, the Board suspended the affected officers at the instance of the EFCC.

Prof. Osibanjo is a man with impeccable character and integrity. He is an erudite Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who know his onions in the business of law. With his standing in law, he cannot act in ultra vires to statutory provisions and his approval for the suspension of the indicted officers is consistent with the spirit of the law.

However, from available reports, it is clear that the House is on a political witch-hunt, and the target is to smear the person of the Vice President. But unfortunately for them, it is a mission in futility as Osibanjo’s uprightness and honesty have never by subjected to any doubt in all his assigned duties as Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, Vice President and Acting President. His credible reputation always precedes him.

The Presidency suspected this iniquitous and fallacious contraption would be the outcome of the Ali Isa-led committee when it invited the Vice President to appear before it on why the six directors of NEMA who were indicted were suspended. It is either the Committee was blind to, or intentionally ignored the fact that the suspension was clearly based on an investigation conducted by the EFCC. The presidency considers the invitation as an affront to its anti-corruption campaign and a plot to frame up Osibanjo ahead of the 2019 polls.

It beats every sense of imaginations that suspended directors who are under investigation could go to the House committee for succour rather than the courts. The committee would have waited for the outcome of the ongoing investigation by the EFCC who is statutorily empowered to carry out such exercise on criminal issues. That is the right thing to do.

Nonetheless, it is appalling that the committee would collude with the dirty officers to stop EFCC from performing its lawful duties. The directors indicted used the House of Representatives to cover their tracks in a bid to distort facts and context of the case to truncate investigation by the EFCC. It is a clear case of corruption fighting back.

The affected directors are not happy with the disposition of the Director General and are in cahoot with the House Committee to link the current leadership to the crimes they have committed. The choice was deliberate with the hope that the administration will refrain from indicting itself. So the rogue staff invested so much effort to indict Alh. Mustapha Maihaja, and the board to get at the vice president who heads the Board.

The House of Representatives clearly over stepped its bounds with the overt demonstration of dishonesty and political animosity. As broad as the power of inquiry permits in section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, it is not unlimited and absolute. The power of investigation may properly be employed only in aid of legislative function. Its outermost boundaries are marked by the power to legislate.

In principle, the power actually possessed in section 88 is limited to inquiries relating to matters of which the House has jurisdiction and in respect of which it rightfully may take binding actions. That if the inquiry relates to ‘a matter wherein relief or redress could be heard only by a judicial proceeding’, it is not within the range of this power, but must be left for the courts, conformably to constitutional separation of governmental powers.

The antics being deployed by the rogue officers to subvert the course of justice should not be allowed to derail government from its focus in fighting the ugly menace of corruption in the system. The directors should concentrate in clearing their names or establishing their innocence in the court of law. The Lower Chambers must desist from usurping the powers of the EFCC and the judiciary in the spirit of the doctrine of separation of powers.

Nigerians must condemned and renounce the criminal plot by the political coupists to unjustly drag NEMA’s current leadership with Maihaja as DG and the Vice President who chairs the Board into unnecessary politicization of a normal probe by the anti-graft agency. There is no wisdom in the direction being bandied in public domain, whereas preliminary investigations by the EFCC have substantially pointed to the leadership of the former NEMA DG and some directors who have since been identified.

Ikese writes from Jos

Boko Haram: CSO Commends Nigerian Army’s Effort In Tackling Insurgency

A human rights group, Coalition for Truth and Justice has commended the gallantry of troops of the Nigerian Army battling the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast, saying the terrorists are on their way to irrelevance.

The group in a statement by its national coordinator, Barrister Charles Timothy said the army has continued to rout the terrorists albeit with the occasional sacrifice to the fatherland.

He therefore charged the troops to ensure that the winning spirit does not depart from them, stressing that for the sake of the innocent population in the north east, the recent acts of valour in Yobe state where they overpowered the terrorists and killed many of them, must be sustained.

According to Timothy, last week’s attack on Katarko village in Yobe state falls into a new pattern of Boko Haram targeting military outposts in the erroneous belief that it would deter troops that are going after them as part of mop up operations.

He said, "Attacking in Yobe is meant to undermine the well-established fact that the insurgency is not contained within Borno state and spilling over its boundaries to attempt making statements with attacks on military outposts will do nothing to change the geographical area over which the terrorists are able to play their hide and seek since they are not in a position to frontally challenge the military.

"The fact that the terrorists are now focusing on military outpost is indication that they are under pressure to change the kind of crimes they commit in the growing desperation to remain relevant by continuing to be in the news through sporadic hit and run attacks.

"the intensity with which the members of the group shared and promoted video clips from the said incidents in Yobe state indicate that the recent attacks by the Boko Haram terrorists is an attempt to recover what they perceived as their lost glory, something that the Nigerian Army must continue to deny them.

"The Army must continue to hold the line and ensure this bloodthirsty group does not come anywhere near the level of insurrection it carried out three months to the elections of 2015 since the goal is for the terrorists to be able to produce such situation for their political patrons to cite. The pattern seen with recent events is that there are people waiting to argue that Boko Haram has resurged to its fourth quarter 2014 destructiveness in the bid to accuse the present government of having failed in a key electoral promise."

Flood: Assessment Team Hails NEMA DG, Maihaja Over Proactive Interventions, Transparency

The Policing Nigeria Awareness Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation has hailed the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Mustapha Maihaja for his proactive intervention on disasters in the country.

PNAI gave the verdict after a recent tour of selected states that were affected by heavy flooding in the country .

Presenting the report of the tour on behalf of the organisation on Thursday, HRH Amb. Egbe Akparakwu Adun, Team Leader/National Coordinator specifically hailed the NEMA DG for a high sense of transparency and accountability in their entire operations.

The report reads in full:

The Policing Nigeria Awareness Initiative mobilized a 20-man committee of Non-Governmental Organisations on a tour of the states affected by flooding. The research was hinged on putting side by side, the effects of the floods and the various initiatives by NEMA towards cushioning the impact of the floods.

Methodology:

The 20-man committee of Non-Governmental organizations went round the affected committees in the affected states for on the spot assessment of the situation on the ground and the efforts of NEMA towards mitigating the effects of the disaster in the affected areas.

The team visited the various camps set up by NEMA, as well as the different relief materials that were distributed to victims of the flooding.

Findings:

1. Farmlands and other properties were submerged in twelve states in Nigeria. In Edo State, constant downpour across the state flooded no fewer than 35 communities in Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial districts, rendering the people homeless. Most of the affected communities are on the bank of River Nigeria.

2. In Edo Central, mainly Esan South-East LGA, the flood wreaked untold destruction in four of the ten wards, particularly, communities which included Illushi to Ifeku Islands and the surrounding environs. Others communities affected include Illushi Oji, Oji Ozigono, Oji Awenje, Ajobe, Ajabutu, Owoli, Iyegbi and Ukpodo and other areas where no fewer than 8,000 households were affected, and thousands of hectares of farmland washed off.

3. In Delta state, no fewer than 106 communities were submerged in the flood menace. The homes of residents of Aika and Abala-Oshimili, coastal communities in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, were submerged.

4. In Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State, the following towns were affected Some of the communities in Anambra West Local government area are, Umuikwu Anam, Umudora Anam, Oroma Etiti Anam, Umueme Anam, Umueze Anam, Umuoba Anam, Mmiata Anam, Iyiora Anam, Nzam, Olumbanasa Ward 1 and Ward 2 and Ukwalla.

5. In Kano state, at least eight local government areas were affected by floods caused by heavy rain. The worst hit area is Kiru Local Government Area.

6. In Kogi State, several communities were also affected that saw scores of homes and farmland affected. 13 out of the 21 Local Government areas in the state.

7. The situation was also the same in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states, where scores were displaced and rendered homes.

Observations:

The team observed that in all the communities visited there was the presence of NEMA officials as well as other ad-hoc workers coordinating resettlements initiatives. The group also noted that most of the affected communities were around the riverine areas, which difficult terrain.

The team also observed the near absence of foreign and local donor agencies regarding complementing the efforts of the federal government and by extension NEMA. In states that were worse hit, there was no presence of foreign or local humanitarian organizations. But for NEMA officials who were seen coordinating activities.

The team also observed that the mechanism put in place for the distribution of relief materials by NEMA were effective.

It was also observed that the NEMA displayed a high sense of transparency and accountability in their entire operations.

Recommendations:

• After a careful analysis of the situation on the ground, it was unanimously agreed that the report of our findings be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President, Prof, Yemi Osinbajo

• It is also recommended that a mechanism is developed by the relevant stakeholders towards ensuring that foreign and local humanitarian organizations enter a strategic partnership with NEMA in the future in an attempt to ease the financial burden on the government in times of emergencies.

• It was also recommended that a special commendation is given to the numerous NEMA officials that dot the nook and cranny of the affected communities.

Conclusion:

• The team commends the efforts of NEMA in mitigating the flooding in the country that ultimately resulted in low casualty figures.

• It is suggested that for future purposes proper information dissemination which was helpful in the recent exercise can be deepened through states and local government offices of NEMA, SEMA, and LEMA to help the people.

• It was indeed obvious the NEMA did carry out sensitization of the impending disaster

• The team also commends the timely release of funds by the federal government in mitigating the effect of the flooding. While this commendable, it is also advocated that the federal government should release more funds in an attempt towards ensuring that no stone is left unturned. And even the resettlement of other Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) to their various communities.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has expressed shock over the findings and ultimate conclusion of the House Committee on Emergency and Preparedness Response.

The House Reps passed a vote of no confidence on Mr Mustapha Maihaja during Thursday's plenary over allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds.

The emergency agency, however, were left bemoaned by the Ali Isa-led committee whose report, they claim, didn't correlate with the actual documents.

NEMA spokesperson, Sani Datti, cleared the air in a press release on Thursday night.

Below is the full statement: 

"The House of Representatives, at its sitting aired live on Nigerian Television Authority received the Report of the House Committee on Emergency and Preparedness Response on the alleged violation of public trust against the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

"We were shocked to hear about some of the findings and conclusions presented by the Committee on the issues, which did not reflect the facts and documents placed before it by NEMA. While we shall in due course be making a more comprehensive response to all the recommendations of the Committee , it is most important to clarify the following:

"On the Port Clearance and Transportation of Emergency Food Assistance by Chinese Government, the Federal Government received a total of 6,779MT of Rice for IDPs in the North East as donation by the Chinese Government. This amounted to 271 containers, which arrived Apapa Ports between June and October 2017.

"The processes of securing duty exemption, waivers and other related issues took several months, but the total quantity was subsequently cleared from the Apapa Port, transported and delivered to NEMA warehouses in the North East. It was thereafter distributed to the IDPs in the States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe. Documents on the transaction, including distribution to the IDPs were made available to the Committee.

"The correct total value of the rice is about N2.25 Billion (50 Million Chinese Yuan) and the amount spent on clearing, demurrage and storage was about N450 Million, not the N800 Million as alleged by the Committee.

"On EFCC Investigation of the suspended staff of NEMA, the suspension of the Six (6) NEMA officers was a decision of Its Governing Council based on the Interim Report of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which indicted them for financial misappropriation. The suspension was in line with Public Service Rules and the extant Guidelines on Appointment, Promotion and Discipline.

"On the approval of N1.6 billion granted by the Federal Government for the Procurement and Delivery of Relief Items to 16 States affected by Flood in 2017, due process was observed in the procurement of the relief items and all items meant for the 16 states were received and acknowledged by respective State Governments. Documents evidencing the acknowledgement of the items were made available to the House Committee.

"On the Federal Government Emergency Food Intervention in the North East (EFINE), EFINE was a project implemented by a Presidential Committee comprising of relevant Ministries and Agencies of Government in response to the threat of hunger and starvation in the North Ease as reported by the agencies of Government on the ground, which was corroborated by the United Nations in April 2017. All approvals were secured in accordance with due process, while the Committee and the UN World Food Programme worked collaboratively in the sourcing and distribution of the food items. The originating memorandum on the project was submitted by NEMA on 2 June 2017 for Presidential approval. All suppliers in EFINE were selected following due process. Copies of all relevant documents in respect of the project were made available to the House Committee.

"On the evacuation of Nigerians from Libya, the evacuation of stranded Nigerians from Libya was a multi-agency operation, which was undertaken jointly with all relevant stakeholders: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Intelligence Agency, Department of State Security, NAPTIP, National Commission for Refugees, relevant State Governments, etc. Two Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty (2,130) Nigerians were evacuated in the operation."

According to the statement, "NEMA will continue to maintain its  open-door policy and to assure all relevant stakeholders of our availability to make further clarifications on the issues raised for the benefit of the Nigerian public and the anti-corruption mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration."

Minimum Wage: Respect Court Order Stopping Strike, CSOs Warn Labour

The Network for Accountability and Transparency Crusade (NATC), has condemned in strong terms the instance of trade unions under the umbrella of NLC, TUC, and ULC, to go ahead with their proposed strike action despite court order, describing it as suspicious.

The workforce had called on Nigerians to stock their homes with food, stressing that there was no going back on their planned nationwide over the issue of minimum wage.

According to NATC,the threat by the NLC, TUC and ULC to embark on the indefinite strike if their demands were not met was a clear sabotage and unethical.

Dr. Roland Giwa, National Coordinator of the group, said NATC frowns at such disposition given the fact that it is aware that the government through the relevant agencies had indeed put forward tangible reasons why the N30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) minimum wage demanded by the labour unions was not feasible due to the precarious state of the nation’s finances.

According to him, “NATC is also aware that the government proposed an increment from the existing N18,000 to N24,000 and the labour leaders rejected it for reasons best known to them.

“We are therefore constrained to state in unequivocal terms that given the widespread speculation in some quarters that some labour leaders have held series of meetings with a former presidential candidate of Northern Extraction to insist and reject overtures from government towards an amicable resolution of the issue at hand in an attempt to cause embarrassment to the government. This is uncharitable and unpatriotic.

“The rumour mills are rife with tales of how these labour leaders have been promised a whopping $50 million should they insist and proceed with the industrial action come November 6, 2018.

“While NATC is not disposed to the business of speculations or rumours, however, the indications and evidences that there might be an element of truth in the $50 million largesse is overwhelming.


”NATC as an organization that is dedicated to accountability and transparency herby advises our labour leaders to rise above their interest by rejecting whatever overtures that have been extended to them by unscrupulous politicians that have done worse and will do worse if elected into positions of authority in Nigeria.

“This is also mindful of the fact that the organized labour should be the last group ever to disobey a valid court order in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. And as such, the intended plan to defy a valid court order should be jettisoned.

“The organized labour in Nigeria has been known to stand for truth. They have been known to protect the interest of workers in general and not a select few. At the risk of portraying the organized labour in Nigeria as a dictatorial organization, and one with contempt for the rule of law, the labour leaders at the negotiating table should not allow the smell of filthy enticement make them lose their sense of dignity and that of the millions of workers that they represent.

“The Nigerian workers have been subjected to untold hardship over the years, and to think that the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari has introduced measures towards alleviating their hardship should be commended and encouraged instead.”

Bauchi APC: Where lies Adamu Adamu’s Loyalty?

By Ahmed Adamu

It is expected that when one is called upon to serve in government or any organisation, unalloyed loyalty becomes the guiding principle. It goes without saying that commitment on the part of the servant must not only be total but also be seen to be absolutely total. Refusal to abide by this cardinal principle is a recipe for failure regardless of the collective efforts to succeed.

A disloyal appointee becomes a weak link in the chain to pull the system towards attaining the set goals. Where there is disloyalty, internal subterfuge or blatant treachery, no positive results can be achieved. For, as it is said, a house openly or covertly divided against itself can never stand.

Indeed, such a dismal scenario may well be playing out in the All Progressives Congress-led federal government as well as its numerous ministries, departments and agencies where activities of some pretenders could sabotage the system especially now that the stage is set for the 2019 general elections. Politicians are notorious for navigating their ways towards the side of the bread that is well buttered. We should not put anything past some elements who could be working covertly for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This deduction can be drawn from the private pronouncements as well as the subterranean activities of some characters that are capable of undermining the policy objectives of the government at all levels coupled with the unrestrained opposition to certain elected public officials picked as their targets as the 2019 polls beckon.

If those elected officials fail to carry out the change agenda of the present regime in their various domains, these political wolves in sheep’s clothing would only succeed in frustrating the government of the day and consequently slow down democracy gains meant for the people.

Also, by targeting and undermining elected officials, those appointees only serve to weaken their electoral base and open them up for defeat in the forthcoming 2019 polls.

One of such political appointees is the Honourable Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, whose Janus-faced antics have brought so much disunity, tension and acrimony to Bauchi state politics in particular and the Northeast geopolitical zone in general.

It is no secret that Malam Adamu was relatively unknown in the political circle in Bauchi prior to his appointment as a minister by the Buhari administration. His appointment to that critical position was a huge surprise to most political watchers and stakeholders in the state. The only credential he had was his closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari. It, therefore, goes without saying that he got the appointment not on the basis of his contributions to the socio-economic development of his home state.

In fact, the nation’s education helmsman never contested any office in the state either as a councillor, local government chairman or even state House of Assembly member not to speak of a higher position as a senator or governor.

So, it was no surprise that when he was appointed to oversee the Ministry of Education and a professor subsumed under him as minister of state, many tongues were sent wagging because many Bauchi people never knew him from Adam. It is also no wonder that the education sector has not made any meaningful progress in the past three years. As a former newspaper columnist, perhaps he would have fared better as government’s mouthpiece rather than the nation’s driver of education.

Malam Adamu’s covert activities in his state, where Barr. Mohammed Abubakar has been at the helm of affairs following his landslide victory in the 2015 elections, should be of concern to the people of the state. He is seen to have stepped into the shoes of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, who had a running battle with the incumbent governor over the control of the state’s party structure until he defected to the PDP recently. It was so quick for the proselyte to forget that the effort of the governor in ensuring the success of the party also rubbed off him in his constituency in the state during the 2015 polls.

What will anyone gain by working at cross purposes with Governor Abubakar? The action governor deserves the total support of all genuine members of the APC family in the state. Malam Adamu should, therefore, not constitute a stumbling block to the smooth execution of the governor’s policies and programmes. After all, the minister has never worked for the victory of the party in the state. So, what is the basis for playing the spoiler this time around?

By covertly joining forces with the governor’s traducers, thereby creating unprecedented disunity within the Bauchi APC and emboldening the PDP to mount an ever-increasing challenge against the APC as the 2019 polls approach, Malam Adamu could well be described as running with the hare in Abuja as a minister and hunting with the hounds in Bauchi by teaming up with those in the opposition including, Sen. Bala Muhammed.

Malam Adamu’s deep-seated envy of the unquantifiable achievements of Governor Abubakar has been taken to the most absurd level and it is abundantly clear that the minister would prefer a PDP victory in the 2019 elections for reasons best known to him. Had he been a hard core APC man at the state level ab initio, perhaps the story would have been different.

However, the entire APC family members in Bauchi state are smart enough not to fall into the delusionary and diversionary antics of the minister and have vowed to decisively humiliate him and his fellow travellers be they in the APC, PDP or wherever they may be.

Malam Adamu should have enough on his plate as the education minister. He is persuaded to face the challenges his mandate comes with and leave his governor alone to paddle his own canoe.

Ahmed Adamu wrote in from Bauchi.

IMN: CSOs, NGOs Call For Immediate Proscription Of Islamic Sect

A coalition of 22 Civil Society Organizations and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have called for the immediate proscription of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), describing the group a clear danger to the society.

The groups said failure for the Federal Government to act within the next 72 hours will force the CSOs in the coalition to stage a mass protest in Abuja on Monday next week.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, leader of the group, Comrade (Patriot) Adodo Solomon said the IMN poses security threat to the country, saying Kaduna State Government had outlawed the IMN as a militarized extremist group that is a clear danger to the society.


He said where the authorities fail to rein in the IMN, the coalition will have no other option than to come out in full to demonstrate, since it is not only IMN that has the monopoly to protest.

He said, "We shall meet the extremist group on the street member for member until they learn to respect the secularity of Nigeria and the supremacy of the Nigerian constitution over dubious sectarian creeds.

"We strongly advise that the Federal Government wakes up to its responsibility and proscribes the lawlessness terrorist organization that IMN has proven itself to be. The hate speech by the organization must be curtailed immediately.

He explained that the IMN in the last few days clashed with military personnel in Zuba, in different parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said the official statement from the military indicated members of the group had attempted to obstruct a military convoy transporting weapons with a view to snatching the consignment.

According to him, previous demonstrations or protests by IMN members were equally violent, adding that there are enough video clips and pictures on the internet of these people attacking security and military personnel.

He said, "As is the case now, some of these members carry weapons while a large number of them deploy projectiles of various forms that have left several persons hospitalized with life changing injuries.

"Another thing that stands out in the IMN violence is the destruction targeted at public and private property. In the last few days under consideration, they willfully destroyed cars belonging to law abiding Nigerians while also destroying vehicles belonging to law enforcement agents and the military.

"Furthermore, there is a pattern of these IMN members aiming their protests to spill into commercial areas, which gives us the sense that there could be a deliberate ploy to overrun businesses with the intention to loot and pillage. This has not be proven, however. But aiming to overwhelm the nerve centre of Abuja as the nation’s capital is proof that the IMN members are out to ground Nigeria on the instructions of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is a needless provocation of law abiding Nigerians."

Buhari Is Still The Alternative To Buhari

By Anthony Kolawole

Sometimes, I am lurched into serious thinking, just to discern the reasoning capacity of some Nigerians. Often, and with the next general election barely five months away, one is assailed with malicious and bitter criticisms of the three and a half years old administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Whilst to his supporters, Buhari must be returned to consolidate, a few others think otherwise.

Leaders and minions especially from the main opposition party, the PDP are quick to remind Nigerians that President Buhari made 74 promises to Nigerians during his electioneering campaigns and has fulfilled nothing. Others say, Buhari is so far still struggling to register “meaningful” progress in only three areas of the nation-state.

I have every conviction that members of PDP are under perpetual heat. They are professionals in a variety of odd habits. So, the zeal to get back to power in 2019 is extremely infectious and they spare nothing to hurl taunts at perceived enemies. It is written on their faces. It reflects in their shadows. Buhari has a large heart, indeed.

I am also one Nigerian, who is bewildered that the PDP has not shown any good cause to be trusted with leadership of Nigeria soon. This is a country they raped and plundered for 16 years and masses anger ousted them in 2015. It’s expected that they will see nothing good in the Buhari administration. If they sight anything good in the Buhari government, it will be a pleasant surprise.

Therefore, they frame and concoct all manner of lies. They pretend to be saviours of the people; they lament loudest about the hardships in the land. They pretentiously feign empathy for Nigerians.

I wonder if the opposition ever thinks they served Nigerians, paradise by the months of salary indebtedness in 28 states of the federation and at the federal level. Do they ever remember the trillions of naira of accumulated local contractual debts, which exacerbated poverty and hardships, when Buhari assumed leadership in 2015?

In the midst of wealth, when crude oil went as high as $130pb, the PDP government distributed poverty and misery. They drained Nigeria’s foreign reserves and rapaciously shared the money. They emptied monies in Excess Crude Account and the Sovereign Wealth Fund. Our memories are really short.

They plunged Nigeria into recession by their mindless looting of the country’s commonwealth. They initiated many projects, but completed none, even though contract fees were fully paid in some cases.

But is there any alternative to Buhari in 2019? Who is sure Nigerians would allow the locusts in PDP to again invade the land? Buhari is not a miracle worker. He is not a magician to solve the volley of serious national problems PDP created. It’s alright that he made 74 promises to Nigerians. It could have even been 1000. It’s inconsequential.

But in his maiden address to the nation, President Buhari acknowledged the teething problems he inherited. He was lucid that in spite of the promises he made, the first concentration would be on three areas, which by their very nature, demanded urgent attention. Buhari talked about tackling the recessed economy; the debilitating insecurity championed by Boko Haram insurgency and other insurrections and, the anti-corruption battle, which fathers and festers the first two and indeed, any other problem in Nigeria.

Buhari said in his inaugural;
“At home we face enormous challenges. Insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages are the immediate concerns. We are going to tackle them head on…With depleted foreign reserves, falling oil prices, leakages and debts the Nigerian economy is in deep trouble and will require careful management to bring it round and to tackle the immediate challenges confronting us, namely; Boko Haram, the Niger Delta situation, the power shortages and unemployment especially among young people.”

The question which PDP and its apologists should be asking is how far has President Buhari kept his covenant with the people in these special areas. They know the truth, but hate to admit it.

Merely wishing that Nigeria never gets back on its toes does not distort the reality. Buhari is not a saint and has never claimed saintliness anywhere. He has his foibles and we know. But we cannot deny him accolades where he deserves.

Lets peep into these special areas he promised to tackle first to assess the extent of the journey. I know that by 2015 Boko Haram insurgency effectively and fully occupied at least 24 LGAs in the Northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The fear of insurgents created panic in substantial parts of the North, including Abuja.

But PDP and other opposition elements may not admit publicly for the sake of pride and the dubious quest to regain power that the dreary insecurity has vanished. But Nigerians know and the international community is aware of the decimation and defeat of Boko Haram terrorists. No part of Nigeria is under the control of insurgents anymore. Operations of remnants of terrorists have been confined to obscure and soft targets in Borno state.

Factional leader of the fanatical sect, Abubakar Shekau is on the run himself. I hear he is recuperating in the mountains and caves of Cameroun. His factional rival, Musab Al-Barnawi, whose sect sepcialises in attacking security formations is also having rough times with the Nigerian troops. Had the PDP government flaunted such milestones in the combat of terrorism, Nigeria would not have been thrown in the terrorism mess, pains, tears and sorrows, which became an everyday recurrence.

Its no news that Nigeria has been extricated from recession by the Buhari government. What I cannot decode is the feeling that citizens of a country in recession should be insulated from suffering and hardships. Such thoughts are utopian.

We know Nigeria is gradually getting back on his feet. Contractors have resumed work on projects across the country. Abandoned projects are being completed and commissioned. Nigeria’s Foreign reserves have been restocked to over $47 billion; the Sovereign Wealth Fund which was emptied has over $ 500 million dollars.

Nigerians are no longer under the mental torture of unpaid salaries and pensions, except in a few states where the state governors have mismanaged bailout funds. Social Investment Programme has created jobs and poverty is being alleviated. Conditional Cash Transfer is putting smiles on the faces of poor Nigerians. Agric loans to farmers are released yearly.

The Buhari Presidency has the record of securing the highest number of convictions of corrupt Nigerians who have looted their country. The EFCC displays the record of conviction of high profile Nigerians, in just three years, since the anti-graft body was established more than a decade ago.

The gang-up to oust President Buhari in 2019 by the PDP politicians and their sympathisers, which they santimoniously claim is for public good is the fear of Executive Order 6, which allows the confiscation of assets acquaired with illicit wealth. That’s the real fear.

Power generation and supply in Nigeria has improved from the less than 2, 500 megawatts of national grid in PDP’s 16 years of leadership to over 7, 100 megawatts under Buhari. Meanwhile, the same PDP government and leaders dubiously privitased PHCN. They sold it to themselves and friends and never invested a single naira to improve electricity infrastructure. They even shortchanged government on the stipulated amounts they were to pay.

But they foul the air and insult our sensibilities. We are wise enough. Nigerians cannot be deceived again. In 2019, there is still no alternative to President Buhari.

Emphatically, the alternative to Buhari is still Buhari.

Kolawole PhD, a University teacher wrote this piece from Keffi.

Much Ado About PMB’S Certificate

By Philip Agbese

Elections are around the corner again. Politicians and political parties are scheming on how to take over power or how to retain power in places where they are in charge, and therefore political shenanigans, propaganda, lies, outright falsehoods and even hate speeches are all on the increase at this time.

These are not the best times for those who value character and decency. I read somewhere some people are calling on INEC to disqualify President Buhari from contesting the 2019 general elections because he doesn’t have his school certificate. Very laughable, how many times will they try the same old trick? President Buhari has been contesting elections since 2003. Between 2003 and now there have been four election circles Buhari has contested in all these elections.

At no point was the issue of his WAEC certificate questioned until suddenly in 2015 as soon as he won his party’s primaries . Those who knew he was unstoppable from there on, began to unleash different ludicrous propaganda after propaganda. From “Buhari will Islamize Nigeria” to” Buhari is terminally ill”, to” Buhari has no certificate”. All of their propaganda fell flat on their faces.

Now that elections are around the corner, they have resurfaced again with the “ Buhari has no certificate “ propaganda. It will be a complete waste of effort this time as this election is going to be about issues and not propaganda. The election is going to be about track records of the different parties while in office.

The people are going to be comparing the roads now and then, they will compare power supply now and then. The parents of the over 7 million schools pupils being fed every school day will compare now and then. The over one million most vulnerable poorest of the poor amongst us receiving 5000 Naira conditional cash transfer every month, the over half a million graduates receiving 30,000 Naira every month all of these people will compare the party in power now with the performance of those who left power in 2015. These are what the Nigerian people will be discussing in 2019 not some mundane propaganda, sponsored by some failed politicians who squandered the opportunity to better the lot of the people whilst they were in power.

Let me also use this opportunity to dismiss their lies. The constitutional requirement to run for office of the President are very clear and unambiguous. Section 131 (d) of the 1999 constitution states that: "A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the president if", subsection (d); "He or She has been educated up to at least school certificate Level or its equivalent".

Many legal luminaries addressed this issue in the run up to the 2015 elections, so many legal opinions on this section. One of such that will help anyone interested in more clarity on this issue is the article written by the legal luminary Prof Taiwo Osipitan in the Guardian on the 26th of January 2015. He dealt extensively on the fact that the requirement was for such aspiring candidate to show evidence of education up to or even equivalent of school certificate. In the case that your certificate is missing like every other vital missing document an attestation letter can then suffice which INEC can confirm with the school. This is a very simple matter that some mischievous people hope to draw some political points from.

President Buhari’s former school , Government College, formerly Provincial Secondary School Katsina released a statement that Buhari actually graduated from the school and that he wrote the School certificate Examination there. The school later went ahead to release the result to the public, including a copy of the result spread sheet showing other candidates who sat for same exam with their results as well. So what other evidence would the detractors of the President require before they are satisfied?

In an interview granted to the punch newspapers on the 13th of November 2016, Chief Alex Ajayi. The octogenarian who was a former director at the West African Examination Council (WAEC) mentioned in the interview and I quote him “I had the opportunity of issuing WAEC certificates to three former Heads of State; Buhari, Abacha and Babangida in the 60s”.

It is outright ridiculous and very mischievous to claim that President Buhari isn’t educated up to school certificate level. A man that rose to the pinnacle of his career . A general in the Army . He has attended several courses across the different continents of the world.

There are those who believe that the PDP might have sponsored some people to tamper with President Buhari’s documents with the army. If not, how could this suddenly just be an issue in 2015. The same forms he submitted to INEC 2003, 2007 and 2011 and this issue was not raised, then suddenly in 2015 his documents are missing. I am tending to believe in this line of thoughts by now. If not, how do you confidently wake up and then start accusing a retired general of the Nigeria army that he didn’t attend secondary school. There must be something informing such confidence may be they know something we don’t know.

In 2015 whilst President Buhari and his party were out there campaigning, telling the people what they will do. I remember a Fani Kayode and his fellow party man Gov Ayo Fayose were busy selling propaganda to the people calling Buhari all sort of names. Rather than tell the people what they have done and what they intend to do better they rather preferred abuse and propaganda. We all saw what the outcome was President Buhari trumped them at the polls with a wide margin. The Nigerian people will have none of their nonsense any more.

The Same thing is already playing out now. President Buhari as usual will not join issues with anybody. He has been focused on the job at hand, commissioning projects up and about the whole country, on the other hand those who are challenging to take over are not telling Nigerians what they will do better but want to start the nonsense they did the other time and lost, again. The propaganda that could not save them whilst in power is not likely to get them back to power now that they are out. Nigerians are interested in real issues that affect them daily. Not mundane propaganda about President Buhari’s health or certificate.

Agbese is a human rights law researcher based in the United Kingdom.

Fighting Cyber Terrorism And The Nigerian Army Example

By David Onmeje

Terrorism is a global threat that knows no border, religion or tribe. Hence the special focus it has received from the international community in the last decade or more. In today’s world the global threat of terrorism is increasingly unpredictable and its constantly morphing nature has established it as one of the biggest threats to the survival of mankind on Earth.

The international community is united in the belief that terrorism is not a problem that can be solved by one country alone but by a multinational coalition that is united against the threat. There have been diverse debates on the fight against terrorism and the violation of human rights; the validity of some of these perspectives does not negate the preeminence of security- national and global. Asides this sharp disagreement by a few member states, there is nevertheless a unity of purpose amongst world leaders on the need to defeat terrorism totally.

A few years ago , Al Qeada was the major and most notorious threat the world was facing at the time, latter it became the Taliban, then ISIS, then came Boko Haram, plus a host of other regional based terrorist organisations. The dynamics and face of Global terrorism keeps changing, hence the need for constant change in the tactics being adopted to tackle the scourge.

As the world moves to a society ever more reliant on technology, a new trend that seems to be emerging now is cyber terrorism; a simple definition of this new phenomenon by Wikipedia is “deployment by known terrorist organizations of disruption attacks against information systems for the primary purpose of creating alarm, panic, or physical disruption.”

Though there are other broader definitions by same Wikipedia that includes; “the use of the Internet to conduct violent acts that result in, or threaten, loss of life or significant bodily harm, in order to achieve political gains through intimidation”, it is also sometimes considered an act of cyber terrorism where terrorist activities, including acts of deliberate, large-scale disruption of computer networks, especially of personal computers attached to the Internet by means of tools such as computer viruses, computer worms, phishing, and other malicious software and hardware methods and programming scripts.

The summation of all these definitions to me is simply; “The use of the internet to harm other people, society, organizations or Nations”. This phenomenon which was hitherto not given much attention is now emerging as one of the most potent and destructive warfare tool available to terrorist organisations.

In the last few years powerful nations that could not be attacked physically perhaps because of their military might have found themselves being attacked through cyber technology , in many cases from countries much smaller. The United States of America for example suffered many cyber attacks in the last two years that caused major setbacks for them, financially and sometimes politically.

Many such cyber attacks revealed information that some observers argued interfered with the outcome of the 2016 presidential elections in the US. Russia was accused to be the mastermind of those attacks. In 2017 a cyber attack on Equifax one of the largest credit bureaus in the US, caused the loss of data of over 145m customers to cyber criminals. The financial loss was estimated to be in billions of dollars. This attacks can have devastating effects on Strong Nations how much more developing nations .

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US, there were discussions on the role of ICT in the attack. Though it is common knowledge that the attack was not carried out through the internet. The internet was used extensively in the preparation for the attacks. The use of the ICT for management of information and communication has also had a progressive effect on terrorist activities. Today Terrorist use ICT as a tool for gathering information on targets, publication of training materials, recruiting new members from across the globe and for raising fund and financing their activities.

Terrorist organisations are now known to plan and communicate on the internet with encrypted data making it hard for law enforcements to decode or intercept the messages.

The Dynamics are changing fast. There are predictions in some quarters that the next generations of wars may just be cyber without a single bullet being shot. That’s why countries world over must begin to prepare for this likely event. Military warfare and their operation are increasingly depending on digital technology as a major part of their processes.

I must commend the Chief of Army Staff (COAS)Lt General Tukur Buratai for his several smart initiatives at combating terrorism with the aid of emerging technologies. Earlier in the year during the army day celebration 2018 at Mungonu in Maiduguri, The army show cased a few of the equipment it had made by itself for its operations, this was the first time the army was having such array of equipment made by itself amongst them a technologically advanced Mines Resistant Ambush Protection Vehicle (MRAP) .

The COAS reiterated that he was going to give a lot of focus to the research arm of the Nigeria Army. The target is to make the army technologically self-reliant. Gen. Buratai’s push for the use of technology in the fight against terrorism is a step in the right direction which must be supported by all. If we don’t prepare early for this next phase of security we may be caught unaware as was the case in 2009 when the activities of the terrorist group Boko Haram took a new dimension.

The recently established Cyber Warfare Command by the COAS is a very excellent step, it shows that the COAS is abreast of the new realities of modern warfare. Many of the successes the Army recorded in the fight against Boko Haram I understand were largely also due to the push by the COAS to include ICT in the fight against terrorism. There has been an improvement in area surveillance due to the types of technology being deployed by the army. The precision of their Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has improved greatly there by delivering far better results.

The Cyber warfare command is a very positive addition by the army that should be emulated by other security agencies to further enlarge the scope and capacity of the Nigerian security agencies to handle this coming challenge of cyber terrorism. The fact that Nigeria has a COAS that is excited about the need to invest in more ICT solutions to tackle the terrorism challenges being faced by the country is a very welcome development

I understand the Cyber warfare command is the first in Africa. Since the army under the leadership of Lt Gen Buratai has helped Nigeria to be at the forefront of this innovation, We must strive to continue to invest in the improvement of our cyber warfare infrastructure. Starting projects and programs have not really been our problem in this country our main challenge is in maintaining such projects or programs.

Gen. Buratai is demonstrating to his colleagues that a modern General must be intellectually savvy and forward-thinking go confront the multifaceted challenge of terrorism and innovation remains the key.

Onmeje is an ICT expert based in the United Kingdom.