₦airaland Forum

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said that his wife, Dr Linda Ayade, has severally cautioned him not to think of seeking reelection next year.

He stated this on Friday when he formally commissioned the office building of the Cross River Women Emancipation Initiative (CROWEI), the umbrella body for all women associations in the state.

CROWEI was established by his wife and the building facilitated by the state Ministry for Women Affairs.

Ayade said his wife has been worried over the type of unwholesome politics played in the state, fearing that it was going to endanger him or dent his hard earned reputation.

However, his wife said that after consulting with women across the state under CROWEI, they have resolved not only to emancipate the Cross River women economically but to increase their political awareness, noting that women in the state want the governor to return for a second term.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/my-wife-cautions-me-against-seeking-re-election-ayade-267398.html

The Coordinator of President Muhammad Buhari/Osinbajo 2019 women's wing, Ebonyi state, Mrs. Modesta Nwagbaga has asked Muslim women in the state to be mindful of the antics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2019 elections.

Mrs. Nwagbaga further assured they that their dreams for better tomorrow on less corruption, sound education, improved economy and rule of law would be fulfilled in second term of President Muhammadu Buhari.



She made this known at her residence in Abakaliki on Thursday where she held a joint party to mark the Eid-el-Kabir festival with Muslim women residing in the state and 300 widows drawn from the 13 local government areas.



"Practices such as giving out your Permanent Voter's Card (PVCs) or allowing them to copy its serial and batch number for alleged duplication."



"And i want us to know that PDP has nothing good to offer to Nigerians and the people of Ebonyi state. APC which is the party l belong to has a lot to offer counting on quality education, sound economy, rule of law and fight against corruption.



"But let me warn us to beware of PDP antics for 2019, Governor Umahi is demonstrating same in Ebonyi, today he will say this and tomorrow he will cancel it."



"Today he is going around deceiving people that he is a friend of Mr. President, ignore him. The destiny of Nigeria and Ebonyi state is your PVCs, secure it and vote for APC, we shall deliver all our campaign promises, APC will nerve impoverish you with taxes", she added.



However, not less than 250 Muslim women and 300 widows who attended the party went home with wrappers and cash.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-be-mindful-of-pdp-antics-coordinator-muhammad-buhari-osinbajo-2019-tells-women-267203.html

The past months have seen Presidential aspirants make strategic moves towards the 2019 general elections. Most of them have been paying visits to political heavyweights to garner their supports.

Notable among political savvy individuals who have been receiving such visits is Retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB).

We bring you some of the visits made by presidential aspirants in the past four months.



Atiku Abubakar

A former Vice President Atiku Abubakar visited the former Military President at the latter’s Hill-top residence in Minna, Niger State.

The visit which was made on Sunday, the 1st of July was Atiku’s second meeting with IBB in 7 months

Although details of what transpired at the meeting were sketchy as journalists were barred from entering the former leader’s residence, sources said the visit may not be unconnected with the presidential ambition of the former vice president.


Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi

The immediate past Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi also paid a visit to Babangida at his residence in Minna, Niger State.

The visit which was made on Saturday, the 4th of August saw Ahmed Makarfi highlight some of the challenges facing the country and the way to solve them.

Responding, General Ibrahim Babangida thanked the Presidential Aspirant for restoring his hope in Nigeria. The retired general also gave his blessings to Makarfi, noting that he is proud of the aspirant.


Bukola Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki held a private meeting with the former military president at his Hilltop residence in Minna on Wednesday the 8th of August.

Although it is not clear whether Mr Saraki came to discuss his presidential ambition with Babangida, he however, has not deny nursing the ambition.


Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa

Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa is the third presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pay a visit to General Ibrahim Babangida this month.

The visit which was made on Monday, the 13th of August saw the former Governor of Sokoto state hold a closed door meetings with the retired general at his Hilltop residence of the former military head of state where the two personalities met behind closed doors for more than one hour.

Although the outcome of their meeting was not made known, the aspirant must have briefed the former Military President and enlisted his support for his presidential aspiration.



Sule Lamido

Sule Lamido is so far, the latest presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to pay a visit to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The visit which was made on Tuesday, the 14th of August saw Sule Lamido discuss his presidential ambition with the retired general while also tapping from his immense political knowledge.

He further solicited prayer and advice from IBB who also gave the presidential aspirant his blessings.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/listicle-presidential-aspirants-who-have-visited-ibb-266118.html

Former President Goodluck Jonathan secured the release of some Chibok girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram but decided not to publicise it.

The former media aide to Jonathan disclosed this on Wednesday during a show he anchored on ARISE TV.

He interviewed Femi Adesina, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, on the show.

He said Sambo Dasuki, the then national security adviser (NSA), advised the government against making the release public in order to protect the identities of the freed girls.

He said: “There was headway. We rescued many of the girls but the advice from the NSA at the time was that we should not publicise it because of the identities of those girls. I witnessed it on many occasions. Those girls were brought to the president.

“He met with them. In fact, some of them were sent to schools in the United States and United Kingdom. There were strict instructions not to publicise it because government thought that the identities of those girls should not be exposed. But l saw you guys making a dance out of the ones you rescued.

“In our time, we rescued some girls but we were under strict instruction not to publicise it. Check the records. The DSS, the intelligence agency, you should ask them. They will have the records.”

Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno state on April 14, 2014.

While 163 of the girls have been returned, over 100 are believed to be in the custody of the terrorist group with some thought to be dead.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/goodluck-jonathan-secured-release-of-many-chibok-girls-abati-266106.html

Following resignation of Kano Deputy Governor, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje may likely choose a deputy today (Monday), Daily Trust learnt yesterday.

Daily Trust reliably gathered that Ganduje might pick either the Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna or his Private Personal Assistant, Alhaji Ibrahim Kamkarofi to replace Prof. Abubakar.

A source said the governor was considering a good strategy to neutralise the political crisis in Kano Central over senatorial slot.

It would be recalled that both Gawuna and Kamkarofi were among the politicians aspiring for the senatorial seat in 2019.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-meanwhile-ganduje-considers-gawuna-kamkarofi-as-possible-replacement-264347.html

The deputy governor of Kano State, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, has resigned from his position as deputy governor over alleged disrespect and injustice meted on him by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Prof Abubakar, in his resignation letter, dated August 5, 2018, said it took effect from Saturday, August 4, 2018.

In the letter, the former deputy governor said the decision was taken due to irreconcilable differences on matters relating to governance and government operations.

He added that his advice to the governor had been reciprocated with persecution and injustices meted on him, and that he endured “immeasurable and unjustifiable humiliation” for over two and a half years on issues of governance and the desire to keep government on track.

The letter read in part: “Your Excellency would recall several instances I had to draw your attention to the need to understand and approach the differences in order to avoid drifting into the kind of unnecessary crisis we are facing today, but to no avail.

“Under the circumstances, and given the deteriorating state of affairs and your continued disrespect for the office of deputy governor and your expression of injustices on my person, I regret to say that I have no option than to succumb to my inner calling with hope that this decision is in accordance with guidance and wishes of Allah (SWT) for me and the good people of Kano State.”

Last week, Professor Abubakar had petitioned the police over alleged threat to his life, a development that compelled the police to beef up security around him.

It would be recalled that lawmakers in Kano State House of Assembly had on Monday, July 30, 2018, attempted to impeach the deputy governor.

Professor Abubakar, a loyalist of Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, had been at loggerheads with Governor Ganduje.

Sources close to the former deputy governor told Daily Trust’s correspondent that Prof. Abubakar would soon join Kwankwaso in the PDP with a view to contesting the governorship seat in 2019.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-kano-deputy-governor-resigned-264348.html

No hope on this government again

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Lome, Togo made a strong appeal for inter-regional collaboration on maritime security, the fight against terrorism and other crimes through effective border control.

The President made the call while contributing to the consideration and adoption of the draft Declaration by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Peace, Security, Stability and the Fight against Terrorism and violent Extremism in the Togolese capital.

The President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu quoted the President as saying that respect for rule of law, democracy and promotion of human rights were also vital.

These, the President said are attributes of good governance, which would enhance the socio-economic development of the two regions.

“It is also noteworthy to state that the subsisting collaboration among Nigeria, Chad, Cameroun, Niger and Benin in the fight against transnational crimes and proliferation of small arms and light weapons is exemplary," he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-wants-more-collaboration-as-ecowas-eccas-condemn-rising-insecurity-263433.html

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and Senator George Akume were behind the move by eight members of the Benue State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom.

Addressing newsmen on Monday in Abuja after an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan described the move as illegality, arguing that 8 out of 30 members can't impeach a serving governor.

"The NWC condemns in its entirely the purported sitting of eight APC members including the impeached and suspended Speaker; in a 30-member House, wherein, they illegally claimed to have served an impeachment notice on the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom.

"PDP also condemns the use of the EFCC and DSS to harass and intimidate officials of the Benue State Government.

"We note the roles played by the factional Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and Sen. George Akume in encouraging lawless acts and anarchy in Benue State," the party said.‎

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-oshiomhole-akume-behind-plot-to-impeach-ortom-pdp-263321.html

Good luck

Nigeria is yet to register half of its 95,000 hajj slots, more than a week since the commencement of airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the annual exercise, findings by Daily Trust revealed.

This is despite the reduction in cost of a hajj seat to an average of N1.4m this year as against N1.5m in 2017. Hajj is mandatory at least once for Muslims who are fit physically and financially to perform it.

Checks by Daily Trust showed most states have filled only about half of their allocated quotas as at Wednesday, July 25, the deadline for registration set by National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

For the 2018 Hajj, NAHCON allocated 20,000 out of the 95,000 seats to private tour operators and the bulk to states.

The National President, Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators on Nigeria, Malam Salihu Butu, told Daily Trust that about 10,000 pilgrims have registered with the tour operators.

Efforts to get the official figures from NAHCON of those who have completed payment were not successful. But analysis of figures from across the states showed that less than 40,000 as at Thursday, 26 July. The figures do not include tour operators.

Numbers drop across states

In Kano, the Executive Secretary of the State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Muhammad Abba Dambatta said the state was allocated 5,500 seats this year but only 2,810 paid fully as at Wednesday. He added that 900 of the cleared pilgrims have since secured their visas. Katsina, so far, registered 2,750 out of the 4,800 hajj seats, according to officials. In 2017, a total 4,930 performed hajj from the state.

‎For Edo State, 254 slots were allocated but only 130 have completed their payment, the Chairman of the state pilgrims’ board, Ibrahim Oyarekhua, told Daily Trust.

In Lagos, 2,000 out of the 3,050 seats allocated to the state pilgrims’ board have been booked. Many are however yet to complete their payment, sources told our reporter.

In Kwara State, 1,600 out of the 2,200 slots have completed registration for hajj exercise, the Executive Secretary of the state’s pilgrims’ board, Alhaji Muhammed Tunde Jimoh said, adding that 600 others could not complete their payment.

Nasarawa registered 650 out of the 1,158 slots allocated to it, the state pilgrims board’s spokesperson, Abdulrazak Muhammed said. He said dozens had deposited half of the money but were unable to complete the payments up till the commencement of flights to Saudi Arabia.

The Secretary, Yobe State Pilgrims Welfere Commission, Alhaji Bukar Kime, said 897 have already completed their payment and registration. The state got 1,411 hajj seats this year as against 2,256 in 2017, he added.

In Gombe, only 1,200 out of the 2,050 slots were registered by the state board as at July 21, the Executive Secretary, Alhaji Usman Gurama, said.

He said even though the hajj seat was cheaper this year compared to last year, many people could not afford to pay this year.

Zamfara was allocated 4,680 seats but, so far, only 2,000 intending pilgrims have completed their registration, according to the PRO of the state pilgrims’ board, Malam Yakubu Yahaya Mafara.

In Kaduna, 3,200 completed their payment as at the commencement of flights to Saudi Arabia. The state was allocated 6,332 hajj seats, according to the PRO, of Kaduna pilgrims’ board, Malam Yunusa Abdullahi.

Jigawa State was allocated 1,774 slots. The Executive Secretary of Jigawa State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mohammad Sani Alhassan, said out of the 736 that have paid, visas have been secured for 632.

He said Jigawa State government had since stopped sponsoring pilgrims apart from officials, which include Medical personnel, ulamas, journalists and other auxiliary staff.

Plateau has, so far, completed registration of 800 intending pilgrims out of 1,111 allocated seats.

The Executive Secretary of the state pilgrims board, Barrister Auwal Abdullahi said the board was still compiling a comprehensive list following last minute rush and therefore could not give an accurate figure at the time of filing this report.

A total of 719 hajj seats were allocated to Kogi but only 446 pilgrims were able to complete payment.

In Taraba State, only 442 hajj seats were booked out of 1,220 seats allocated to the state. The PRO of the state board, Malam Usman Baba Muri, said out of the 442, only 332 completed payment.

Adamawa secured 2,601 hajj slots, but 1,660 intending pilgrims failed to complete payment. The Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Pilgrims Board, Eng. Umar Abdurrahman Bobboi said the affected persons could not meet the Wednesday deadline for completion of payment.

Osun State, which oversubscribed the slots allocated to it last year, has not been able to meet its quota this year.

The Administrative Secretary of the Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Sikiru Adetona Alao, said out of the 964 slots allocated to the state this year, only 500 registered with the agency as at second week of July.

In Sokoto State, Director General of the state Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Shehu Dange said 4,844 seats were allocated to the state but only 2,837 registered for the 2018 hajj exercise.

‘Why patronage is low this year’

Stakeholders have advanced reasons for the seeming drop in the number of Hajj pilgrims this year. This is even as Daily Trust learnt that Muslim leaders and other stakeholders are working on the state governments, individuals and wealthy organisations, to intervene on behalf of intending pilgrims who have paid at least 70 percent of their fares.

Hajj managers across the states attributed the low patronage to the economic realities in the country, which, they said, prevent many intending pilgrims to complete their payments.

Farmers topped the list of last year’s pilgrims in many states but could not achieve the same feat this year.

Malam Abdulrashid Funtua, a farmer in Katsina, said “Last year, you need only 100 bags of maize or guinea corn to get that amount, but this year you need close to 180 bags for same amount.” Daily Trust reports that a bag of maize cost about N13,000 last year as against N9,000 this year.

Another factor resulting in the low number of pilgrims this year, according to some Hajj officials and stakeholders, has to do with the compulsory payment of 2,000 introduced by Saudi Arabia Riyals for pilgrims who have performed hajj in the last four years.

According to statistics, over 70 percent of Nigerian pilgrims in the last five years are repeaters. A repeater in Nigeria this year will have to pay N1.7 million as opposed to N1.4 million paid by first timers.

The effects of exchange rate of N360/$1 also affected the ability of most pilgrims to pay.

The pegging of minimum deposits at N800,000 and N1 million by states pilgrims boards, unlike in the past which was N500,000 and below, to a large extent discouraged prospective pilgrims.

Another factor is that government at various levels have stopped the sponsorship of pilgrims. Previously, local government chairmen especially in the North sponsored 200 to 300 pilgrims while states government like Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina sponsored between 1, 500 to 2,000 pilgrims, codenamed “GS”.

Previously, the Federal Government can sponsor 3,000 complimentary hajj seats which have been cancelled.

An Islamic cleric, Mohammed Halilu, noted that many Muslims are coming to terms that the holy trip is no jamboree but a spiritual exercise and that a single hajj in a lifetime suffices.

The PRO of the Adamawa State Pilgrims Board, Mustapha Aliyu, attributed the failure to complete payment partly to farmer-herder conflict in the state which affected the economy of many people.

He said herders and farmers always constituted majority of pilgrims from the state.

“Hajj seat is cheaper this year. Pilgrims paid N1,530,000 last year as against N1,476,200 this year. Yet 2,600 seats were paid for last year. So it is not about the cost. Most of our pilgrims are herders, then farmers. Apart from the conflict, another factor is the falling prices of cattle and foodstuff which also affected the two groups”, he said.

According to the PRO of the Zamfara State pilgrims’ board, Malam Yakubu Yahaya Mafara, the number of intending pilgrims reduced to less 50% now because of the security challenges in the state.

“Some people, especially in the rural communities are afraid to expose their financial strength for fear of falling prey to kidnappers and armed robbers. Also, herders that constitute a good number of pilgrims have migrated owing to the conflicts,” he said.

With additional reports by Nuruddeen M. Abdallah (Abuja), Yusha’u A. Ibrahim (Kano), Habibu Umar Aminu (Katsina), Usman A. Bello (Benin), Abdullateef Aliyu (Lagos), Romoke W. Ahmad (Ilorin), Hassan Ibrahim (Lafia), Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Damaturu), Haruna Gimba Yaya (Gombe), Shehu Umar (Gusau), Maryam Ahmadu-Suka (Kaduna), Aliyu M. Hamagam (Dutse), Lami Sadiq (Jos), Itodo Daniel Sule (Lokoja), Magaji Isa Hunkuyi (Jalingo), Kabiru R. Anwar (Yola), Rakiya A. Muhammad and Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/hajj-patronage-drops-despite-lower-fare-263212.html

Niger Delta communities, under the aegis of host communities of Nigerian producing oil and gas, have called on the federal government to set aside 10 percent of the federation account for their development.

They want oil companies operating in the region to concede 10 percent equity participation share to host communities.

The chairman of the body, Style Benjamin stated this weekend at Warri, Delta State, during the inauguration of its executive body.

He said: “Host communities should be directly involved in the management of their resources to give them sense of belonging. Oil is regarded as national asset as a result of the land use act. Therefore, incomes derived from it are shared by all tiers of government.

The same cannot be said of gas flare fines. The 1985 Associated Gas re injection act which introduced payment of fines should be amended by this act so that gas flare fines are paid directly to the host communities as injuries and damages.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n-delta-demands-10-share-from-federation-account-263215.html

The third day prayer for a former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie, held yesterday at his residence with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum/Borno State Governor Kashim Shetttima in attendance.

Also present were Katsina House of Assembly Speaker Yahaya Kusada, Chief Judge Musa Danladi, Chairman of the Police Service Commission Musiliu Smith, former Governor of Ogun State Gbenga Daniel, Murtala Nyako, Yayale Ahmed, Abdulmumin Aminu, Sen Abdul Ningi, among others.

The Grand Khadi of Katsina, Khadi Hafiz Abubakar led several other scholars in prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased.

Shettima, accompanied by some senior government officials, was received by Alhaji Dahiru Coomassie, younger brother to the late Coomassie at the residence of the deceased in Katsina town.

During his condolence, Shettima paid tribute to the former IGP, saying he has bequeathed a good name for which his family will always be proud and remembered for.

He prayed Allah grants him Aljanna Firdaus and to his family and all of us, the fortitude to bear this loss.

Coomassie was the Sardauna Katsina and Garkuwan Hausa of Daura.

Meanwhile, sympathizers have continued to throng the deceased’s residence at No 1 Ibrahim Coomassie Road GRA, to condole the family.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/coomassie-atiku-shettima-others-pay-condolence-visits-262158.html

Even before the dust settled on the stalemated May Federal Allocation, the Federal Ministry of Finance on Friday night announced a N668.898billion revenue to be shared to the three tiers of government.

The announcement was made by the Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Hassan Dodo, without recourse to whether the stalemate has been resolved or not.

But, no doubt, the deadlock took a toll on the running of states as many were practically “stranded” as the friction lasted. Most states could not pay salaries and workers had to resort to other means for survival. Overheads were not forthcoming rendering the daily running costs of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) comatose.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that some workers have shifted the responsibilities of their family uptake to their wives who are into businesses while many had to use bank’s overdrafts facilities to make ends meet.

Also, the development has affecting provision of services as some workers have stopped coming to work out of frustration and even lack of transport fare. It was leant that in many states, pressure were mounted on high internally revenue generating agencies to intensify their drive to save government from embarrassment in running essential services.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that for the fifth time in seven months, the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting has been deadlocked. The meeting was reconvened on June 27 to approve revenue accrued to the federation in the month of May but the sharing could not take place as finance commissioners of the 36 states walked out in protest over low oil revenue remittances by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Subsequent meetings have ended in a deadlock.

The consequence of this so far has been that workers’ salaries for June have been delayed in some states. Many states in the country rely on the monthly allocation to offset civil servants’ salaries and other financial obligations. As at the last count, up to 11 states were yet to pay workers June salary.

All the times since the FAAC meetings have ended in a stalemate, the alleged inability of particularly the NNPC to remit expected revenues has always been cited as reason.

Oil price has risen, NNPC’s remittance hasn’t

Findings have showed that NNPC’s own remittances, which mostly constitute the largest chunk of remittances to the FAAC, did not show any improvement despite the increase in oil price and production. However, some reasons have been provided for this unusual scenario.

A June FAAC document showed that the actual remittance made by the Corporation in January was N104.34billion, N112.18billion in February, N74.06billion in February and N112.29billion in April. In May, NNPC remitted N112.18billion and N127.42billion in June.

But the major disagreements have been that these remittances especially the controversial June remittance should have been higher because of the surge in oil price in 2018 compared to 2017.

“Don’t forget that as the oil price goes up the cost of production goes up. Although we budgeted 2.3million barrels a day, what we have been producing is 1.9 million,” said a senior official of the NNPC who didn’t want to be named.

“So, there’s already a gap of 400,000 barrels per day. Even when there was oil price increase we didn’t have the volume to take advantage of the price,” he said.

Cash call arrears, petrol subsidy hurt revenue available for sharing

Top officials at the NNPC explained to Daily Trust on Sunday that remittances to the FAAC might not even significantly improve for now because of a number of reasons.

NNPC in meeting its obligation to the federal treasurer has two major responsibilities which are to sell crude oil on behalf of the federation and remit proceeds net of cost to the federation.

Hence, from the two sources of inflows, the Corporation nets off costs including the cost to produce and sell the crude, under recovery from petrol import and other associated costs. These costs/deductions take up to 70 per cent of the revenue accrued for the month with the remnant transferred to the FAAC for sharing.

For instance, the FAAC June figures sighted by this paper showed that out of the N395.295 billion gross revenue the Corporation generated for June, N267.873 billion representing 67.7% were recorded as costs (total deductions for cash call, under-recovery of PMS among others).

A breakdown of the deductions showed that the largest chunk of N145billion was deducted for what the Corporation called T1/T2 (cost recovery/cash call), while under-recovery on petrol gulped N88.921 billion.

N21 billion went to what the Corporation termed “Government Priority Projects” just as N12.70billion was spent on Pipeline Security and Maintenance Cost (PSMC). Therefore the net revenue available for the FAAC after the deductions was N124.423 billion.

Analysis including explanations provided by the Corporation suggested that most of the fund earned from its operations were unanimously agreed by all the state governors, including the National Economic Council (NEC), the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and other stakeholders to fund NNPC’ joint venture cash calls.

NNPC spokesman Mr. Ndu Ughamadu while reiterating an earlier statement by the Corporation to justify the June remittance to FAAC stated that the agreement reached with the 36 state governors was that the Corporation would make a monthly remittance of N112 billion to FAAC subject to sufficient funds from sales of domestic crude oil allocation for the corresponding month after meeting cash call obligations on JVs, deductions of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)-cost under recovery and pipeline maintenance.

Ughamadu said NNPC was however able to surpass the terms of agreement with the governors on the monthly remittance for the month of June by N35billion, by taking from the sum meant for settling cash call obligations.

An official of the Corporation confided that the cost borne by the NNPC in the course of gasoline importation is another major contributor to NNPC’s dwindling remittance to FAAC.

“The cost of importing petrol now is almost N200 per litre but the government insists that we must be selling at N145 per litre. No private company imports product except NNPC,” the source said.

What do states want?

The FAAC meeting for June suffered postponements because of disagreements by the states that returns by the NNPC has fallen lower than expected.

The state governors, according to the NNPC, in addition to its N147billion June remittance, are asking for additional N40billion.

Speaking on some of these issues on behalf of the states, the Forum of Finance Commissioners of the 36 states and Commissioner of Finance, Adamawa State, Mahmoud Yunusa said, “We thought we had concluded our reconciliation where whatever that we have put forward to government based on our projections, is supposed to have been solved…But due to some other issues, the government was not able to get the desired attention it supposed to have gotten in respect to the process we said it should be followed.

“NNPC is not the only revenue generating agency in the country but NNPC is having this much attention because it is the major driver of revenue, all the tiers of government rely to some extent, on the revenue that is driven from the centre and the major contributor of that revenue from the centre is NNPC and we can’t afford not to fix whatever problem we see or we presume is there on NNPC, we are risking the entire economy.”

On the claim by the NNPC that it had exited the Joint Venture Cash-Call, Mahmoud said, “Whatever it is, if you want to exit the JVC there is a model or a machinery that is put in place. Even if we are not understanding, come and tell us. What is JVC -it is a joint Cash Call - it is for me to bring X amount of money while the other partner also brings X amount of money to do a business. So I need to know what I am contributing and I equally need to know what the other party is contributing. If I am contributing a JV, I am investing and every investment there should be return on investment. If there is no return in investment why should you invest?

The way forward

Industry experts have continued to advocate for the government to totally deregulate the downstream so that NNPC can hands off the role of being the sole importer of petrol and free up the funds recorded as under recovery on petrol import and remit the fund to FAAC for sharing to the subnational governments.

Sarah Muyonga, Nigeria Manager, Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) said stakeholders need to understand better what it really costs NNPC to import, sell and transport fuel. It is necessary to go beyond rumors and competing claims to scrutinize the processes involved, to see if there are any leakages or chances for cost savings. (Additional reports from our correspondents)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/faac-why-disbursement-of-revenue-continues-to-stall-262056.html

OBJ...Great man

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The splinter group of the ruling APC, R-APC, has filed an action before the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging the national convention of the party held in June.

The suit, which was jointly filed by the leader of the group, Buba Galadima; its publicity secretary, Kazeem Afegbua (Edo); national youth leader, Nicholas Asuzu (Anambra); and the Kogi State chairman of the party, Alhaji Hadi Ametuo, is challenging the election of the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole and 53 others.

The writ of summons filed yesterday demanded an order of court declaring that the members of the “reform minded” faction of the APC validly constituted the plaintiffs and other national officers and state executives to fill the vacuum created by the non-valid election at the APC National Convention and act as officers in interim capacities.

They were demanding an order of “Perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves or claiming to be officers of the APC or performing any function as officers of the party in any capacity whatsoever as their elections and swearing in as officers of APC are invalid, null and void.”

The R-APC also wants the court to restrain the party from harassing, intimidating, suspending or expelling any of or all the plaintiffs from the APC or from taking steps to abridge or terminate their membership rights and entitlements in the APC.

No date has been fixed for the hearing.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/r-apc-sues-oshiomhole-others-260698.html

I learned a new lesson

h

He is one of them

I do not understand what this man is talking....buhari regime is better than jonathan regime abi?

Sai baba

chai

Forget na dem dem