*KEY FACTS ABOUT THE PROPOSED NEW GENERAL MULTIPURPOSE NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD*


1. The new National ID Card is a single, convenient, and General multipurpose card (GMPC) , eliminating the need for multiple cards—not three.

2. The single GMPC has multiple use cases: Payments/Financial, Government intervention/services, travel, etc

3. The National Identity Management Commission is working with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System to deliver the payment and financial use cases.

4. The card will be powered by the AFRIGO card scheme, an indigenous scheme powered by NIBSS.

5. Applicants for the card will have to request with their NIN through the self-service online portal, NIMC offices, or their respective banks

6. The card will be issued through the applicants' respective banks in line with existing protocols with the issuance of the Debit/Credit cards.

7. The card can be picked up by holders at the designated center or delivered to the applicants at the requested location at an extra cost to be borne by the applicants.

NIMC self-service Application: Introducing the new paradigm shift

By David Joel Alli

As the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) unveiled its self-service application, many Nigerians can now access essential identity-related services in a country where bureaucratic hurdles have long disrupted efficient access to essential services for many years. But now, thanks to the innovation of the NIMC self-service application, the story has changed.

This app is a significant step towards enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of identity management services in Nigeria. With the help of this innovative platform, Nigerians would begin to experience a newfound convenience and speed in updating or modifying their data such as Change of Name, Address, Telephone number and importantly Date of Birth on the web-based app. This luxurious ease of using your device, in the most comfortable angle in your house or at the workplace to modify your NIN and other services through the app has made the technological initiative a game changer.

While NIMC under the leadership of Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote, deserves applause for establishing the framework for the enrolment of Nigerians within and outside the country and for enrolling over 100 million Nigerians in its database, the idea of a self-service solution makes it an absolute masterstroke. The technology marks a significant advancement, offering citizens a convenient and secure platform to update or modify their information online.

NIMC and the Ministry of Interior had on September 16, 2023, launched the Self-Service application which would be accessible from anywhere in the World, would enable Nigerians in the Diaspora to modify and validate their digital identity without the need to travel back to Nigeria.

To lay it in proper perspective, this technology comes at a crucial time for the country, as the government seeks to accelerate efforts to enroll all eligible citizens in the national identity database. This will help the federal government to better plan and deliver essential and welfare services, combat identity fraud, and promote financial inclusion.

With the introduction of the new technology, there has been anticipation and speculation about its capabilities, particularly in the context of National Identification Number (NIN) enrollment and registration. However, it is essential to clarify that while the NIMC self-service web application offers only modification of data, it currently does not support self-service NIN enrollment or registration.

The NIMC self-service web application serves as a platform for individuals to access various services related to their National Identity Number. Users can perform tasks such as updating and modifying information. This feature aims to streamline the process of managing one's identity information and enhance the overall user experience. However, the ability to enroll for an NIN through the self-service web application is not yet available.

It is crucial to understand that NIN enrollment involves a comprehensive process that requires biometric data capture and verification to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the identity information stored in the NIMC database. As such, the self-service web application currently focuses on modifying existing NIN records rather than initiating new enrollments. Despite the current limitations, it is worth noting that NIMC is continuously working towards expanding and enhancing its services to meet the growing demand for identity management solutions in Nigeria. NIN enrollment and registration are indeed in the pipeline, with plans underway to introduce a more streamlined and accessible process for individuals to obtain their NINs.

Checks reveal that the self-service application offers a range of services. The self-service modifications allow for change of Name, Phone Number, Date Of Birth and address. Ditto for the fundamental security features of the self-service modification application for data identification, security, and protection. They include face match and NIN validation that disallows multiple registrations on the same device. This comprehensive suite of features has been lauded given its potential to streamline operations and empower individuals across the nation.

The application aims to provide citizens with a convenient platform to manage their identity information without the need to visit physical NIMC offices. This not only saves time and resources for citizens but also reduces the burden on NIMC staff and infrastructure, allowing them to focus on more critical tasks.
Before now, Nigerians had constantly faced the rigors of trooping to NIMC enrollment centers in person to lodge complaints of any kind, which often led to long queues and delays. With the self-service application, citizens can initiate any modification functionalities from the comfort of their homes, providing basic information. Users can now easily update their address, phone number, or other details online, reducing paperwork and processing times.

This, however, makes the whole process stress-free. Flexible. Individuals now have the opportunity to take control of their identity-related tasks with greater ease and speed. This shift marks a fundamental change in the way identity services are delivered, placing accessibility squarely in the hands of the people.

Since its rollout, the NIMC self-service application has garnered widespread acclaim from users around the country who have lauded its user-friendly interface, seamless functionality, and ability to streamline previously cumbersome processes. Designed to enable individuals to manage their national identity cards from the comfort of their own homes, the app is a fresh of breath air in the government's efforts to modernize identity management systems and enhance citizen services.

As more Nigerians embrace the NIMC self-service application, the positive feedback continues to pour in, underscoring its transformative impact, the same way others have raised questions asking if Nigeria is ripe enough for this kind of technology.

While I welcome the idea of the innovation to unlock the power of self-service, we must, however, be cautious of its attendant security risks. Technology holds great promise, but it also requires robust cyber-security measures to protect against threats and vulnerabilities. As such, NIMC must put in place significant investments in cybersecurity infrastructure and awareness training to mitigate risks and ensure the integrity of its systems.

Additionally, efforts must be intensified by the leadership of the commission to promote digital literacy, and inclusion is crucial to ensuring that all segments of society can fully participate in the self-service revolution. No one must be left behind.

But, truth must be told, the future of Nigeria appears increasingly digital and decentralized. The Director General of the commission, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and the entire leadership of the commission should be commended for a job well done. With NIMC leading the charge, the adoption of self-service solutions is poised to accelerate, empower citizens, enhance service delivery, and drive economic growth. However, success will ultimately hinge on the ability to balance innovation with security, privacy, and inclusivity.

**PRESS RELEASE**

**Director General of NIMC Engages with Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population**

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, on Wednesday, honoured the invitation of the Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population to discuss some challenges currently faced at the commission and strategies to address them.

The meeting, chaired by the committee's deputy chairman, Senator Gbenga Daniel, was held at the National Assembly. It provided an invaluable platform for fruitful dialogue between NIMC leadership and esteemed members of the Senate Committee.

During the session, Engr. Abisoye presented an overview of the issues confronting NIMC, ranging from infrastructure constraints to logistical challenges in NIN enrollment processes.

Engr. Abisoye underscored NIMC's unwavering commitment to overcoming these challenges and delivering on its mandate of providing a robust and universally recognized national identification system for Nigeria.

She highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing service delivery, improving operational efficiency, and expanding the reach of NIN enrollment services across the country.

In his own remarks, Sen. Daniel highlighted NIMC critical role as the country's prime data parastatal, stressing its implications for security, planning and national development. He therefore stressed the need for teamwork and national interest in the operation of the commission while
pledging the Senate's support to finding sustainable solutions to the challenges facing NIMC.

Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote expressed her gratitude to the Senate Committee for their proactive engagement and invaluable insights, reaffirming NIMC's readiness to collaborate closely with relevant stakeholders to achieve its objectives. She assured the Committee of NIMC's determination to implement the recommendations arising from the discussions.

The Director General's participation in the Senate Committee meeting reflects NIMC's commitment to uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement in its efforts to strengthen Nigeria's identity management infrastructure.

Signed:
Ayodele Babalola
Technical Adviser, Media, and Communications to the DG/CEO
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)

13 March, 2024.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) intends to clear outstanding payment owed to its Front-End Partners(FEPs) for a period of 2 years within the first quarter of 2024.

The New Director General of the Commission, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote who gave this assurance in a statement issued in Abuja also expressed her sympathy with the FEPs who have been burdened with running their businesses for 2 years without payment.

She said: "The National Identity Management Commission, under my leadership has conducted a revalidation exercise to review the outstanding payments which the new management inherited with a view to offsetting the debt after going through due audit process to validate the claims made by the FEPs.

"In the process, we found out that some of the invoices submitted by the FEPs did not tally with the enrolment figures shown on the database thus prompting the revalidation exercise to confirm the true and accurate enrolment information.

"Notwithstanding, we are wrapping up the audit process, and the activation of the FEPs will be done according to the outcome of the validation exercise.

"We sympathise with our partners over the delay and appeal for understanding especially as the new NIMC management is just a few months in the saddle and had been working on resolving all inherited debts.

"Unfortunately, the previous management could not clear the outstanding dues because of lack of funds but we are working hard to source for the funds to clear the debt.

"I therefore use the opportunity to reiterate that the revalidation exercise was aimed at sanitizing the system as well as ensuring efficient and effective enrolment processes in line with international best practices of securing citizens' data."

The Commission assured concerned Nigerians that payment will be made to the Front-end Partners in the first quarter of 2024 and added that there are plans to hold a stakeholders engagement summit this month.

She is one of the first set of President Bola Tinubu’s political appointees, having being announced as Acting Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on August 22.

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, an engineer, is one of the latest 'products' from the conveyor belt of talents that the President is known to regularly bring into national prominence.

She has now spent over four months in office including three in acting capacity before her confirmation as substantive head of the country’s data management agency in a move that was not exactly unexpected.

From her first few weeks in office, the UK-trained engineer showed that she was prepared to add value to a commission that is saddled with the responsibility of building and maintaining the national Identity data base.

NIMC has indeed not done badly since its establishment in 2007 but the new DG is bringing on board, a wealth of experience in ICT and identity database management systems to further raise the profile of the agency.

So not surprising, one of the initial messages she sent out was her readiness to ensure seamless enrollment of National Identification Number (NIN) and modification services across the nation as well as strengthen the integrity of the system she inherited.

She was emphatic that, on her watch, "NIMC will strengthen the operation and regulation of all matters related to national identity which encompasses services such as NIN enrolment and issuance, national e-ID card issuance, identity verification as well as data harmonisation and authentication.

Her position on an integrated identity system is that it will strengthen government’s fiscal management, promote good governance and transparency through inclusivity and social equality.

Armed with more than a decade-long background traversing information technology, finance and data management in the public and private sectors, Coker-Odusote had been unwavering in her bid to build on what her predecessors did at the agency.

One major highlight of her first one hundred days in office has been the clearing of over 2.5 million backlog of requests for modification of NINs.

This was done without fanfare but it was an unprecedented move that drew media attention with many wondering how this could have been done in such a short time.

From reading the riot act to individuals and groups who had been extorting potential enrollees to warning NIMC staff, Coker-Odusote had since her first day in office left no doubt that a new sheriff was in the commission.

So when she paid an unscheduled visit to the FCT centre, it was not unexpected that there would be some drama and indeed there was because some individuals were arrested for extorting innocent Nigerians that came for NIN enrollment.

There is however one step the DG took that may not have gone down well with some people.

Some weeks ago, she put a temporary hold on registration by Front End Partners (FEPs) with a view to ensuring that a revalidation exercise was carried out for the commission's private sector partners in NIN enrollment and other services.

The agency is wrapping up the exercise which it is convinced will strengthen the partnership as well as the integrity of its data management system.

For now, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote is proving to be a square peg in a square. And if her first few months in office including the period she headed the commission in acting capacity are anything to go by, then it would be safe to say that Nigeria is set to witness yet another Amazon in public office.

*Dapo Okubanjo, a journalist and public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja via dokubanjo@yahoo.co.uk*

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said only a part of the N9.5 bn provided for in the recently signed 2024 budget is for infrastructure.

The commission noted that contrary to the notion that the whole amount would go into construction, a breakdown of the capital expenditure shows that the N9.5 billion has dual mandates.

According to the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the N9.5 bn is from a Multilateral/Bilateral project-tied loan, which would only be accessed on the condition that NIMC is given a loan or grant from funding partners.

She noted that the proviso requires a partial funding match from the Federal Government, stressing that if no such loan or grant is received, those funds will not be released.

The DG/CEO, who made the clarification through her Technical Assistant on Media and Communications, Ayodele Babalola, pointed out that although the fund appears under the broad heading of “Construction/Provision of Fixed Assets”, it was actually itemised under the sub-heading, “Construction/Provision of Infrastructure.”

He stated: “This is a general heading used to group different types of capital expenditure. In NIMC’s case, it would be for infrastructure, not construction.

"The next page (501) has the breakdown for the capital expenditure and shows that the N9.5 bn is from a Multilateral / Bilateral Project Tied Loan.

"It could only be accessed in the event that NIMC is awarded a loan or grant from funding partners that would require a partial funding match from the FG. If no such loan or grant is received, these funds will not be released.”

According to Babalola, the clarification becomes necessary because some national newspapers had reported that N9.57 bn was budgeted for construction purposes in the 2024 Appropriation Bill.

He disclosed that so far NIMC under the watch of incumbent DG, Coker-Odusote, has witnessed a new vista of organisational reliability, particularly through commitment to the commission’s mission and mandate.

Babalola noted that the commission is prioritising data security by introducing robust measures to fortify the protection of citizens’ sensitive information through the adoption of cutting-edge encryption technologies and the establishment of a dedicated cybersecurity team.

The Ag. DG/CEO of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and the Management of the Commission paid a courtesy call on the Chairman, Director General, and Honourable Commissioners of the National Population Commission, NPC, led by Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, at the Commission's Headquarters in Abuja.

Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote discussed, among other things, the strategic working relationship between the NIMC and the NPC, particularly in the areas of seamless integration of Data for ease of access and data exchange, data harmonisation, and integration.

The Chairman of the NPC, the Honourable Nasir Isa Kwarra, commended the NIMC's Acting Director General and Chief Executive Officer for the visit and pledged to maintain the harmonious working relationship between the two Commissions.

The story of Nigeria's steel industry invokes a somber account of a corroded and rusted sector, exemplified by the comatose of the Ajaokuta Steel Company. The company and indeed the steel sector, is often touted as Nigeria's industrial stronghold, yet its dormant state persists, despite the substantial federal investments. This stands as a poignant reminder of the past unsuccessful efforts to revamp the steel sector.

However, following Prince Shuaibu Audu's appointment as the Minister of Steel Development, a tangible sense of hope is already roving the steel firmament, with stakeholders eagerly anticipating positive developments, comprehensive rejuvenation of the sector, and the reigns to transform the nation's fortunes. For those who know Prince Audu’s pedigree, this sense of hope is not coming as a surprise. In his wake are discernible footprints of impact, reminiscent of his Midas touch in the private sector. The scion of the legendary political icon, Prince Abubakar Audu, now steps forward to enact this same magic.

Prince Audu isn't ascending the steel podium as a novice; he arrives comprehensively equipped and primed to effect transformation. Blessed with a robust educational foundation, including a degree in Business Economics from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, a master's degree in International Securities, Investment & Banking (ISIB) from the Henley Business School, University of Reading, and another master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, Prince Audu is exceptionally well-prepared for the challenges within the steel sector. Moreover, with his extensive background in the private sector, wherein he adeptly navigated the intricate waters of the financial sector, he possesses the stature, exposure, and both local and international connections to reverse the lamentable narrative of the steel industry.

With President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's renewed determination and commitment to economic diversification and augmenting the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Prince Shuaibu Audu and Ministry of Steel Development emerge as a Minister and Ministry of significant interest. Many have argued that the Renewed Hope will truly flourish through economic diversification, and this slogan will become more meaningful to Nigerians when the steel industry is accorded its rightful attention.

In motion to achieve this goal is Prince Shuaibu’s commitment to run a blueprint reviving Nigeria's steel industry. During his inaugural press briefing as the honourable minister, he declared, "Steel is the bedrock of any nation’s development; getting it right could mark the beginning of our industrial revolution."

Development pundits embrace this mindset, affirming the presence of a driving force with the zeal to revitalize Nigeria's dormant steel potentials. Starting with the Ajaokuta Steel Company, which has endured extensive stagnation, he pledges unwavering commitment to its restoration.

His vision includes setting a roadmap for the steel sector's development, pursuing Ajaokuta steel's completion with vigour, and enacting necessary bills to regulate the industry.

He states, "Our past leaders recognized the importance of steel but lacked the political will to achieve its objectives. We will change the narrative by ensuring that Nigeria rightfully assumes its place in the continental steel sector"

Synonymous with steel development, the Ajaokuta Steel plant began its journey over four decades ago. The goal is clear: to restart the engines and ensure the production of at least a small sheet of steel within this administration. With the massive deposits of iron ores and other raw materials in the country, the steel sector could be another alternative to oil.

Prince Shuaibu Audu stands poised to deliver these projections. With his energy, deep-rooted experience, and political will, he is ready to tackle the task assigned to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Could this signal the return of the late Prince of the Niger, Adoja Abubakar Audu? Only time will reveal the answer.

Abdullahi O.Haruna (Haruspice)

.

Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho Extends Birthday Wishes to Deputy Governor Edward Onoja

In a heartfelt gesture, Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho, representing the Kogi East senatorial district, has extended warm felicitations to Chief Edward David Onoja Olimene Attah, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, on the occasion of his birthday. Senator Echocho took the opportunity to celebrate Chief Onoja's unwavering dedication and contributions to the state and the nation at large.

Describing Chief Onoja as a beacon of selflessness, strategy, and patriotism, Senator Echocho lauded his remarkable commitment to Nigeria's progress and his legendary love for humanity. The Deputy Governor's tireless efforts in fostering development, unity, and growth within Kogi State have not gone unnoticed, and Senator Echocho's praise stands as a testament to the remarkable impact Chief Onoja has made.

As Chief Onoja adds another year to his life, his influence continues to resonate across Kogi State and beyond. His visionary leadership and dedication to public service have left an indelible mark on the hearts of many, and his birthday serves as a reminder of the positive change he has consistently brought to his constituents and the people he serves.

The felicitation from Senator Echocho encapsulates the admiration and respect that Chief Edward David Onoja Olimene Attah has garnered over the years. It is a reflection of the gratitude felt by both political colleagues and the public for his exceptional contributions to the betterment of society.

On this special day, as Chief Onoja celebrates another year of life, the hopes and well wishes of numerous individuals join together to honor a man who embodies the values of selflessness, strategic thinking, and a deep-seated love for humanity. The legacy of Chief Onoja's efforts will undoubtedly continue to shape Kogi State's progress and inspire countless others to follow in his footsteps.

The Success of Tinubu’s Government Is Your Individual And Collective Responsibility, NOSPA Tells APC NEC

The members of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been told that the desire of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to deliver on the mandate of Nigerians in the revitalisation and transformation of the economy, tackling insecurity and job creation amidst many others must be seen as their individual and collective responsibility.

This call was contained in a statement by the North-South Progressive Alliance (NOSPA), in Abuja, ahead of the National Caucus meeting as well as the National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled to hold on the 10th and 11th of July, 2023.

In the statement signed by its Convener, Alwan Hassan, the group, comprising of professionals drawn from various sectors within the northern and southern region of the country, called on the APC NEC to come up with resolutions that would ensure the smooth sail of the Tinubu administration in the delivery of its promises to the Nigerian people.

“The burden of leadership, especially one that seeks to design and apply a wholesale transformation to Nigeria, is huge. The President is seeking an ambitious transformation of Nigeria. It takes capable hands, skilled individuals, and committed citizens to deliver this, and until all hands are on deck, the job would only get tougher for Mr. President.

“It behoves on all stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress to commit themselves to doing all that is within their means to ensuring that the government succeeds.

“Even though we desire to see reforms that will take Nigeria to its ultimate destination, we do not expect that the journey ahead would be a ‘walk in the park,’ neither do we expect that all would be ‘sweet and rosy.’ It is thus our call to the stakeholders of this government, particularly the NEC of the APC to ensure that they commit to work for the Tinubu administration and do all that is necessary to support the government at hand.

“As the NEC enters into its meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 11th July 2023, we urge the leaders to think of the nation first and prepare for the journey ahead. We implore them to seek to build consensus for the interest of the nation and to come out stronger and firmer in their resolve for a nation that works for the Nigerian people,” the group noted.

“In achieving this, we expect the APC NEC to have top on its agenda, the issue of building a functional party that is capable of nurturing Nigeria into building institutions to support the reforms expected from the current administration. In this respect, we hope to see, as part of the outcome of the meeting, resolutions that commits to ensuring that processes and statutory mandates are constitutionally adhered to.

The North South Progressives Alliance want to use this opportunity to call on the Progressive Governors and the National Assembly to commit to work with President Tinubu in his quest for reforms that will take Nigeria to the desired destinations. This is crucial for a harmonious government that would achieve the kinds of results Nigerians would be pleased with,” the group stated.


Alwan Hassan
Convener, North-South Progressive Alliance
9 July, 2023

The Success of Tinubu’s Government Is Your Individual And Collective Responsibility, NOSPA Tells APC NEC

The members of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been told that the desire of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to deliver on the mandate of Nigerians in the revitalisation and transformation of the economy, tackling insecurity and job creation amidst many others must be seen as their individual and collective responsibility.

This call was contained in a statement by the North-South Progressive Alliance (NOSPA), in Abuja, ahead of the National Caucus meeting as well as the National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled to hold on the 10th and 11th of July, 2023.

In the statement signed by its Convener, Alwan Hassan, the group, comprising of professionals drawn from various sectors within the northern and southern region of the country, called on the APC NEC to come up with resolutions that would ensure the smooth sail of the Tinubu administration in the delivery of its promises to the Nigerian people.

“The burden of leadership, especially one that seeks to design and apply a wholesale transformation to Nigeria, is huge. The President is seeking an ambitious transformation of Nigeria. It takes capable hands, skilled individuals, and committed citizens to deliver this, and until all hands are on deck, the job would only get tougher for Mr. President.

“It behoves on all stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress to commit themselves to doing all that is within their means to ensuring that the government succeeds.

“Even though we desire to see reforms that will take Nigeria to its ultimate destination, we do not expect that the journey ahead would be a ‘walk in the park,’ neither do we expect that all would be ‘sweet and rosy.’ It is thus our call to the stakeholders of this government, particularly the NEC of the APC to ensure that they commit to work for the Tinubu administration and do all that is necessary to support the government at hand.

“As the NEC enters into its meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 11th July 2023, we urge the leaders to think of the nation first and prepare for the journey ahead. We implore them to seek to build consensus for the interest of the nation and to come out stronger and firmer in their resolve for a nation that works for the Nigerian people,” the group noted.

“In achieving this, we expect the APC NEC to have top on its agenda, the issue of building a functional party that is capable of nurturing Nigeria into building institutions to support the reforms expected from the current administration. In this respect, we hope to see, as part of the outcome of the meeting, resolutions that commits to ensuring that processes and statutory mandates are constitutionally adhered to.

The North South Progressives Alliance want to use this opportunity to call on the Progressive Governors and the National Assembly to commit to work with President Tinubu in his quest for reforms that will take Nigeria to the desired destinations. This is crucial for a harmonious government that would achieve the kinds of results Nigerians would be pleased with,” the group stated.


Alwan Hassan
Convener, North-South Progressive Alliance
9 July, 2023

Nigeria Considers Involving Navy in Fishing and Aquatic Animals Operations to Boost the Blue Economic Revenue
By
Abdullahi O. Haruna (Haruspice)

Abuja, Nigeria - In a bid to unlock its revenue potential, the Federal Government of Nigeria is exploring the possibility of engaging the Navy in fish harvesting activities along the country's coastal waters. Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, revealed this during a visit by Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen Christopher Musa, and the newly appointed service chiefs and Chief of Defence Intelligence at Defence House.

Highlighting the untapped resources in Nigeria's high seas, Dr. Kana emphasized that the Navy's involvement in fishing ventures could generate billions of dollars in revenue and also create employment. He expressed concern over international incursions into Nigerian waters and stressed the need to harness this potential for economic growth. Dr. Kana further stated, "Nigeria is covered by waters, and there is no reason why the military can not support the country through the waters. The Ministry of Defence is committed to working closely with the Armed Forces hierarchy to address insecurity and support the realization of Nigeria's Blue Economy potential under the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu"

According to a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Nigeria loses $60 million annually to illegal fishing, while the West African region suffers a staggering loss of $1.3 billion worth of fish due to illegal trade. Foreign fishing fleets, driven by rising global demand for fish, pose a significant threat to the livelihoods and nutrition of millions of people in Africa. Although European trawlers remain the primary foreign presence, fleets from China, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan have also expanded in recent years, depleting fish stocks and leaving local fishermen struggling to make a living.

To counter this challenge, the Permanent Secretary is urging the Armed Forces to capitalize on this opportunity and redirect the revenue potential back to Nigeria. He aims to turn the tide against illegal fishing activities and protect the interests of Nigerian fishermen.

During the meeting, Dr. Kana also reiterated the ongoing implementation of reforms of the M9D and the Armed Forces, which were initiated during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He emphasized the commitment of the Ministry of Defence to collaborate with the military hierarchy in driving these reforms forward.

The reform initiatives encompass various aspects, including the establishment of the Octagon, a platform that fosters civilian-military collaboration to enhance national security. Dr. Kana likened it to the Pentagon in the United States, highlighting the goal of joint efforts in providing security for Nigeria.

Additionally, the Ministry of Defence is dedicated to the development of Nigeria's military industrial complex through Defence Industries Corporation (DICON). This initiative aims to promote local development, employment, and self-sufficiency in arms, ammunition, and other military hardware production, supporting both the economy and national security.

Dr. Kana praised the contributions of professionals within the military, particularly in healthcare, during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. He expressed high expectations for the armed forces and acknowledged the positive start of the new service chiefs, aligning with the clear mandates set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said the MOD will continue to contribute to the health security of the country.

In response, Major General Christopher, the Chief of Defence Staff, affirmed the commitment of the armed forces to collaborate with the Ministry of Defence in addressing security threats and achieving the President's mandates The visit served to strengthen the working relationship between the military and the ministry as they worked together towards common goals.

A Tapestry of Words: Haruspice Weaves His Influential Voice into the Osinbajo Book 
By  Nathan Oguche Emmanuel

Haruspice, a popular social media influencer, is one of the 25 prominent writers and journalists who have collaborated to write a book on the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. The book, titled "OSINBAJO STRIDES: Defining Moments of An Innovative Leader," is scheduled to be virtually launched on April 28, 2023, at 4 p.m.

Announcing the development on his Facebook account, Haruspice said, "When you dream and wake up to it, you can live the reality of it. It's a huge privilege to be listed among the array of accomplished writers who co-authored the book."

The book is a compilation of essays written by journalists and individuals from different backgrounds, chronicling the Vice President's public service from his role as Special Adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation in 1988 to the present day. General Abudulsalami Abubakar wrote the foreword, and the proceeds from the book sales will be donated to charity organizations.

The PYO Collective, a nonpartisan and multicultural group of Nigerians interested in the country's good governance and economic development, is behind the book launch.

Haruspice, also known as Abdullahi O. Haruna, is a multi-talented artist who writes poetry, performs spoken word, hosts events, and writes. He uses social media platforms to express his ideas on topics such as good governance, patriotism, tolerance, and youth empowerment. Haruspice is the author of the book "The Buhari In Us," which was published recently. In 2017, he was selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow, a highly prestigious program that offers professional development and leadership training to emerging African leaders in the United States.

Haruspice's inclusion as one of the authors in the book on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a testament to his unwavering commitment and determination to succeed in the face of adversity. His achievements are a beacon of hope for many young people in Nigeria who are striving to make a positive impact in their communities. By using his voice and artistic talents to promote important values such as good governance, patriotism, tolerance, and youth empowerment, Haruspice serves as a role model for the next generation of leaders in Nigeria.

Our attention has been drawn to a press statement by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in which he was virtually calling for a truncation of the ongoing electoral process and a cancellation of already conducted elections on the basis of frivolous, unfounded and baseless allegations by politicians who are sore losers and have no respect for democratic values.

Obasanjo repeated without the slightest iota of evidence rumours he had picked up that the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System had been compromised and that the results of elections being announced are fraudulent. It is tragic that a former President who ought to be a statesman in comportment and speech will recklessly seek to endanger and derail our democratic process for utterly selfish, egoistic and malicious reasons. He offers not a single credible piece of evidence to prove his laughable and ridiculous allegations against INEC and the credibility of the ongoing process.

Of course, we are all aware that Obasanjo is not an impartial and disinterested party as far as this election is concerned. On January 1, 2023, he had issued a characteristically lengthy epistle to Nigerians endorsing the candidacy of Mr Peter Obi and asking Nigerian youths to vote en masse for him. Of course our reaction was that the former President was entitled to his view and that the outcome of the elections would demonstrate if he had any electoral value. As fate would have it, Peter Obi was defeated even in Obasanjo’s own polling unit in Abeokuta in Ogun State. But it is now obvious that the only election Obasanjo will agree to being free, fair and credible is one that produces Obi as winner which is ridiculous.

Is Obasanjo also querying the outcome of the presidential elections in Lagos or Delta where Obi won? If the outcome in Lagos won by Obi is free and credible, on what basis is he querying the outcome of the elections in other places? This is pure mischief and sheer hypocrisy. Obasanjo wants President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in an undemocratic manner to truncate the ongoing political process just the way he did most shamelessness in the 2003 and 2007 elections widely described as the worst in our political history. Luckily, President Buhari is made of finer and more principled democratic stuff. He will not allow Obasanjo to lure him into tainting his democratic credentials in this regard. We recall that in his last trip to the United States, President Joe Biden praised Buhari ‘s commitment to democratic values and principles. Obasanjo has no such record to be applauded. The world has not forgotten his fraudulent and undemocratic attempt at a third term agenda in violation of the letter and spirit of the Nigerian constitution.

This is an election in which ASIWAJU Tinubu, for instance, has lost in Lagos state in his South West region while Atiku and Obi have also won elections outside their own regional bases. No true democrat must seek an abortion of the process just because he believes the elections are not going his way. What Obasanjo is subtly calling for in his nefarious statement is a coup against democracy and the constitution. He should be roundly condemned and severely ignored. The constitution has stipulated processes for seeking redress against electoral malpractices in the past and these have been tested several times and used to redress electoral injustice where such has been proven. Nigerians must reject Obasanjo’s dubious and hypocritical advice and stay strictly and firmly on the path of constitutionalism and democratic due process.

Signed
DELE ALAKE
Special Adviser, Media, Communications and Public Affairs, APC PCC.

Former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party
in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, has directed all his supporters not to vote for the senatorial candidate of the PDP in the state, Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN.


According to credible source who attended a meeting summoned by Jegede in his Alagbaka house late Friday evening, the former governornship candidate said he can’t support Adedipe who is governor Wike’s lawyer.


It was learnt that he has directed his followers in the State to support the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Adeniyi Adegbonmire.SAN.


The latest development may not br unconnected with the close relationship between Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and Adedipe, who is his personal lawyer.


Recall that the Wike's led camp has refused to support the presidential candidate of the PDP, and are currently working to sabotage his chances at all levels in the coming presidential election.

In recognition of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's contribution to supporting and uplifting others, the Progressive Sisters' Network (PSN), led by Rinsola Abiola, on Sunday presented the APC presidential candidate with the Icon of Human Development Award, thus making him the first recipient of an award from the organisation. 


The dinner event, tagged "Meet the Mentor", was hosted by Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who testified to Asiwaju's immense contributions to the growth of his public service career. At the event, the Speaker also launched the national door-to-door women's campaign alongside the APC National Women Leader, Dr. Betta Edu. 


PSN, being a women led and focused support group of the APC, had testimonials from women who had benefitted from Asiwaju's leadership and guidance, as they aimed to convince women especially that Asiwaju is the right candidate for the women folk.


The dinner, which was earlier slated for Friday, February 10, later reconvened on Sunday, February 13 in line with Asiwaju's stated wish, as he had to leave the venue on Friday to attend a meeting with the president. 


Both dinners were well attended by government officials and leaders of the party's various organs, particularly women within the progressive fold.


Speaking at the event, Asiwaju described Rinsola, the National Coordinator of PSN, as "a thinker and a doer" and commended her ability and that of members of her group to pull off yet another successful event within such a short space of time. 


He went on to commend her leadership skills, stating that teamship is a key part of leadership. He also spoke at length regarding Nigeria's challenges and stated that with commitment and unity of purpose, Nigeria's challenges are surmountable.


Those who spoke at the event include Senator Oluremi Tinubu (represented by Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir), H.E. Amb. (Dr.) Olufolake Abdulrazaq (First Lady of Kwara State), Dr. Betta Edu (APC National Women Leader), Ajuri Ngelale (Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs) and Iyaloja Oluwatoyin Badmus (President, Asiwaju Women Cooperative Society). 


Chief Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor, who once served for two terms in the House of Representatives as part of the Lagos State delegation, spoke on Asiwaju's gender sensitivity and his leadership and problem solving skills. Mrs. Chioma Ogu and Maryam Busari-Obadina spoke as beneficiaries of policies introduced during his time as governor, namely the payment of WAEC fees and the One-Day Governor initiative. 


The event, which was anchored by Morayo Afolabi-Brown, had many of Asiwaju's mentees in the public and private sectors present.

PRESS STATEMENT

NEXTIER, PETER OBI AND THE FARCICAL ELECTION POLL RESULT


We are constrained as a matter of public record to react to another farcical Presidential Election Poll result released by an organisation that calls itself Nextier, a public policy advisory firm that overnight turned itself into a Nigerian Gallup Poll or Ipsos.

We are reacting for the sake of unsuspecting Nigerians, so that they are not misled by the Patrick Okigbo-led organisation, which appears to have the agenda to create confusion and chaos in our country.

For a start, Nigerians should know that promoters of Nextier are members of Mr. Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Council and active campaigners for the Labour Party Presidential Candidate.

Any poll conducted by such intensely partisan and prejudicially tainted organisation should be taken with a pinch of salt.

This is apart from the fact that the sample size of the so-called poll and methodology employed cannot stand any integrity test.

It is quite ludicrous that Nextier Poll that projects a clean sweep of the South East Region at over 90% of registered votes also puts Peter Obi ahead of APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the six South West States including Lagos.

Assuming without absolutely conceding that Peter Obi will enjoy home advantage in his part of the country, we then wonder why the pollsters at Nextier, if they have any modicum of respect for the intellect of Nigerians, thought the factors that will propel landslide victory for Obi in South east will not work for the APC candidate in his own South West base.

Nextier Pollsters also put Labour Party ahead of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party Candidate in his home state of Adamawa.

How more ridiculous can Nextier Pollsters get?

Nextier Pollsters called the entire South South Region for Labour Party at 60% in Akwa-Ibom, the base of Chairman of PDP presidential campaign council.

The partisan pollsters gave Bayelsa 62.9% to Labour Party and also claimed LP would win Delta 65.9 %, home of PDP Vice Presidential Candidate.

The jesters in Nextier also claimed Obi would win Rivers by 77.8%, Edo 76.9% and Cross Rivers 63.2%. It did not matter to them that in these states, Labour Party has no serving councillor in any ward.

The summary of Nextier's so-called face-to-face nationwide poll is that Peter Obi is the preferred candidate of 37% of Nigerians with a conclusion that the Presidential election will go into a run-off.

We make bold to say this is wishful thinking without any basis in fact and reality.

It is important to alert Nigerians and the international community that the Pollsters at Nextier are working for the Labour Party and their poll results are all cooked up, far away from reality.

We suspect that their first and second fallacious poll results are pretext to cause political crisis and riots in Nigeria after the February 25. They may be preparing ground for violent protest by Obi supporters who will allege rigging when their candidate is roundly defeated at the election, in which he is not likely to even come a distant 3rd.

We want to state categorically that Peter Obi is not a major contender in the coming presidential election in Nigeria and no fantasy and fairytale poll can change the material facts.

We want to put it on record that Nextier Poll is useless for three reasons:

First, the sample size of 3,000 is statistically too insignificant in an election with over 93 million registered voters and admits greater margins of error than claimed.

Second, the distribution of the sample neither reflects voter demographics nor variations in voters turnout across states.

Third, the main objective of Nextier Poll is to report a predetermined conclusion so that when Labour Party loses by wide margin, its rabid supporters can embark on another violent protests, similar to the destructive #ENDSARS riots of 2020.


Bayo Onanuga
Director, Media and Publicity
APC Presidential Campaign Council
February 5, 2023

REVEALED: How Aso Rock Cabal Misled Buhari Into Fuel, Naira Crises Over Plot To Make Atiku President



By Alhassan Bello

As Nigerians suffer on the crises caused by the fuel scarcity and naira swap, it has been revealed that the Aso Rock cabal led by Mallam Mamman Daura is behind the problem that is making Nigerians to suffer.

Credible sources disclosed in Abuja, Katsina, Adamawa and Sokoto states that those who lost the primaries of APC tried to convince Daura to change President Muhammadu Buhari's mind in his support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. No particular person among the losers was mentioned in the plot, but reports suggest that the plotters sold a dummy to Daura that Tinubu will not respect Buhari after getting power.

According to the sources, Daura first snubbed the promoters of the idea. It was learnt that Daura later agreed to join the plot when Atiku Abubakar, who is very close to him, convinced him that Buhari would be making a terrible mistake to allow power move to the South where northern interests may be jeopardised. Atiku told Daura several fabricated stories by a team of blackmailers he set up in PDP to argue his point.

It was learnt that to achieve the plot, Atiku and some  PDP leaders set up a blackmail group led by Nduka Obaigbena to paint a frightening picture of Fulani suffering under a southern President.  According to the sources, in this group are Dino Melaye, Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Sule Lamido and Raymond Dokpesi.

The sources explained that Melaye and members of his group are playing on Daura's mindset in his pro-Fulani sentiment to always place Fulani interest above any other interest in Nigerian politics.

They convinced Daura that his kinsman, Atiku Abubakar, will protect Fulani interest in the coming administration while they had discovered an alleged grand plan by Tinubu and some Eastern leaders to work against Fulani interest after taking power down South.

Convinced by the presentation of  Obaigbena, Atiku was again invited by Daura, who promised Atiku that situations would be created that would make him enjoy support across the country. By this time, Atiku himself was in the dark about what the plan would be. He was asked to come back again.

Before he came back, Daura had perfected his plan. He lied to Buhari, relying on the stories by Obaigbena-led blackmail group. To implement the plot,  Daura asked Atiku to raise N85 billion to start organising his campaign. Atiku said he could not raise the money because he was broke and was yet to recover from the last presidential primaries and election expenses after losing to Buhari.

Daura therefore hatched a plan to convince Buhari to reimburse PDP states that implemented Federal projects so that he could be seen as a national leader who does not discriminate. Buhari agreed. Daura, who is widely known for his rabid pro-Fulani disposition, thereafter tutored Atiku to worm himself to the hearts of PDP governors that will benefit from the windfall. Buhari was convinced by his nephew and paid the money to the states. Some of these governors include Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Godwin Obaseki of Edo State. But the plan failed to work as Wike began a political war with Atiku and so could not release Rivers money to Atiku. Obaseki also refused to surrender his state money, but Okowa released huge sums of money to Atiku for their joint campaign.

When details of how Okowa surrendered Delta money to Atiku leaked, civil servants and pensioners protested on the streets and asked Okowa to explain how he spent their money. The South East governors that benefited from Buhari's windfall also refused to surrender their money.

With Atiku facing imminent failure, Daura called in Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and NNPC Managing Director, Alhaji Kyari, a Fulani, to join in the plot to blackmail APC into failure and set Nigerians against the party. Emefiele was not difficult to convince to join the plot because he and Okowa are cousins from Agbor, Delta State. Daura worked on Emefiele to convince Buhari about the international honour he will get if he organises credible election devoid of votes buying. Emefiele therefore bypassed Finance Minister, his supervisory authority, to convince Buhari to change Nigeria currency to purportedly prevent votes buying.

The ignorant Buhari who always wants to be seen as upright, bought into the idea. Even the Federal Ministry of Finance fumed over the plan because without its input, Daura convinced Buhari that naira change was the best option for Buhari to organise a clean election. While Daura had hoped that PDP governors would surrender the reimbursements by Buhari to finance Atiku's election, reality dawned on him when these governors, except Okowa, refused to surrender their money.

Kyari also quickly joined the plot that has potential to keep him in office after Atiku's victory, hence the crisis in fuel distribution system that has crippled the nation's economy, resulting in sufferings all over Nigeria in which APC government is held responsible, not knowing that PDP is at work in collaboration with Buhari's nephew.

In the last few days, Dino Melaye has been visiting Emefiele's house during dark hours along with some CBN senior officials of Fulani stock,  according to another credible source in Abuja.

And so with failure imminent in Atiku's camp, the  option of blackmailing APC as a bad party is better, by setting Nigerians against the party by twin plots of petrol scarcity and printing of small quantities of naira notes while setting a short timeline  to effect a change of naira to create scarcity, a method that can't work even in a country of 30 million people. By these plots, Nigerians will naturally campaign against APC as a bad party amid widespread suffering that will create opportunity for Atiku to win.

But all the plots collapsed as northern governors led by Nasir El-Rufai and Atiku Bagudu got wind of the plot. They spoke with Buhari about the problem, reminding him about the sacrifices the Southern politicians made to give victory to Buhari. Surprisingly, Bauchi Governor was reported to buy into El-Rufai's group argument. Therefore, within a short period, the cabal held several meetings while El-Rufai group also held their meetings.

In one of the meetings, Buhari was reminded about his place in history and that he should remember that he could not spend his youth to keep Nigeria one during the civil war but now spend his adult life to divide Nigeria. He was told clearly that the West will naturally join the East to end the union called Nigeria if Buhari sticks to the Daura plot to retain power in the North.

According to sources, Buhari had to bend from his hard line stance when young elements of his Fulani stock told him the truth about the impending danger if Northern politicians break the agreement with their Southern counterparts, more so that the last Constutional Conference recommended power rotation between North  and South, which political parties in Nigeria, including PDP and APC, adopted in their zoning arrangement in their constitutions.

The fallout of the initiatives of the young elements in Northern establishment led to the meeting with Buhari on Friday where Buhari was told about the dangers of failing to follow the agreement on power rotation.

For now, PDP's plot with Daura, who wants a Fulani man to succeed Buhari at all costs, may fail as Buhari may not be able to control the anger and rebellion that will follow the failure to take power back to the South.


(I am Dr Alhassan Bello, a patriotic Nigerian writing from Abuja FCT)

In his heydays when he littered everywhere with tangible traces of real governance, late political maverick, and bulldozer, Alhaji Abubakar Audu - the Adoja of the universe was famously and boisterously called 'The Prince of the Niger'. It was an appellation carved on the marble of reverence, prestige, and royalty. In his days as the Executive Governor of Kogi State when democracy was rebirthed in 1999, Prince Abubakar Audu was the rave of the nascent democracy, he shone so brilliantly that his traces illuminated everywhere in infrastructure, security, and prosperity. He brought the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to not just Kogi state but Igalaland - Anyigba to be precise! Audu perhaps brought the first sitting president to igalaland- Similarly, Governor Yahaya Bello Adoza just replicated this rare feat by bringing president Muhammadu Buhari to Okene- the headquarters of Ebira civilization. To a mere looker, this is a mere happenstance but for those with the appreciation of historical relics, this is a political statement. Like Audu, Bello just made a bold statement!

The narratives now will be a two-lane reality when Kogi political history is being dissected. Anything that brings a sitting president to any state is a huge reference to governance. Presidents don't go to state visits just like that, they visit where serious things of national consequences are happening. For instance, when there are security breaches of great magnitude that lead to loss of lives and property, the President can visit the location to console with victims and identify with those living in those states. In the case of Kogi state, the President did not visit Kogi for condolences but to commission projects of impact. Like Obasanjo to Anyigba, Buhari was in Okene!

What would make Yahaya Bello site the first reference hospital in north central Nigeria in Okene in less than eight years of his administration? The answer isn't far fetched. It's the realization that he is a freeborn motivated by the impulse that the land that births him deserves the manure of appreciation. Only a slave distances self from the land of his birth; a freeborn draws rain of progress to his land. We have seen Bello's traces of 'worthy son' to his Ebira people.

President Muhammadu Buhari came close to emptying his saliva in praises of Governor Yahaya Bello when he was ushered into the Reference Hospital in Okene. Like Obasanjo, who danced to the tune of Tijay Bala when he came to commission the Kogi State University in Anyigba, Buhari jived in ecstasy throughout his visit to Okene.

Kogi State University was one of the signatures in Kogi state during Prince Audu's reign. The university opened its vista of opportunities to students from not just the state but neighbouring states of Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Nasarawa, Niger, and Benue. It remains a melting point till date. Bello, like Prince Audu, wasted no time in establishing the Confluence University of Science and Technology in Osara. Now with the just commissioned Reference Hospital, the new school will take another lead in medical school complementing the one in Anyigba and the proposed Medical School in the Federal University Lokoja that will use the Federal Medical Center Lokoja as its teaching hospital. Indeed, Kogi is now the hub of Medical Schools in Nigeria with the three senatorial zones hosting Medical Schools. This is what vision and real love for a people do and Bello is a remarkable reference here. He didn't build tourist abodes, he invested in healing abodes. All hail Bello, the new Prince of Niger.

All these modest and enviable achievements didn't happen by accident, they came from an inclusive think tank anchored by his crack team of the New Direction gang, these people employed a bottom-top approach to building a template that has become a veritable compass for the Yahaya Bello government.

In his speech yesterday, he summarized thus the magic behind his successes...
"Shortly after my inauguration into office for the first time on 27th January, 2016 I commissioned a multidisciplinary team of consultants to design a governance template for my administration drawing from our campaign promises and direct feedback from the people of Kogi State whom they interacted with in every nook and cranny of the State.

The outcome is what we call the Kogi State New Direction Blueprint which I like to define as 'our roadmap for accelerated and proportional development of Kogi State in all her constituencies'. The New Direction Blueprint has helped us to steadily translate our mission statement into the reality that we now see in Kogi State, a few of which will be commissioned today.

Our performance matrix is rooted in an overall mission statement as an Administration, which reads thus: 'To develop Kogi State into Nigeria's foremost and most secure emerging commercial hub through optimization of the state's geographical location, natural endowments and human resources for a sustainable future.'

Whether we like it or not, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has redefined governance template in Kogi state, he has moved the state from a family empire to an inclusive forte, he has demystified political demagoguery and collapsed political dynasties. He has shown those with power before now that you can make your people a priority regardless of the tides or fortune. By the time power returns, we can be more purposeful with real governance like the era of Audu and Bello- the two inarguably Princes of the Niger.

My name is Abdullahi O. Haruna, you can call me Haruspice

Impressively musing

This is to announce the official inauguration of the campaign team of the Saliu Mustapha for Senate (SMS) 2023 for Kwara Central Senatorial election which would hold on Saturday, 24th December, 2022.


The event, which would take place at the campaign headquarters located on Basin Road, off Fate Roundabout, Ilorin, would commence at 10:00am prompt.


The teams to be inaugurated include the Central Coordinating Team (CCT), the Local Government Area Campaign Team and the Ward Canvassers.


All nominated members of the campaign team have been contacted and urged to be punctual.


Kindly note that the event is strictly by invitation.

Thank you

Gidado Yushau Shuaib
Media & Communications Directorate
Saliu Mustapha for Senate (SMS) 2023.

Jide Awobona, a Nollywood actor and content producer, has taken up the hat of an entrepreneur after launching his unisex accessory with the first-ever "ÀSELÀ" tote bag.


A feature on Kizzdaniel's Instagram story, Mr. Funny (Sabinus), and other celebs seen sporting the unisex bag have elevated LOUMIIEE's prized tote bag to A-list celebrity heights, further elevating its cult status.


LOUMIIEE BAGS are the epitome of elegance for chic and trendy ensembles. Responsibly crafted in Nigeria using the greatest materials imported from all over the world to fulfill both current and future needs.


The fabric is made of boating-related CANVAS materials, tough and resilient enough to tolerate deterioration.

PRESS RELEASE

CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE: NCPC BOSS VISITS ISRAELI AMBASSADOR

The Executive Secretary Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC Rev Dr Yakubu Pam has paid a courtesy visit to the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, HE Mr Michael Freeman at the Israeli Embassy at Asokoro Abuja on 7th October, 2022.


The NCPC boss thanked the Envoy for the cooperation and assistance that the Commission had been enjoying, especially in the area of consular services as well as the robust bilateral relations between Nigeria and the State of Israel.


Rev Pam averred that Israel is a critical and major stakeholder in our Pilgrimage exercise which explains why this was vividly captured in the establishment Act of the Commission. He added that Israel remains the fulcrum of the foundation of our Christian faith and a major Pilgrimage destination of the Commission.


The NCPC helmsman further stated that the relationship between Israel and the Commission in the area of Pilgrimage had existed for decades and would do everything possible to continue to strengthen it.


The No 1 Christian Pilgrim officer of the Federation intimated his host that the Commission plans to continue its 2021 Pilgrimage exercise to Rome and Israel on 16th October, 2022 and thus solicited the assistance of the Ambassador in the speedy procurement of Visas for intending pilgrims.


Speaking, the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, HE Mr Michael Freeman thanked the NCPC boss for his visit and promised to always render assistance to the Commission for smooth Pilgrimage exercise.


He commended Rev Pam for his efforts so far in repositioning the Commission and Christian Pilgrimage in Nigeria just barely two years in the saddle as the third substantive Executive Secretary of NCPC.


Ambassador Freeman hinted that the Israeli government would soon sign a bilateral Air Service Agreement with a Nigerian Airline to enable it airlift passengers and pilgrims directly from Nigeria to TEL-Aviv, Israel.


He canvased the support and cooperation of NCPC to make this new development possible as this would impact positively on the fortunes and progress of Christian Pilgrimage in Nigeria.


He stressed that the Commission would be making history with the commencement of direct flight to TEL-AVIV, Israel, especially with a Nigerian Airline.


The NCPC boss was accompanied on the visit by the Director of Operations, Mr Abu Okpanachi.


Signed Celestine Toruka
Deputy Director/ Head, Media and Public Relations
8th October, 2022.

GOVERNOR YAHAYA BELLO’S APPOINTMENT AS NATIONAL YOUTH COORDINATOR FOR THE APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IS A CALL ON NIGERIAN YOUTHS TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL

Being Text of A Press Conference Addressed by the APC Young Stakeholders today in Abuja, 22nd day of September, 2022.

Gentlemen of the Press,

1. We have invited you to this briefing in the light of the recent appointment of the governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaha Bello as the National Youth Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

2. The appointment as made by the presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not come to us as a surprise, as the party flagbearer has demonstrated over the years, his ability to identify individuals, regardless of religion, tribe or gender that has the wherewithal to deliver on any given task.

3. As a man with the unique eyes and known for putting round pegs in round holes, his legendary astuteness has once again been demonstrated in his choice of Yahaya Bello for the role of mobilizing Youth and the Middle aged being the largest block of the voting population, and this is the very reason why the APC trusted him with the party’s flag, not only to win the election, but also provide the much needed leadership to build on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari led government at the centre.

4 It is with a deep sense and heart of appreciation that we thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for giving recognition to whom it is due, in line with his proven commitment to reward hard work, loyalty and the enthronement of meritocracy in public administration in consonance with his track records.

5 Gentlemen of the press, the APC Young Stakeholders want to put it on record that the choice of Yahaya Bello as the National Youth Coordinator is a good omen to the success of the party in the forthcoming election. The appointment excites us and for no far fetched reasons. He is not only the most qualified for that noble assignment, his connection with the youthful population of the nation puts him ahead of any other person ordinarily in consideration.

6 Governor Yahaha Bello as the representative and face of the youths in politics and government has built a strong base of his primary demography by working well with them at every given opportunity. This, he has demonstrated by the roles he played in various capacities involving the youth. He brought millions of youth into the APC when he chaired the party’s Women and Youth Mobilisation and Sensitisation Committee in 2020. Bello towered higher by maintaining peace and even playing mediatory role during the famous ENDSARS protest that held across the country. His Patriotism and commitment to National development was proven again when he intervened in the face off between northern farmers and the southern region that led to the blockage of supply of food produce to the south in 2020.

7 It is also on record that Governor Bello, has appointed more youth and women into top offices since his coming into power and has given many more young and Middle aged people opportunity to excel in the government more than any other in the present Democratic dispensation. This is not only because he is youthful himself, but because he recognizes the energy and the innovative spirits of the youths and the need for their inclusion in planning and building the Nigeria of our collective dreams by way mentorship and giving opportunities to showcase their leadership skills in a patriotic manner.

8 Talk about Street credibility, there is no match to governor Yahaya Bello. Little wonder he connects with young people in different strata of the society. From sportsmen to musicians, actors and many other youthful professionals, Bello has a deep-rooted relationship with this demography that can well be the gold that the APC needs to win the forthcoming presidential election. This gladdens the heart of every well meaning progressive minded young stakeholders of the party.

9 It is on this note that we want to call on all Nigerian Youths to see the appointment of Governor Yahaha Bello as an opportunity to gravitate towards the goal of enthroning a leader in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a proven builder of people, wealth and nation that will put the youth at the forefront of driving the governance of the country. For a very long time, Nigerian youths have not been given their pride of place in the society especially in governance and public administration, but this is not going to be the case with the Asiwaju government as he recognises the enormous potentials in the Nigerian youth and Middle aged needed to build the Nigeria that works for everyone.

10. We are particularly calling on Nigerian youths and Middle aged to use this 2023 presidential campaign as an opportunity to show our readiness to lead and contribute our much needed quota in the development of Nigeria by ensuring issue based campaign and shunning all manners of violence, hostility and needless attacks on personality as we patriotic young stakeholders in the party are open and welcome to cerebral conversations on topics of National concerns. We must not let emotions deny us the chance of rallying round the right leader whose leadership, competence, capacity, character, and vision is right for the task ahead.

11. The Nation is ours and it is our responsibility to build it in ways that serves the interest of the majority of the citizens working with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a leader with proven track records of progressive governance.

Thank you And God bless.
Aliyu Audu

PRESS STATEMENT



PDP remains pathetic with unedifying mirror image


Jolted by its unedifying mirror image as lucidly presented to Nigerians by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate over the weekend, the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday descended in its response, into the pit of hatred and abuses .

Tinubu’s offence was that he reminded the PDP of its 16 years of cash and carry government which left the mess that the APC government has been clearing.

Asiwaju Tinubu had queried the moral basis for PDP's plot to return to power eight years after leaving thousands of uncompleted projects and commitments in trillions of Naira.

The APC presidential candidate said a party still battling with leadership crisis and without a legacy of visionary planning has no place in Nigeria'a future.

Uncompleted projects abandoned by the PDP administration include the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Kaduna railway and the Second Niger Bridge. PDP left undone railroads, roads, power and ports that signalled a prostrate economy and a socially disoriented country.

The APC presidential candidate contrasted the PDP era with seven years of the APC government and its plans for the future.

“They spent 16 years and forgot that there is a railway infrastructure that can do haulage, human carriage, animal and food carriage across the length and breadth of the country”, Tinubu said.

“They (PDP) got there and turned it to an incubator. I wonder why they still exist as a party. These are people still fighting for leadership of their party, looking for the direction of the compass. We are not equal at all; we are smarter. We know the road; let them follow.

“We are not just the ones to hurl abuses and insults at our rivals’ party. We don’t need it. We are smarter; we are brilliant; we are courageous; we are not like them,” Tinubu said.

Instead of the intensely incapacitated PDP to respond to the clear issues raised by Tinubu, the party abandoned all decorum and hurled personal abuses at him. This is usually the trademark of a party that has nothing to offer the people. No decent person expects PDP to do better though. The party and its leaders were clueless as ruling party and still rudderless in opposition.

We have had cause in the past to state our objective in the 5-month campaign leading to the 25 February, 2023 presidential election not to trade personal insults. Our party and our presidential candidate will focus on issues that are important to improving the quality of life of Nigerians.

The PDP has again demonstrated that it has nothing to offer to better the lives of our people just like it's sordid past in government. PDP only wants to keep its floundering campaign alive by engaging in groundless muckraking.

PDP and its ever clueless leaders did more shameful things, by declaring falsely that the governing party was dead, when they know it is the party that they needed to beat to realise the inordinate ambition of their perennial candidate and perennially failed Atiku Abubakar.

PDP as a party was not satisfied with this lie as it launched a chapter from its propaganda playbook that the APC government has achieved nothing when our administration's stellar achievements are there for even the blind to see.

Let us make it clear to the PDP: the current APC government has many achievements to be proud of unlike the PDP that squandered and plundered Nigeria’s resources and could not even deliver a simple Second Niger bridge to the people of South East, that have always delivered votes for it since 1999. To the shame of PDP and eternal credit to APC, President Muhammadu Buhari will commission the bridge this year.

Also this year, President Buhari will complete the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, abandoned for 16 years by the PDP.

Among its many laudable achievements, the current APC-led government has to its credit Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe rail network and over 13, 000 kilometres of roads, including bridges at different stages of completion across the country. This contrasted with the PDP years when in its first 10 years spent N633 billion on roads no one can see.
The Buhari administration has completed no fewer than five airports and will take the credit for ensuring that the $17 billion Dangote refinery and petrochemical complex and the $3billion Lekki Deep Sea Port are accomplished.

President Buhari can point to unprecedented investments in agriculture through the Anchor Borrowers scheme for rice, maize, cotton and others. Under the APC-led administration, Nigeria became the biggest producer of rice in Africa and cut down Nigeria's rice and food import bill significantly.

Nigeria remains net producer of maize, sesame, yam, millet, cashew and sorghum on the back of the life changing investments in agriculture by the Buhari administration. The APC government completed over 200 dams and Irrigation projects to help farmers plant throughout the year. In 2021, Nigeria produced 23 million tonnes of maize according to Maize Farmers Association.

The Buhari government will be eternally remembered for its unprecedented social investment programme that has reduced poverty in the land and given hope to millions of vulnerable homes.

Do we need to remind the PDP of the shame it wore as badge of honour every Christmas during its 16 years of mis-governance when Nigerians were made to queue to buy petrol. This ugly spectacle at the pumps disappeared in the last seven years.

Doubtless, our party and candidates acknowledge the new challenges of insecurity and the economy. These are being confronted squarely by the Buhari administration.

The incoming APC government as Tinubu revealed is already strategising on how to deal with the problems, as governing is a continuum.


Bayo Onanuga
Director, Media & Publicity
APC Presidential Campaign Council

A Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Kana is reported to have extended his schedule to include supervising the day to day cleaning of the toilets in the ministry. Feelers have it that the man resumes work daily as early as 7 am to supervise the workers saddled with the task of keeping the conveniences clean- a development though considered bizarre but now yielding result as the office complex now emits pleasant smells that make the environment conducive.


In a similar vein, the man caused a stir when he climbed atop a giant 33, 000 litres tank that harbours the diesel used in powering the ministry's generator plant. Miffed by the incommensurable volume of diesel consumed daily to power the Ship House complex, he went out on cause finding mission and to get the answer, he climbed the tank. His finding became a working template that has brought about reduction in cost and eliminated wastage thus ensuring steady power supply at a minimal cost that has led to improved efficiency in the ministry.


While the gestures of the Permanent Secretary may be considered unusual by many people, the little efforts have restored sanity in administration and curbed leakages. According to a senior staff of the Ministry who did not want his name mentioned, "staff members of the Ministry who were hitherto relaxed and showed lackadaisical attitudes towards work are now more involved and enthusiastic about their responsibilities and duties."


"Little things we usually ignore are what make office work. When our Boss started monitoring those in charge of sanitation, many thought it was too petty but they didn't know he was making the environment conducive for everyone. Today, I can use the toilet conveniently. When you have joy at work place, it will radiate in all that you do as member of staff. I think others have many things to learn from the silent revolution that is happening in the Ministry of Defence". The anonymous officer said the Permanent Secretary often say "Change begin with me and not the President of Nigeria".

I want to seriously address an issue today.
This write up I am directing mostly to Yorubas and Nigerian citizens from the southern part of Nigeria.
I have never had any problem with people making a choice of who they want to support for an elective position.

I believe as human beings, it is our inalienable right as a homo sapiens to have a freewill to make informed choices over anything in life, including political choices. Even God gave us, His creation a free will to make choices. God as almighty as He is, would never force His will on any human being, how much more another human being to force another to take a position he does not like or want.

In fact, life would lose his colour if we all follow the same route over everything that pertains to life. The English folks says variety is the spice of life. Our forefathers in Yorubaland in their own wisdom too says; “gbogbo wa a le sun ka kori si ibi kanna.” Therefore, I don’t ever have any problem with friends/people who share a different opinion from mine. In fact, I respect people who are confident to have an alternate view over issues, own it and can brilliantly articulate those views, even if I don’t agree with them. Some closest persons to me on Facebook don’t usually agree with me on political choices. It is very okay. That is how life should be.
Having given this background, I need to really ask what sin Tinubu has committed that warranted the level of hatred unleashed on him by people, especially of the same ethnic group with him and folks from the southern part of Nigeria?  It is okay not to want a man to be president.

My closest friends on this platform are supporting Osinbajo, and this has not changed anything between us. It is their political choice and preference. Your choice does not change who you are as a person. What I find distasteful are the people that have vowed not only to stop Tinubu, but to malign his character. Cook up different stories to make him look like the devil. Whereas it is very hard for you to see other ethnic groups do these to their own leaders.

Since Atiku emerged as PDP candidate and even before the primary, hardly would you find a Northerner disparage him, assassinate his character, and say unprintable stuff about him. Don’t get it twisted, a lot of northerners are not supporting his candidacy, but they would never disrespect him blatantly. Of course, there would always be an exception to the rule, but this is a general observation that is valid. I sat down and ask myself, why are we like this down south?

Tinubu’s detractors are quick to echo about how corrupt he is, yet they have no single evidence to corroborate their claim. Am I saying Tinubu is a saint? Never! Then, the question is, which politician is a saint in Nigeria? Okay, if you say Tinubu is corrupt, what of Atiku? Guess what, how many northerners are daily shouting how corrupt Atiku is? The kind of scathing testament about Atiku written by a man who knows him best, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in his book, My Watch is enough to disqualify someone from ever holding a public office. But did you hear northerners shout themselves hoarse about it?

The next thing is to say Tinubu is too old. At 70 too old? Some wrote a PhD dissertation on Tinubu’s likely age to be 90. I got so angry one day, I told one of those folks I know a 90-year-old man when I see one because my Dad is 89 years old and would be 90 by October. For you to say Tinubu is 90 only shows you don’t have elders and old people in your family. That is the only reason you can say a 70-year-old man is 90 and too old. To them, at 70 Tinubu is too old to run for President, but nobody is saying a word about Atiku who is 75 and just won PDP primary election. Have you heard a northerner talk about Atiku’s age? Yet, my own people go about with the chorus of Tinubu is too old. Se afise ni?

When Tinubu said it is his lifetime ambition to run for President, guess who the people are who started saying…” ohhh so it is about himself and not Nigeria…” Sometimes, you feel like oh my gosh when you read what they write. Bill Clinton visited the White House at age 16 as part of a school trip on July 24, 1963, and met former and late US President, John F. Kennedy. Clinton said that chance meeting and a few seconds handshake fired his imagination and made it a lifetime ambition for him to be the President of the USA in the future.

The question is, those that have not had ambition to become president in Nigeria and found themselves in office by accident, tell me, what has been their achievement. I hate criminal modesty and humility! How can having an ambition, which is a good thing suddenly become a burden to be used to disqualify a man from becoming President. Is ambition not supposed to be a propelling force to prepare a man for a task ahead in the future? Give me a man who has ambition and is ready anytime, and I would give him my vote. You all can go and beg people to be president.

Question is, Atiku who has been contesting for president for 30 years, what does he have? I guess it is not a lifelong ambition then.
Some went as far as writing to Chicago State University to ask if indeed Tinubu went to school. I like Oyinbo people, they don’t suffer fools gladly. They told them, Tinubu did not only attend our university, but he also graduated top of his class. A friend’s uncle who attended same university with Tinubu regaled us with stories when we visited him in Ibadan few years ago when Tinubu was Governor. He said Tinubu was so brilliant the University hired him to teach his classmates and was paying him salary. He even told us his nickname which was coined from Tinubu’s favourite meal at school at that time. Guess what, who is asking about Atiku’s academic credentials? Who is writing to ABU to find out if indeed Atiku has a Diploma in Law?

But my southern Nigerian people would not let us rest about Tinubu’s academic credentials, as if an Oyinbo man would employ anyone without prerequisite qualification to work with a foremost accounting/Management firm in the world, or one of the world major oil firms where he rose to become a Treasurer at Mobil. Atiku is not even as educated as Tinubu, yet you would never hear a northerner raise issues with Atiku about his education. Our too know go kill us one day!

How many men has Atiku raised as a leader? I know for sure he has raised men, but can you compare him to Tinubu in that regard? If you doubt me, scrutinise and list those who have gone through Tinubu’s political and leadership ‘academy’ and tell me raising leaders is not the hallmark of a great leader. Both PDP in the past and APC up till now are enjoying the services of those Tinubu raised politically.

It is the same people that would talk down on the economic achievement of Tinubu as Lagos Governor and in making sure that his successors stick to the development plan for Lagos. If you think it is a child’s play to turn the economy of a state to the 5th largest in Africa, try and run a business and let’s see. Read me well, Atiku does not have a clarity of thought when it comes to the management of the economy of this country.

Tinubu’s thoughts on the economy and his plan are out there to read. The books he has written or co-authored are there to read. Show me that of Atiku. Let’s make this an issue-based matter. Enough of emotional vituperations that adds no value to our collective development as a people and as a nation.
Anytime the issue of democracy is raised, a lot of people suddenly develop memory loss. Who are the champions of the democracy we now enjoy today? Who are the people that were locked up for standing to the military junta? Was Atiku one of them?

Thank God, during his visit to Kwara State, Tinubu thanked the Emir of Ilorin who as a sitting Judge released Tinubu from Abacha’s detention and was able to escape into exile through the popular Cotonou route, and from there went abroad and was heavily financing NADECO. Prof. Wole Soyinka corroborated all of these. That is why I find it funny when they come up with, where did he get his money? Why did you not ask him that in the 90s when he was dolling out his personal funds to help pro-democracy groups against the military junta.

Hardly would you see a northerner ask those questions of Atiku. Meanwhile, Tinubu’s wealth even before he became a Governor is well documented. Okay, Atiku retired from Custom…what next? And he became a billionaire. End of story.

Apart from his guber election before Obasanjo picked him to be VP, has Atiku ever won any other election? But folks won’t let us hear word about how Tinubu is unelectable. For a man who has dealt a big electoral blow against PDP back-to-back since 1999 and a final blow to their 16-year reign in 2015, it is such an insult.

*Kay Lord is a public affairs analyst

…I wish to reiterate that I support Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s quest for Nigeria’s presidency, strictly on principles. He is the only one whose narrative has impressed me – especially what he has said and written before the political season. Many politicians wait till this time to run around making vain promises. But Tinubu has been saying some things before now…

Let me introduce readers to some articles I read lately that further shaped my opinions on the imperatives facing Nigeria as she totters on the brink of survival. Almost everybody agrees that 2023 is a make-or-mar year for our politics and economy. But as usual, and in keeping with the thoughts of Socrates, Plato, Lee Kuan Yew, and other all-time greats, Nigerians – who are unfortunately too poor, too uneducated or half educated – will likely be swept off their feet by issues and attributes that will not help their lot. They will look for those with the gab and good looks of Obama, and most likely remain in bondage. But first the articles.

In an article that critiqued the success (or lack of it) of the microfinancing model in saving people from poverty, an article in Bloomberg examined how the incursion of smart Alecs into that space has caused more grief than good and exposed as false the idea that once poor people got more finance, they’ll be fine. This article encouraged me to dig further into the nagging idea of whether what our people need is financial inclusion or economic inclusion. The focus has always been on financial inclusion, by which we give more attention to banks under the pretext that too many Nigerians are unbanked, but perhaps we should be more concerned that too many of our people are excluded from the economy in the first place. They are lost. They have no skills worth selling or are trapped by their environment. They wake up each morning not knowing where to go to earn something. The world feels hostile to them and they sink into despair. That is economic exclusion. Those are the ones that need immediate help, not more bank accounts. What is more? A recent report also came out, showing that Nigerians have opened more accounts than the population of seven West African countries put together; and that 70 per cent of these accounts are actually dormant. Therefore, oursis  not particularly financial inclusion, in my humble opinion.

The third article is from Professor Francis Ogbimi, who has been on this subject for long, but is, as usual, ignored and forgotten in one corner. He wrote on the 5th of May in the Vanguard newspapers that economists and the World Bank people have deified money by positioning the idea that only money could solve the problem of poverty – or indeed any problem. This thinking has failed Africa for the reason that economists have ignored history in their analysis and failed or refused to understand the science and art of industrialisation and development. Ogbimi asserts that all the economists we have been getting to run our economy have been indoctrinated and turned into non-patriots for this reason.

These articles are very important in setting the background for this writeup. At this point, I wish to reiterate that I support Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s quest for Nigeria’s presidency, strictly on principles. He is the only one whose narrative has impressed me – especially what he has said and written before the political season. Many politicians wait till this time to run around making vain promises. But Tinubu has been saying some things before now, which we shall discuss here. Again, I am not driven by money at all, and have not collected a dime from anyone.

Many Nigerians just think everything is about money and have falsely accused me of chasing money on this subject. It is just a pity. We share the same country but we don’t have to think alike or be driven by the same monetary motivations. I will thus proceed to discussing seven reasons why Bola Tinubu will most likely be stopped in his quest to become the president of the Federal Republic. I call these his seven grievous sins.  Perhaps this game is already in play. On principle, I will continue to support this man at the level of his ideas and nothing more, no matter what happens. I believe he has seen it all and is ready to sacrifice everything he owns for his country. However, Nigeria is under siege and capture by very vicious guys, local and foreign, who don’t want things to get better. We see them and their statements every day.

Tinubu is the ONLY candidate I have heard or seen talk or write about the need for government to pursue full employment as a strategy. None of the other people have tried. Peter Obi said the core thing to do is to focus on small and medium enterprises (of course, after Nigeria has been able to cut expenditure on all the nonsense that take our money – and I agree with him on the latter). But Nigeria has also been pursuing the SME strategy for decades now with negative results. 

One: Anti-austerity and Countercyclical Policies 
At least since the days of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala as our coordinating minister on the economy, Tinubu has always advised against the adoption of austerity measures in a period of recession. I will not quote his past speeches here because of length but anyone who is interested can research and find them out. Tinubu has always advised that contrary to the advices of multilateral agencies, Nigeria should not be shutting down government expenditure in times of a downturn because it further damages the system. Note that Nigeria has always been in economic turmoil since Independence. In fact, I agree with Tinubu when he stated in one of his speeches that Nigeria has always been struggling with economic depression actually. The symptoms are complete – high unemployment, high poverty, high levels of illiteracy, higher propensity to crimes and so on.  I think we need to be properly alarmed by our situation in order to get the sense of urgency required to make a change. It is this sense of urgency that Nigerians have not seen in the past seven years. He therefore advised – rightly – that in a recession, governments should consider ‘countercyclical policies’ which help the economy to lift out of the cycle of despair, rather than those (procyclical policies like austerity) which further deepen the people’s misery. Again, just last week, the Global Misery Index was released, showing that Nigeria became the 11th most miserable country, down from the 15th position. The misery index is an addition of inflation and unemployment, and I will provide a few of the evidences in this article.

Two: Pursuit of Full Employment
Now, when he declared his ambition to run for president on May 4, Governor Kayode Fayemi was asked a question about employment, to which he gave the cliched response that government’s role was not to provide employment, but to provide the enabling environment for the creation of employment. This is an emotive issue for me. What is an ‘enabling environment’? In Nigeria, this ‘enabling environment’ answer is the kind of stuff that sends everyone in government back to sleep, because it is hard to measure. But if we were to be honest, an enabling environment for businesses includes a hard consideration of issues like our internal security issues, energy crisis, human capital crisis, reputational crisis, environmental disasters and such like. I think it is better to unpack these issues and pursue them one by one, rather than dismiss serious issues under a two word, oft-repeated sweet nothing: ‘enabling environment’. We must understand that we have focused on this enabling environment omnibus for decades now, with little or no result. We must also note that the private sector is not in the business of providing employment and when politicians are campaigning, they are promising voters that they will DIRECTLY see to their welfare, not send them to the private sector, which now employs more robots, apps, and computers, to go and struggle or die trying. Tinubu is the ONLY candidate I have heard or seen talk or write about the need for government to pursue full employment as a strategy. None of the other people have tried. Peter Obi said the core thing to do is to focus on small and medium enterprises (of course, after Nigeria has been able to cut expenditure on all the nonsense that take our money – and I agree with him on the latter). But Nigeria has also been pursuing the SME strategy for decades now with negative results.  In the field of Economics, the pursuit of full employment by a government is very key. By full employment, it is meant that unemployment should be reduced to say 3 per cent to 4 per cent. No government should sleep with a 33 per cent unemployment rate. They should be resigning with the kind of figures we have here. Or at least having sleepless nights, not deceiving themselves and the people that they are creating ‘enabling environment’ to encourage the private sector to employ. No entrepreneur will take on one additional staff than he needs because of patriotism.

Three: Mass Mobilisation To Save Nigeria From Collapse 
And so, when Tinubu spoke about employing 50 million youths to tackle our insecurity problem, because according to him ‘we need to reduce the source from which terrorists recruit new members’, Nigerians mocked him for saying that the agbado (corn) and cassava that the youths will eat is grown here. Again, Nigerian youths missed the point. There is no way we will solve our insecurity crisis except we mass mobilise our youths to do the job. And so, this is an opportunity, indeed, to solve the unemployment and insecurity crisis in one fell swoop. The proposal demands deep scrutiny rather than mockery. Maybe what we should be looking at is 10 million or 15 million youths taken off the streets to solve our existential problems, but I think the man has hit on something critical; our government must hand over power, and ownership of this country back to the youths. The insight and experience of older people is useful at the level of politics, leadership and wisdom, but the operationalised aspect of fixing the nation is fully a matter for the youths of Nigeria to tackle. I can even give a back-of-the-envelope calculation of where this employment may come from; we need at least five hundred thousand teachers if we are to tackle the phenomenon of 13 million out-of-school children. We need a massive social security system that takes children off the streets and keeps them in school and this can take out another 300,000 young Nigerians to do the job nationally. We need millions of people taking care of and obsessing over our physical environment and therefore creating a new outlook and reputation for our country through trees, grass, flower planting and maintenance. We need a national task team around plastic pollution. We need millions of new workers to boost our police, immigration (to stop this nonsense whereby anybody walks into Nigeria unchecked and at will from anywhere), civil defence, the Department of State Services (DSS) and indeed the Armed Forces, and so on. The real impediment to employing these much-needed millions of our youths is because our leaders cannot bring themselves to pay the humongous monies involved in such a critical investment. That it is a good, and in fact, inevitable investment is not in question. We just need to check for ghost workers, using technology.

Four: Fiscal and Naira Sovereignty
I asked him about this the last time we saw and told him plainly that it was a dangerous idea on several fronts. First, it is about de-dollarisation. From what I have heard so far, the Americans don’t play with their currency. They can tell you to devalue yours, but you try to hurt theirs at your own peril. Tinubu has espoused it several times that we needn’t have to sell crude oil, realise the dollars, change these back to naira, before paying the salaries of those who do tangible work, especially in the public service. He believes that if we assert the sovereignty of the naira, then we can employ quite a few of those we need to employ to turn around our fortunes. The downside to this is that printing more naira to pay salaries will drive inflation. I think one of the things government could do in the interim is to really engage the youths in the production of the real things that we need. We don’t have to apologise to anyone about this strategy. By being productive beyond the primary products that we are currently stuck with, we can visibly reduce the dependence on foreign products, and the constant search for the US dollar. Our currency may do better, and inflation may trend down because money will circulate more here in the country.
Tinubu has specifically mentioned and several times too, in his colloquia, that there is a need to moderately close the economy to the influx of imports, to give Nigeria a breather to organise herself and be able to produce the things our people need. He stated clearly that this is what the developed nations did. And he is very right. Remember the Tea Party? It was the culmination of resistance by the Americans to the dumping of goods on the new world, and it marked the beginning of the American Revolution.

Five: Moderately Protecting the Economy
I am praying that we don’t have a president in 2023 who will only be interested in foisting the same policies that have crippled us at least since 1986. If that is what we get, the country will be totally ruined in barely a year. They will surely lose control. I mean, how can we dig in more on those hopeless policies, when we already use 96 per cent of our revenues to service debt; we are losing control of the deregulate aspects of the energy and fuel markets, and inflation on staple items since 2015 is like 400 per cent, not to remind us of the huge unemployment crisis. We have constantly deluded ourselves about the size of our GDP, which as my friend, Professor N. Susungi, once described it, is a large, fat, grapefruit with very little juice in it. All of the people who have declared for president so far are for the continuous opening of the economy to all sorts – and they will argue that Dr Mrs Iweala is heading up the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Tinubu has specifically mentioned and several times too, in his colloquia, that there is a need to moderately close the economy to the influx of imports, to give Nigeria a breather to organise herself and be able to produce the things our people need. He stated clearly that this is what the developed nations did. And he is very right. Remember the Tea Party? It was the culmination of resistance by the Americans to the dumping of goods on the new world, and it marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Britain waged three wars on China, insisting that they must continue to dump opium (of all products), to continue to addict the poor Chinese! China resisted. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s main war was against the dumping of textiles on the old India. The white loincloth he wore then was the only cloth India could produce. Some say Mahatma was killed for his activism in this area. But today, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, are the global giants of the textile industry. They produce, we buy. What are we buying with? The lifeblood of our unborn children, or even the likelihood that they many never exist, or if they do, they will do so as slaves and mere vassals to smart races. I have always feared that we were an endangered species. Some African nations are organising themselves though. Nigeria seems to be the laggard; the disappointment.

Six: Closing the Income Gap
Tinubu, in one of his colloquia, once asked that the government should broaden the tax net (and introduce luxury taxes), to rein in the millions of rich Nigerians who are not used to the concept of paying taxes. He mentioned that even if he is to pay more taxes, he should be approached. I am not sure there has been a bump in taxes recovered from the likes of Tinubu. It was as if he said nothing. Nigerian elites have protected themselves for too long and thereby held down the rest of us. This elite self-protection has permeated and dominated our government from time immemorial. There is an elite capture – the sort of which Emir Sanusi once spoke about at a TEDx event. Entrenched interests who insist we should stay down while they too are not rising the way elites have in other climes. Somehow, they cannot think beyond this small cake that Nigeria bakes, so that we can target something larger for everyone’s good. Nobody else among the horde that is contesting has said anything in this area. Maybe they will in days to come. But I commend Asiwaju for at least attempting to break the mould.

Seven: Financialism
Recall the articles above (by Bloomberg on how microfinance has gutted many people, and by Professor Ogbimi on the deification of money). The incursion of financial hawks into microfinance is what damaged the idea as a veritable way of helping the poor. Now, these guys are plotting their huge returns on the misery of poor people, forcing many into suicide around the world. Ogbimi says our modern-day economists ignore every other variable that can change our trajectory and farcically focus on money alone. Then add the fact we are always talking of financial inclusion and opening more banks and ‘fintechs’ of all sorts, and there you have it – financialism, or the financialisation of the Nigerian economy as against its industrialisation. This is the fact that in our economy, we have a very large (not necessarily strong) financial sector quite literally sitting on top of and basically choking the life out of every other sector in the economy – notably the real sector.

Our banks made more profits in 2020, when for half the time, most of the real sector was shut down or curbed by lockdowns. How does that work? There is a need for serious reforms in that industry that will try to refocus them on what really matters. There is no perfect model anywhere and so the extant model of our financial sector needs rejigging to make our financial institutions more relevant and less toxic.  Banks are a powerful bloc and will want to hear none of that. They will wonder if the guy is good for business.
So, we are likely to continue on the usual path; a dream deferred, for obvious reasons.

‘Tope Fasua, an economist, author, blogger, entrepreneur, and recent presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), can be reached through topsyfash@yahoo.com.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

WE NEED LEADERS WHO DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE COMMON MAN, SAYS OSINBAJO IN IBADAN

VP adds: President Buhari gave me every opportunity to serve

Describes Oba Balogun Ali-Iwo Okunmade II a great gift to Ibadan, Nigeria

_*Olubadan to VP: In God’s name, you will be President of Nigeria

Nigeria needs leaders who deeply care about the common man and the progress of the nation, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this today in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, when he paid a courtesy call at the palace of His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Dr. Sen. Lekan Balogun Ali-Iwo Okunmade II, ahead of his interaction with APC Stakeholders in Oyo State.

On arrival in Ibadan, the Vice President received a rousing reception right from the airport and on the streets by excited residents and people in the State, who came out to welcome him.

Coming after the VP had declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential election under the platform of the APC last week Monday, Prof Osinbajo intimated the Monarch of his intention to run for president under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Later the Vice President interacted with APC party leaders and delegates in Oyo State at an impressive event where his speech was often interrupted with singing as the audience kept bursting out in festive renditions of different political lyrics welcoming the VP's emergence and expressions of support for him.

According to him, "in the 7 years that I have been involved, because the President considered it the right thing to do and, in his generosity, and openness, he gave me every opportunity to serve including sensitive international assignments.

"As you know, I also acted as President during certain periods when the President was away and everything I learnt as acting President has prepared me to run as President of our country.

"God doesn’t make mistakes. God is deliberate in everything He does and by giving me all of these opportunities to understand governance for myself at the highest level of our country, all of it was not just so that I can sit down and write a memoir, no, it was to come handy one day and I believe the time has come.

"I believe that the time has come and I have the responsibility to my country, to you, to all our children and the coming generations to give all of what I have learnt, everything I have learnt, all of the services to be able to give it to our country. To serve our country faithfully and honestly is my intention.

"One advantage I would have is that on day one, I can hit the ground running because I know what it takes."

There were other speakers including Senator Teslim Folarin, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, Chief, Dr. Jacob Tilley-Gyado and the APC Chairman in Oyo State Hon. Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu who all expressed support for the Vice President’s aspiration. For instance, according to Akintola "when it comes to the candidacy of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, there are no factions at all."

Speaking earlier at the courtesy call on the Olubadan, the Vice President told him "I have followed you very closely. I think that one of the most important things is that the country needs people, those who have feelings for the common person. The views of the left of centre, people who deeply care about the common man.

While praising the Olubadan for always being a lover of the common people, even before he ascended the throne, he said " no matter in whatever shape of form, even as Kabiyesi, you are still going to be the Kabiyesi of the common man, Kabiyesi of the people.”

According to the VP, the people of Ibadan are not only blessed with an intellectual but one who cares for the people.

“As the Olubadan, Your Royal Majesty, you are a great gift to the people of Ibadan and also to us as a nation. I pray that your years will be very long and that all the people of this great city, kingdom will feel the impact, and that they will all know that you are someone who cares about them,” he noted.

While informing him formally of his intention to run for President, the VP told the monarch that he also came to pay his respect.

“As you know, on April 11, 2022, I declared my intention to run for the presidency of our great land under the flag of our party, the great party, the All Progressives Congress. I did so while taking into account the fact that our country needs all of those who are willing to serve it to the best of their capacity and knowledge.

‘With great humility and sincerity, I come to your majesty, that after serving about seven years as Vice President, and also as acting, under our President, President Muhammadu Buhari, who truly gave me every opportunity; he opened up doors in a way that most deputies may not have experienced, and entrusting a lot to my care, including very sensitive positions.

“After all of that, I felt that it would be the right thing to do, to make that experience available to the people of our country. By the grace of God and the will of the people, if I am voted in as the President come 2023, I believe that there is so much to do. The desire of our hearts is that our country will be much greater and will be able to attain all of the great potentials of our people.”

Describing the monarch as a “father of all,” Prof. Osinbajo thanked the Monarch for the warm reception, noting that he will always covet the Olubadan’s “prayers and good wishes all the time.”

He added, “you can be sure that wherever I am and in whatever situation I am, I hold you in the highest esteem, I will always continuously support whatever it is that you want to do, either for yourself or the great people of Ibadan.”

In his remarks, the Olubadan described the Vice President as “a wonderful human being, a wonderful person,”

“Hopefully, in God’s name, you will be President of Nigeria,” he told the VP, adding that “may Allah grant you success on what you have in mind, may Allah support you. I can spend the next two hours just praying for you.”

Ibadan High Chiefs present also expressed their support for the Vice President's aspirations declaring that "we are with you."

The Vice President who travelled with a number of National Assembly members from Abuja was received by the Deputy Governor of Oyo State Engr. Rauf Olaniyan at the Ibadan airport. The Deputy Governor also joined the VP for the visit to the Olubadan.

Members of the National Assembly with the Vice President besides Folarin included Senators Adamu Bukkachuwa, Kola Balogun, Representatives Fatahu Muhammad, Odebunmi Olusegun, Shehu Saleh Rijau and Honourable Karu Simon.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
22nd April 2022

ATTACKING OSINBAJO: THE LIES THAT COME OUT OF THEIR LAZY MOUTHS.

By Mustapha Ogunsakin, award winning journalist

There's this religious victimization card played by some people that I found amusing. Rather than address issues on their merits, people like Kperoogi and the other chap in MURIC tend to play religious card that border on intellectual laziness. The recent attack on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN is one of such. They accused Osinbajo of favoring Christians, particularly members of his church, RCCG. They also accused him (Osinbajo) of betraying their Muslim brother, Asiwaju Tinubu, forgetting conveniently that Senator Remi, Tinubu's wife is a Pastor of the same RCCG.

If both had bothered to do a little research on Osinbajo, if they had done their homework well on him, maybe they would have come out with more reasonable and believable criticisms.

All his life, Osinbajo has served Muslim bosses and he has never had any problem with any of them. Former Attorney General of the Federation, Bola Ajibola SAN, who he served as Special Adviser. Asiwaju Tinubu he served as Attorney General in Lagos, and President Buhari who he is serving presently as Vice President. Of all these three distinguished Statesmen, it is Tinubu they are accusing him of betraying.

They spew lies from the pit of hell! Obviously, both Kperoogi and the MURIC. guy do not know Yemi Osinbajo. Osinbajo's Chief of Staff, Ade Abdulrahman Ipaye is a practising and devout Muslim. Ipaye has been with him since 1999 when he served as Osinbajo's Special Assistant at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. Ipaye later served as Special Adviser to the Governor under Fashola, and later as Attorney General. When Osinbajo became Vice President, he took Ipaye along as Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, serving in the office of Osinbajo. Ipaye is a student of Osinbajo and they have stayed loyal together for years!

Osinbajo' Private Secretary at the Ministry is one Mr Bakare is also a devout Muslim. He served Osinbajo for eight years. Osinbajo sponsored him to Hajj and also sponsored his University Education. Today, he holds a Bsc in Accounting. How then can he be a Muslim hater?

In 2005, President Olusegun Obasanjo invited Osinbajo to take appointment as the Attorney General of the Federation after Chief Akin Olujimi SAN left office. Obasanjo saw the sterling qualities and performance that Osinbajo had as AG Lagos. The President without informing Tinubu offered the post to Lagos AG. The first thing Osinbajo did was to inform his principal, Tinubu, who gave him a free hand to take his decision.

Osinbajo made a request to Obasanjo: "Release Lagos Council funds." Don't forget that as A.G Lagos, Osinbajo it was who filed cases against the FG for withholding Lagos Local Government funds after Tinubu created LCDAs. Obasanjo replied that Osinbajo should first take the appointment and then advise him as Attorney General of the Federation on the matter. Osinbajo went underground and for weeks, Obasanjo could no longer reach him. It was obvious to the President that Osinbajo deliberately avoided him. He went on to appoint Chief Bayo Ojo SAN as his AGF and Minister of Justice. Osinbajo rejected the position of AGF and Minister of Justice and stayed with Tinubu! Nobody complained then.

Osinbajo not only stood with Tinubu, he stayed loyal to Lagos State. He did not betray Tinubu then but now when it is convenient for them, some political and religious bigots are shouting betrayal!
Everyone knows that if you want to hear the story of how your father met your mother, join politics. But if you must criticize Osinbajo, do so on valid facts! Not lazy, religious and political lies that reveal your foolishness and hatred for a man who is doing his best to make his country and people better.

Although not many people take him serious but United States-based Nigerian professor, Farouk Kperogi has earned for himself a reputation of one with undisguised bile, not just for anything Buhari but also the nation, and he has added a few more enemies to his long list.

Recently, Kperogi has become a self-appointed enemy of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and he's relishing the appetite of his equally undiscerning and mischievous readers with fabricated falsehood.

Against all intents and logics, even when it has been disputed by people who should know, Kperogi kept alleging that Osinbajo, should he be trusted with power and Nigeria's president, will Christianize Nigeria.

Laughable as this sounds, it beats imagination that anyone would get drowned in Kperogi's narrative, with his unscholarly eavesdropping and beer parlour gists, and when he did at all, clinging only to hearsays.

However, against all his pretences and disguise, the hatchet writer has been unveiled to be doing the bidding of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi, who eyes the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, this newspaper can reliably gathered, is bankrolling Kperogi to advance vicious and damaging propaganda to tarnish the reputation of the Vice President with the intent to sow hatred against him from among the Northern population.

The plot, this newspaper learnt, was to twist the faith of Osinbajo, who is a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, and recent creation of the political directorate by the Church, to blackmail the Vice President.

Kperogi's paymaster, has for some time detailed a team to search out Prof Osinbajo to see the possibility of nailing him on corruption allegations, but having failed to lay hand on any of such, resolved that turning the Northern population against him would be fait accompli to make him unattractive to the Muslim voters.

Although he has not yet declare interest to run for the 2023 presidential election, notwithstanding, the Vice President has become a subject of bitter attack from contenders within the ruling party and beyond, especially from those that believe that his interest would pose a major threat to their chances should he throw in the hat to contest. And Kperogi has become a willing tool.

Political observers believe that the Osinbajo campaign team has to brace up for more attacks from the likes of Kperogi.

This, they opined will get messier and fierce as the chances of Osinbajo become brighter, so also will the desperation to rein him in and jerk him to surrender, regardless of how unfounded the allegations might be.

The Minister's handlers had narrowed down on Kperogi's choice for the hatchet job sensing that he would not be easily suspected, in view of his past attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari with whom he was similarly fixated in the past.

Although not many people take him serious but United States-based Nigerian professor, Farouk Kperogi has earned for himself a reputation of one with undisguised bile, not just for anything Buhari but also the nation, and he has added a few more enemies to his long list.

Recently, Kperogi has become a self-appointed enemy of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and he's relishing the appetite of his equally undiscerning and mischievous readers with fabricated falsehood.

Against all intents and logics, even when it has been disputed by people who should know, Kperogi kept alleging that Osinbajo, should he be trusted with power and Nigeria's president, will Christianize Nigeria.

Laughable as this sounds, it beats imagination that anyone would get drowned in Kperogi's narrative, with his unscholarly eavesdropping and beer parlour gists, and when he did at all, clinging only to hearsays.

However, against all his pretences and disguise, the hatchet writer has been unveiled to be doing the bidding of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi, who eyes the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, this newspaper can reliably gathered, is bankrolling Kperogi to advance vicious and damaging propaganda to tarnish the reputation of the Vice President with the intent to sow hatred against him from among the Northern population.

The plot, this newspaper learnt, was to twist the faith of Osinbajo, who is a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, and recent creation of the political directorate by the Church, to blackmail the Vice President.

Kperogi's paymaster, has for some time detailed a team to search out Prof Osinbajo to see the possibility of nailing him on corruption allegations, but having failed to lay hand on any of such, resolved that turning the Northern population against him would be fait accompli to make him unattractive to the Muslim voters.

Although he has not yet declare interest to run for the 2023 presidential election, notwithstanding, the Vice President has become a subject of bitter attack from contenders within the ruling party and beyond, especially from those that believe that his interest would pose a major threat to their chances should he throw in the hat to contest. And Kperogi has become a willing tool.

Political observers believe that the Osinbajo campaign team has to brace up for more attacks from the likes of Kperogi.

This, they opined will get messier and fierce as the chances of Osinbajo become brighter, so also will the desperation to rein him in and jerk him to surrender, regardless of how unfounded the allegations might be.

The Minister's handlers had narrowed down on Kperogi's choice for the hatchet job sensing that he would not be easily suspected, in view of his past attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari with whom he was similarly fixated in the past.