Residents of Rivers and Bayelsa states may face scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit also known as petrol as the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has ordered owners of filling stations in the two states to shut down operations and join its ongoing strike.

The Acting Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Port Harcourt Zone, Mr. Charles Eleto, told journalists in the Rivers State capital that the body would not spare any filling station that failed to comply with the shutdown order as sanctions would be meted on erring filling stations owners.

Eleto explained that the strike action by the NUPENG in the zone was prompted by the actions of four firms operating in Rivers and Bayelsa states.

He said, “In lieu of NUPENG’s ongoing strike in Rivers and Bayelsa states, all petrol station workers in these two states are hereby informed of the strike and they should be part of it as a solidarity. Injury to one is injury to all. In a situation where anyone is found wanting, the union will sanction them. I know that some filling stations have not joined the strike. That is why we are issuing this directive so that those who have not joined should immediately shut down the sales of petroleum products at their respective filling stations.

“The refinery has shut down, petroleum tanker drivers have shut down; the private depots have shut down, so, they (filling stations) should also join the strike by shutting down.”

He pleaded with governors of the two states and security agencies to prevail on the four companies to stop the victimisation of workers and recognise NUPENG as a union.

He said, “We gave two weeks ultimatum to the governors of Rivers and Bayelsa states and the Federal Ministry of Labour to call these companies to order but they have refused to do so.

“So, we are not threatened by anybody, than to use what we have to get what we want. The companies are Hilong Engineering Nigeria Limited, Uniterm Nigeria Limited, Specialist Drilling Fluid Nigeria Limited and Fudro Nigeria Limited.

“If Nigerians are worried, they should call on the companies to abide by NUPENG’s policy because what these companies are doing is purely against any recognised labour law and we cannot tolerate it. That’s why we are picketing Rivers and Bayelsa states.’’

Eleto, however, warned that the strike would only be called off if the affected companies were ready to engage NUPENG in a dialogue.

“As soon as the companies involved are ready to dialogue, the strike would be over. We do not want Nigerians to suffer,” he added.

The Nigerian Army Council has retired a former Aide de Camp to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan; Col. Ojogbane Adegbe; a former Principal Secretary to an ex -National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Col. Nicholas Achinze, a former ADC to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, Brig. Gen. A. H. Sa’ad; and 57 other senior officers. The affected officers, according to the council, are retired for their involvement in arms procurement under the Goodluck Jonathan administration and their role in the 2015 general elections. Ads by Google Ad covers the page Stop seeing this ad The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Saturday that a large number of the senior officers were retired from the service on Friday. Usman did not give the exact number of those affected. Sources, however, disclosed to our correspondent that no fewer than 60 senior officers of the Army were affected by the exercise. Usman said those affected in the retirement exercise included major generals, brigadier generals, colonels, lieutenant-colonels and a major Usman quoted service exigencies as the reason for the decision by Army authorities to approve the purge in the service. He recalled that the service recently probed the activities of some officers in the 2015 election. He also recalled that some officers of the service had been arraigned in court, following the outcome of the investigation by the presidential committee probing defence contracts in the country. Usman added, “The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the general public that quite a number of senior officers of the Nigerian Army were retired from service yesterday. “Those retired were mainly some major generals, brigadier generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels and a major. “Their retirement was based on service exigencies. It should be recalled that not too long ago some officers were investigated for being partisan during the 2015 general elections. “Similarly, the investigation by the presidential committee investigating defence contracts revealed a lot. Some officers have already been arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.” He urged members of the public not to read the current move out of context as the military must remain apolitical at all times. He said the decision by the government to retire the affected officers should be supported by all. However, a source, who confided in our correspondent, said a number of those mentioned in connection with the procurement of defence equipment and those found to have played some questionable roles in the 2015 election were affected. Besides Jonathan and Yar’Adua’s aides, others are Maj. -Gen. M.Y. Ibrahim, F. O. Ali; Brig.-Gen. A. Abdusalam; M. G. Ali, Onibasa; L. N. Bello; Brig.- Gen. D. Abdulsalam, Brig.-Gen. Momoni and M.G. Ali. Other officers said to be included are Fiboinumana, Agachi, Okonkwo, Audu, Oladunjoye, C. O. Amadi, Adimoha, Dazang, Arigbe, Egemole, Baba-Ochanpa, A. Mohd, S. D. Aliyu, LM Bello, Ejemai, Lawan, M. G. Ali, Achinze Ilo, and Col. Audu. The EFCC had in February detained and interrogated some army officers including Adegbe and Achinze. They were detained and quizzed in connection with the ongoing probe into the alleged arms procurement scandal by Dasuki. Both of them were released after filing separate suits against their detention. Also, a panel set up by the Army had in January indicted 92 officers over their roles in the 2015 general elections. The panel report specifically recommended that two officers amongst the indicted soldiers were to be retired at once, while three were to lose their immediate commands. Submitting the report at the Army Headquarters Abuja, the Chairman of the investigation team, Maj.-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, who is the GOC 1 Division, had said a thorough job was done before the recommendations were made.

The immediate past Governor of Plateau State
and Senator representing Plateau North, Jonah
Jang has condemned moves by the Governor
Simon Lalong led administration to implement
grazing reserves policy in the State.
Jang made the condemnation in a press
statement signed by his Media Assistant, Clinton
Garuba, made available to journalists in Jos
yesterday.
It reads, “The attention of Senator Jonah David
Jang has been drawn to a news item variously
carried in the print and aired on electronic news
media to the effect that the Plateau State
Government has not only endorsed the issue of
the grazing reserve but has gone ahead to initiate
plans to designate some areas for that purpose.
“At a time like one in which we currently live, it is
imperative to state in unequivocal and
unambiguous terms where one stands with
regard to the issue of the grazing reserve.
“The Lawmaker wish to inform his constituents
and all peace loving Plateau people that he does
not and will not support any grazing reserve
either on the floor of the senate or any forum/
platform where the issue is discussed.
“The issue has generated a lot of controversy
amongst plateau people because government has
decided to play politics with issues that affect the
very fabric which defines the heritage of our
people, their culture and their land.
“Plateau people regardless of creed, party
affiliation or ethnicity, must rise against any
subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose
of satisfying the selfish and egotistical whims of a
few who are hell bent on disturbing our collective
peace.
“One wonders how a government which has not
shown any interest in developing agriculture in
the state in the last one year has suddenly woken
to support a policy which is neither in the interest
of plateau people nor that of public good for that
matter”, the statement added.
It further stated that, the immediate past
administration had set a good example of how
those who want to rear cattle or any livestock
should go about doing so by establishing a ranch
for the Butura Milk farm in Bokkos.
“Let it be on record therefore that the
distinguished Senator strongly rejects any
attempt by the Plateau State Government to
introduce any form of grazing reserves in Plateau
State.
“The statement calls on all Plateau indigenes who
have any herds of cattle to create ranches for
them within their localities and any other person
who also rears cattle should do same within their
locality so that nobody keeps their herd on
anybody’s land.
“The surest way to resolving the issue of grazing
reserve is to have everyone who has herds of
cattle to ranch them within their locality or any
acquired land of choice; this is the best practice
worldwide.
“For the Federal Government which owns no
cattle, to connive with willing state governors to
impose a grazing reserve policy on hapless
citizens who have suffered the brunt of
rampaging herdsmen in the no distant past is not
only an abuse of their rights but an assault on
their already battered psyche. This must
vehemently be resisted.
“Worse of all, to show disdain for their people,
some state governments, that of Plateau
inclusive, have gone ahead to start
implementation of the policy without any form of
consultation with the people. This is clear
indication that the government of the day, has no
vision but is only playing out the script of some
masquerade somewhere. It is common sense that
he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.
“Why would a government which claims that its
greatest achievement in the last one year has
been in the area of peace on the one hand, be
courting a policy that has the capacity to reverse
all that gain, if any at all”, the statement asked.
“It is unfortunate that plateau people have to
bear the hardship meted out on them by the
present government but we call on them not to
despair as there is always light at the end of the
tunnel.
“Those who wish to further emasculate the people
in spite of the untold hardship that currently
pervades the land, by introducing policies and
programs that create more tension should
continue to do so but Senator Jang and people of
like mind are on the side of the masses. The clear
message Plateau people want to send to those
within and outside the state is; Plateau people say
NO to Grazing Reserves.
“As a people who have experienced the atrocities
of those who seek to take over their land by
whatever means, Plateau people must be resilient
in rejecting any law or request that seeks to
tamper with their heritage, not even the
involvement of the Government of the day should
deter them”, the statement stressed.

The Vanguard newspaper reported the visit of a
delegation of Northern leaders to the then
president-elect Muhammadu Buhari on May 11th
2015. The delegation was led by Alhaji Maitama
Sule. Sule told Buhari: “You are the president of
Nigeria, you are not the president of Northern
Nigeria by the grace of God”. Maitama Sule was
someone you had to take seriously. I ruminated
over the story for several minutes and wondered
why the acclaimed orator felt the need to publicly
ask Buhari to be a president for the whole of
Nigeria.
We now know why and the underpinnings are
quite ugly. The president needs to demonstrate
that he is willing to trust Nigerians who neither
speak Fulfulde nor Hausa. My assessment is that
his skewed appointments speak to a lack of trust,
rather than outright clannishness. The president
needs to realise that he is president of the whole
of Nigeria and millions of Nigerians from the
streets of Kano to the parks of Lagos genuinely
wish him well in office. His success is our success.
No one should make light of the efforts that go
into each political appointment. I do not think the
president sets out to spite anybody but the idea
that he is appointing people on merit despite the
lopsidedness is no longer funny. If President
Buhari sincerely believes that his appointments so
far have been based on merit, then with all due
respect, his future is in standup comedy.
The president’s inner circle seems to lack not just
adequate representation but also depth and
rigour. Buhari did not think he would win the
elections as he did not expect President Jonathan
to concede defeat. Therefore, President Buhari
assumed office grossly unprepared and lacking
the scintilla of a plan for governance. He had
become habituated to losing elections and did not
do his rudimentary homework on Nigeria’s many
problems. This is quite problematic given that he
contested for over 12 years. Why exactly was he
running for office? Did he think he was simply
going to manage oil wealth?
There are no new problems in Nigeria. Many of
the problems have increased in intensity and
metastasised but none of the problems is entirely
new. Consequently, a diligent presidential
candidate would have prepared. The president
simply assumed he could show up and his “body
language” — whatever that means — would keep
people in check and all would be well. His
command and obey personality type has not
helped matters. I have a lot of respect for the
military but Nigeria is not an overgrown military
barracks. By personality type, temperament and
proclivity, Buhari is unsuited to the rather
frustrating guiles of democracy and demands of
civil society.
Gains have clearly been made in the fight against
Boko Haram, although we still await the rescue of
all the Chibok girls. The plight of the internally
displaced persons (IDPs) is a test of the basic
competence of this administration. The signs are
not good given the deplorable conditions of IDPs.
What is going on at the camps is nothing short of
state crime — in this case, elaborate criminogenic
structures established by government workers in
the course of their duties.
Let me assure President Buhari with the benefit of
over seven years of research on the Niger Delta
that there is no military solution to the problem
posed by the Niger Delta Avengers. Deployment
of troops may provide a temporary reprieve but in
the end, the administration’s current approach is
similar to taking Panadol for a heart problem. The
Niger Delta Avengers are the newly minted
products in the carousel of social injustice.
Exterminating the Avengers to the last
combatant — assuming that were probable —
would provide a two-to-three year tranquility
before other groups emerge. Why? The
underlying factors fabricating insurgents in the
Niger Delta have not been tackled. President
Jonathan failed the Niger Delta. He and several
Niger Delta governors did a fine job of adopting a
cosmetic solution — coopting insurgent
“Generals” and distributing allowances through
the amnesty programme. However, the Mary Kay
approach should have been followed up with
serious infrastructural development in the Niger
Delta. The president acknowledged via a letter
dated July 21st 2015 the receipt of a copy of my
book on the Niger Delta. Based on interviews with
diverse participants such as Ken Saro-Wiwa (Jr.),
Annkio Briggs, Asari Dokubo, and dozens of ex-
agitators, and community members, among
others, I hate to state that I predicted what is
going on now. Government policy ought to be
crafted and implemented with findings from
empirical research and not transient emotions.
The president’s reluctance to publicly focus on
the Fulani herdsmen’s violence that has ravaged
Benue and several other states may haunt his
administration and legacy. His approach to the
issue has been a national embarrassment in a
country where shame took off a long time ago.
The president needs to show leadership and
assert that human lives are more important than
cattle. In addition, the handling of the issue of
Biafra is the stuff that separates real statesmen
from half-baked politicians. The president has not
approached the South-East with the needed
acumen and sophistication. He has come off as
irritable and petulant. A deeper engagement with
the South-East and South-South is long overdue.
The main part of the narrative is the president’s
capacity. This is a combination of innate talents
and acquired knowledge. There is no expectation
anywhere in the world that a Head of State would
have answers to all things. However, a leader
must be a mop for knowledge. Buhari’s hermitic
lifestyle after leaving the military and following
each electoral loss was not adequate preparation
for governance. He is the only former Head of
State with no known involvement in think-tanks
or any foundation executing humanitarian
projects.
Buhari’s repertoire of knowledge has unraveled in
the face of “modern” challenges. I doubt that the
president is teachable and I feel sorry for his
advisers. I have come to the conclusion based on
the evidence of the last one year that the
president either lacks the humility to learn or is
simply bereft of the capacity to adapt to 21st
century leadership. Each of these two problems is
in and of itself debilitating; to have both reposed
in a president is the road to systemic paralysis.
We are in terrible company. It is the singular
reason why Africa is not rising despite the
optimism of the last few years.
All hope is not lost. I continue to believe that
Buhari’s administration may yet leave Nigeria
better than it was in 2015 if the president focuses
on his current term and banishes the temptation
to seek a second term. The math is simple:
President Buhari cannot win a second term under
a free and fair atmosphere. Besides, everything
he stands for would be negated in the quest for a
second term. His second term as I stated in an
open letter to the president would be similar to
Obasanjo’s third term project.
Finally, is Buhari a president of Northern Nigeria?
The talakawa of the North have also been
negatively affected by Buhari’s babalawo
economics. There are Northerners who are
unhappy with his geographically favouritist, sexist
and ageism-in-reverse appointments. I don’t think
Buhari would be remembered as the president of
Northern Nigeria. Unless the president turns
things around, he will be remembered — perhaps
unfairly — as a policy lightweight and the
president who could not provide tomatoes.