₦airaland Forum

Why Atiku has no business in Aso Rock

The PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, keeps saying based on his antecedents, he is the best man to fix the country’s economy. He must really think Nigerians are either daft or are suffering from collective amnesia.

Below are records of his ‘achievements’ when he was head of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s economic team and chairman of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) from 1999 to 2007.

~16 billion dollars set aside for the upgrade of power supply infrastructure disappeared into thin air. No improvement in power supply to show for the humongous figure.

~In 2007, both a Senate panel, chaired by Victor Ndoma-Egba and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicted Atiku for diverting 145 million dollars meant for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to various bank accounts linked to him between 1999 and 2006.

~In 2010, the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations exposed a pattern of wire transfers of more than 40 million dollars from offshore companies like Siemens into bank accounts controlled by Atiku and one of his wives, Jemila Abubakar (formerly Jennifer Iwenjora, later Jennifer Douglas). To avoid being arrested and jailed for this and other scandals, Atiku has avoided the US like a plague for years.

~He was also indicted by the former IGP Mike Okiro panel for sharing the 74 million dollars proceeds of the famous Halliburton bribe scandal to other top officials of the very corrupt administration in which he served.

~He sold national assets in fraudulent circumstances to himself and cronies and was heavily involved in the corruption-laden incorporation of Transcorp.

~US investigators also named Atiku as the collector of the famous 6 million dollars bribe from officials of Willbros Group, Inc., a global engineering and contractor company based in Houston, Texas. He was said to have demanded and collected the bribe to facilitate illicit and illegal deals for the company in Nigeria.

Why Buhari is winning in the anti~corruption war

When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its corruption-ridden Presidential candidate make reference to the 2018 Transparency International Corruption PERCEPTION Index in pushing their false narrative that the present administration is not waging a serious war against corruption, they conveniently leave out the word ‘PERCEPTION’ and try to hoodwink their gullible followers into taking their warped rhetoric as gospel.

Fellow Nigerians, there is a huge difference between PERCEPTION and REALITY. The rating is just a distant perception which is different from the reality on ground:

~The implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2015 closed down over 2000 illicit MDA accounts and continues to save 24.7 billion naira monthly for the government.

~The Efficiency Unit of the Ministry of Finance which came on board in November 2015 has saved over 125 billion naira for the government by cutting needless overhead costs on travelling, entertainment, stationeries, printing etc.

~Due to specific reforms and the elimination of corruption in revenue generating agencies, the government has earned several extra billions of naira.

~Another signature initiative of the government, the Whistleblower Policy has helped to recover 13.8 billion naira in tax evasion and 7.8 billion naira from public officials.

~Through the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA) which has helped in the elimination of ghost workers, the government has also saved N200 billion naira.

~Two former governors, Joshua Dariye (Plateau), and Jolly Nyame (Taraba), hitherto considered untouchable, had recently fallen under the weight of the ongoing anti-corruption battle and landed jail terms for defrauding their people to the tune of billions of naira.

~The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered about 738.9 billion naira in cash between 2015 and 2017 alone and hundreds of properties worth billions of naira across the country.

~250 billion of the recovered loot was used to finance the 2017 budget while 500 billion is part of the financing package for the 2018 budget.

~The crowning glory of President Muhammadu Buhari’s patriotic battle against corruption occurred in January 2018 when the African Union (AU) named him the continent’s Anti-Corruption Champion.

Atiku’s university a byproduct of corruption - Group

A political group in Nigeria has noted that the American University of Nigeria owned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is a product of corruption.

The Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD) told journalists on Monday that it was in possession of United States Senate, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that reveals how Mr Abubakar bribed to establish the university.

The committee that was chaired by Senator Carl Levin revealed in 2010 how Mr Abubakar through one of his wives, Jennifer Douglas, illegally transferred over $4o million to offshore accounts.

"In addition, two of the offshore corporations wire transferred about $14 million over five years to American University in Washington, DC, to pay for consulting services related to the development of a Nigerian university founded by Mr. Abubakar.

"American University accepted the wire transfers without asking about the identity of the offshore corporations or the source of their funds, because under current law, the University had no legal obligation to inquire," Levin said at the time.

Specifically, the report said Mrs Jennifer Douglas (Jennifer Atiku Abubakar), an American citizen, helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to US bank accounts.

In 2004, the then President Bush barred Mr Atiku and other corrupt politically exposed persons from being issued visa to the United States.

According to James Akinloye, President of the ISD, Mr Atiku Abubakar should be in jail now.

"How do you own a school affiliated to the American University in Washington DC but cannot step your foot on US soil?" he quizzed.

"Mr Atiku is the face of corruption and anything he has built or established with Nigerian funds is a byproduct of corruption," he noted.

"Mr Atiku should be in jail. He should not be contesting an election and that is why the United States and international community will never take us seriously.

The group urged Nigerians to ignore Mr Abubakar's ambition to become President in 2019, stressing that, it will only taint the image of the country.

"Nigerians must not allow themselves to be fooled by Mr Atiku's money, he is only plotting how to plunder the treasury and we must not allow it.

2019: Osinbajo is my friend but I remain neutral – Femi Kuti

Afrobeat icon Femi Kuti has professed his friendship for Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the 2018 edition of Felabration which held Sunday night at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos.

Femi, son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti said he will however remain politically neutral going into the 2019 general election despite his long-standing friendship with Osinbajo.

He explained that his decision to be neutral is a political ideology inherited from his father, who was known to be politically neutral.

Prof Osinbajo graced the grand finale of Felabration showing support for Nigeria’s growing entertainment sector.

Felabration which is held every year on the week of Fela's birthday began from October 15 and ended on 21.

In his short speech at the celebration, Vice President Osinbajo reiterated that Nigeria is on its way to achieving it goals and that the people will enjoy from the inclusive government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Osinbajo, a senior pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God prayed for the rousing audience and for Nigeria at the event.

He said, “Our country will be greater no matter what happens, this country will be great and greater and all of us who are here will be great and greater in this nation,” he prayed, to which the crowd replied with a thunderous ‘Amen’.

Just before he left the microphone, he muttered, “Let everybody, say Yeah, Yeah,” to the delight of the crowd which responded accordingly.

Speaking in Pidgin English, after the Vice President’s speech, Femi Kuti said, “Prof Osinbajo is my friend, he said he understands and he respects my view, but I have told him that I cannot support any political party because of my father (Fela Anikulapo-Kuti).

“He is my friend, you understand what I’m saying, he said he wanted to come to shrine and I am happy he did.”

Mr Kuti then went on to hug Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as he made his way to the backstage of the podium.

Osinbajo is renowned for promoting Nigerian talents and selling Nigeria’s entertainment sector both locally and internationally.

Last summer in the United States, he canvassed Hollywood heavyweights including leading movie and entertainment companies like Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Lions Gate, IMAX Entertainment, Warner Bros, Walt Disney, BET International and even the National Association of Theater Owners to invest in Nigeria’s entertainment sector especially Nollywood.

Osinbajo also met with renowned film, music and entertainment industry, including Innocent Idibia, popularly known as Tuface; New York-based Nigerian visual artist, musician, singer/songwriter, Laolu Senbanjo; CEO, Ebony Life TV, Mo Abudu, Chocolate City CEO, Audu Maikori; founder/CEO Terra Kulture, Bolanle Austen-Peters; New York artist, Sesan Ogunro among others to project the future of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

The Buhari administration also set up a working group on Creativity and Technology as part of the Industrial Competitiveness Council chaired by the Vice President. That council and the working group meets regularly including in the last week to being players in the private sector to help government develop policies for the sectors.

30 achievements of President Buhari that left Nigerians spellbound
1. Implementation of TSA
2. VAIDS to boost our tax collection base.
3. Growing our FX reserve from $29bn to $48bn with low FX revenues.
4. Outperforming every economy in Africa-Forbes.
5. Completion of Ajaokuta-Itakpe rail line 6. Completion of Abuja-Kaduna Rail.
7. Completion of Abuja Metro rail.
8. Recovery of over N700bn stolen funds.
9. Conviction of at least 3 Ex - Governors.
10. Increasing budgetary allocation yearly for Capital Expenditure to a minimum of 30% with projects in Power, road, rail and Bridges like 2nd Niger Bridge...
11. Major investments in our Military hardware through improving foreign relationship with our Major global partners which allowed the US to sell some Tuccano Aircraft to Nigeria
12. Cash Swap with China to provide alternative financial payment platform against the dollar.
13. Boosting local productions of items like rice hence saving our FX earnings and creating employment in the Agric space
14. Implementation of the BVN policy which has helped to curb financial malpractices and tax recoveries
15. Holding Corporations accountable for malpractices e.g Banks and Telecom Companies.
16. Payment of outstanding debts of over $9bn to IOCs for Cash calls to boost liquidity and operations in that sector.
17. Payment of outstanding pensions to Biafra warlords
18. Payment of outstanding pensions to the liquidated Nigeria Airways.
19. Payment of outstanding foreign currencies subsidy claims for LCs of about $1bn to major marketers to ensure liquidity in the sector.
20. Payment of debt owed to various local contractors.
21. Budget support and bailouts to 36 state government to ensure that outstanding salaries and pensions owed to workers are paid( remember at the inception of this administration over 22 states owed workers salaries in excess of 12 months. This helped to bailout the economies of most states).
22. The agric revolution resulting in us having our highest non oil sector exports ever.
23. Reviving 14 dead fertiliser companies.
24. Social welfare: NPower scheme
25. 10k TraderMoni loans
26. N5k social intervention scheme
27. Completion of the Mokwa Jebba Ilorin road
28. Fixing of the Abuja Runway within 45days.
29. Securing the release of over 100 chibok girls.
30. Moving power generation from 4k megawatts to 7k megawatts.

Other Vice Presidents should emulate Osinbajo’s good model – President Weah

President George Weah of Liberia has showered praises on Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo describing him as good role model for other Vice Presidents to follow.

Prof Osinbajo who is in Liberia to speak on leadership and women empowerment at the International SHEROES Forum paid a courtesy call on President Weah in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia on Wednesday.

Mr Weah who spoke glowingly of Osinbajo said Africa needs more leaders like him, given his brilliance and loyalty, particularly during his stints as acting President of Nigeria.

"You kept your country together in peace while President Muhammadu Buhari was away. That is a good model for other vice presidents to follow," President Weah said.

But President Weah was not alone in praising the good works and integrity of Prof Osinbajo.

Also commenting on Osinbajo’s giant strides at the SHEROES forum, keynote speaker Joyce Banda, who is the former President of Malawi said she was perplexed while listening to VP Osinbajo’s speech.

"When I heard you speak (as VP in Nigeria) I asked who is he? They said he is a pastor. I was grateful because what we really need in State houses in Africa are God-fearing men."

Banda also echoed the sentiments of President Weah urging more African leaders to follow the footsteps of Nigeria’s Vice President.

While in Liberia, Prof Osinbajo participated in the formal launch of the Jewel Starfish Foundation.

The foundation is an organisation founded by the Vice President of Liberia, Jewel Howard Taylor, to provide educational opportunities to women and empower young women with capacity building tools that would enable them to achieve sustainable means of livelihood.

It also aims to inspire and provide mentoring for women, among other numerous objectives.

Other distinguished personalities at the event include former Liberian President, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is the keynote speaker; former Vice President of Zimbabwe, Dr Joyce Mujuru, among other personalities.

Did you know that David Oyedepo never ever paid a dime as landing charge or airport tax on his Private Jets throughout Jonathan presidency? He got presidential waiver.

But something changed in 2015 because PMB made him to do the needful. Did you know that he put two of his jets on sale immediately he started paying necessary charge?

Can you now see why he has started dancing round AtIku ?
God is watching !

On August 2011, the Government of GEJ gave a comprehensive concession to Living Faith Church AKA Winners chapel to pack 4 private jets belonging to the church free of charge in any of the airports in the country. An import waiver was also issued by the former government to Living Faith Church. This guaranteed that the ministry paid next to nothing on whatever they import into the country.

This concession was revoked by the FG on Feb. 2016 and import waiver canceled. The church unable to meet up with the huge charges being accumulated on packing fees for 4 private jets, sold off two of the jets by July 2016.

We may now understand why Bishop David Oyedepo never sees anything good in this present government just because this government insisted on things being done properly.

For me, why should multi-billion naira mega cooperate churches be given concessions and import waivers when small legitimate business are made to pay through their nose whenever they import? In the same way, why should companies like Dangote, Bua group, Milan ground, Golden Penny enjoy concessions and import waivers when these companies make billions in profit after tax?

I always have the opinion that 90% of the accidental billionaires we have in this country are living on government concessions and waivers. Take that away from them and they will be like every one of us.

Concession and waiver agreements were abused by the former government as was revealed by 2016 Senate Ad hoc committee on import duty waivers which revealed that the FG from lost between 2011 to 2015 N447.42bn through fraudulent concessions and waivers. Consequently to this report, the present government canceled all forms of import waivers in 2016 and some organizations made to pay the FG what they owe the government.

We may now understand how Nigeria’s custom was able to remit N1trn in 2017. All these policies and checkings created enemies for BUHARI’s government. People who have been ripping off the country for years being asked to pay the right fees for their imports, automatically made them enemies of Buhari and his government.

Truly, this government is fightingj for the masses and that’s why we have less and less accidental billionaires under this government. The free monies have dried up.

"May this gang up against Nigeria,not even PMB never work. The Hyenas,Foxes and hawks are gathering to feast on our Commonwealth. It will never be well with the enemies of Nigeria. Enough is enough"

Obasanjo Farm, Otta is now a ghost farm, over taking by weeds and rodents. Only the security guards at the gate retain the old glory of the once thriving enterprise. Two massive transformer, possibly hijacked from Papalanto power plant are rusting away near the security post.

Only the Obasanjo Farms extensions at Obada, Abeokuta, Eruwa etc are functioning and they are mostly under Chinese management. Those farms depend on imported inputs like fertilizer, maize, soy beans etc to survive. Their outputs are not designed for Nigerian markets either. Another 4 years of Buhari in power will bring down those fraudulent enterprises because of high import bills.

Nigerian elites are predatory opportunists. They lay siege on the nation and grab it at its weakest part and moment. All the new gladiators, Atiku, Obasanjo, Oyedepo, Gumi, Kuka are struggling for the control of the nations resources. They are bonded together in wickedness. It is not an accident that the owners of the 3 most expensive universities in Nigeria (Atiku, Obasanjo and Oyedepo) are in union of anger against Buhari.

They are not united for the progress of this nation. They are united in anger because Buhari deprived them access to the Commonwealth.

At Oxford University, Prof Osinbajo’s impeccable record continues​ by Bernard Okri​

Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s Vice President showed why he is renowned for oratory prowess and why he stands far ahead of his peers as he delivered his lecture off hand.

For those who have had the privilege of listening to him before or sitting across him at a table it was another pleasant opportunity to be dazzled again but for those who were listening to him for the first time, they were left spell bound.

Staring firmly at the former Lagos Attorney General of Lagos, they wondered where all the facts, figures and statements he reeled off were coming from. They were perplexed by his ability to narrate the Buhari’s administration successes without a prepared speech or even a piece of paper in hand.

Beyond that, he sold Africa, he sold Nigeria, and indeed he sold the black race before going on to inaugurate the Oxford Board of African Studies. It was a delight and a huge moment of pride for all Africans at the gathering.

Prof Osinbajo was one of their own and he was making them proud. Discussing Osinbajo, some said they’ve not seen a person so charming and gifted like him in Africa since Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan. He stood in a class of his own.

During the lecture, Prof. Osinbajo highlighted ongoing investments, efforts and plans of the Nigerian government and the progress it has made in improving the country’s Human Capital Development indices and investment climate, as well as the widespread impact of the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP).

Despite the enormous challenges of Human Capital Development in Africa, the Vice President further called on African governments to unlock the “opportunities to significantly move the needle in the journey to vastly improved standards of existence for our people.”

Talking job creation and job sustainability, Prof Osinbajo explained that 349,000 new bank accounts have been open, while almost half a million small businesses in Nigeria have accessed the loan under the MarketMoni scheme - a short tenor interest-free credit of between N50,000 and N300,000 for small businesses under the auspices of their cooperative societies as a risk management device.

He also explained that by the end of 2018, two million petty traders nationwide would have benefitted from the TraderMoni, which provides them zero collateral and interest-free N10,000 loans.

Prof. Osinbajo also noted that out of the targeted one million, so far, almost 300,000 households have benefited from the N-SIP’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, in which the poorest and most vulnerable households in the country are given N5,000 monthly.

He said the administration’s Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) was an important tool for financially empowering small businesses, artisans, market women, petty traders, and table top traders.

If the impact he made on the room was in doubt, the opportunity for photo ops pretty much sealed it. Like kids who were star struck, the audience flocked towards Prof Osinbajo to take pictures, it was a moment to savour then and in the future,and no one was willing to pass up on it.

Prof. Osinbajo who also inaugurated the International Advisory Board of Oxford University Area Studies Centre, under the School of Global and Area Studies, was received by Nigerian-born, first Black African Rhodes Professor at St Antony's College, Oxford, Professor Wale Adebanwi.

The other members of the inaugurated board are eminent leaders from across the world, including several African countries like Nigeria and South Africa.

​Bernard Okri is a founding member of the Global Economic Policy Initiative​

How Buhari opened up the economy to investors

Before the coming of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, getting a business registered and starting a business in Nigeria were cumbersome.

Today, to register a business in Nigeria is as simple as ABC. Everything has been made quite simple courtesy of the far reaching reforms introduced by the Buhari administration.

~The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was set up in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari to remove bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria and make the country a progressively easier place to start and grow a business.

~After months of diligent work, the Council made business incorporation process basically an online matter - on the CAC’s Company Registration Portal. The need for lawyers, accredited agents and chartered secretaries was made optional, reducing the cost of registration of companies.

~PEBEC also succeeded in getting the National Collateral Registry Bill and the Credit Bureau Services Bill passed into law to make it easier for businesses to get access to credit.

~It also simplified the Visa-On-Arrival process to include e-submission of applications to dedicated desk at Nigeria Immigration Service and also eliminated manual baggage searches at airport.

~Rather than weeks or months, approval for reservation of names and incorporation of companies (if application form is completed and required documents available) became matters that can be concluded within hours.

~The World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report for 2018 therefore placed Nigeria in the 145th position. This was 24 positions better than the 169th position the nation was ranked in the 2017 report.

~The World Bank also rated Nigeria to be among the top 10 reformers globally. The Bank was impressed with Nigeria for implementing the most regulatory reforms in the area of getting credit, starting a business, dealing with construction permits and paying taxes.

PRESIDENT OBASANJO & ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR: A RECONCILIATION NOT AN ENDORSEMENT.

Bishop Matthew Hassan KUKAH

I have deliberately made this explanatory note long because I think it is necessary that people make up their minds based on the facts, given my central role in the event. I note that Sheikh Gumi has already told his own side of the story. I feel obliged to state my own side so that Nigerians can have a clearer picture of my own involvement. Sadly, I personally did not read President Obasanjo’s statement until two days later on the Internet since I was not physically in the hall.

Although trying to reconcile President Obasanjo and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was something I had been working on intermittently in the last few years, nothing could have prepared me for the way things finally shaped up. My focus all along had been with President Obasanjo and I had never brought Alhaji Abubakar into what I was doing. Quite fortuitously, a chance meeting changed the tide in favour of reconciliation.

Understandably, the pictures of the four of us (President Obasanjo, Alhaji Abubakar, Shaikh Gumi and I) literally lit up the social media and elicited divergent reactions from the general public. Although over 99% of the reactions that have come to me have been largely those of commendation, with people focusing, rightly, on the reconciliation, there have been others whose focus has been on an isolated development that had absolutely nothing to do with what I had in mind all these years, namely, the endorsement.

I must say that I am eternally grateful to God that this reconciliation finally happened. The focus of attention has been on the endorsement of Alhaji Abubakar by President Obasanjo, a development that I can call the third leg of the process which I initiated. I am not sure of President Obasanjo’s other interlocutors after we agreed to meet leading to the participation of other actors and so, I will only clear the air on what I can take full responsibility for.

Let me state first that I am a priest of the Catholic Church and by the grace of God, a Bishop. I have more than a passing knowledge of our discipline and doctrine in matters relating to the role of a Catholic priest in political engagement. My doctoral thesis was on Religion and Politics in
Nigeria. So, this is an area that I have written and spoken extensively about for over thirty years.

I am therefore very clear about the boundaries, the slippery slopes and the contexts. Unlike Shaikh Gumi and Rev. Oyedepo who were invited to this event, I am a central actor. So let me explain what really happened.
On Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 I had the honor of being the Guest Speaker for the annual Conference of the Four Square Gospel Church in Alagomeji, Lagos. (The Presidential
Spokesman, Femi Adesina, a member of this Church had first invited me some years back but I could not honour the invitation). President Obasanjo was the Chairman of the occasion. At the end of the lecture, he indicated that he would have to leave because he had a scheduled meeting.

I told him I needed to see him briefly and he obliged. I brought up again the issue of what he thought of his reconciliation with Alhaji Atiku.
My last discussion with him this year was either January or February. His response was still negative and he told me what he later told the media. I reminded him that I was not interested in the politics of reconciliation but the spiritual angle. After all, I said to him, ‘as a Christian, this is an important thing for you to do’. He was quiet and then said he would speak with me later that evening on his final decision. We parted, he to his car and I returned to the Church to end the event.

At about 9pm the same Tuesday, he called to say that he had thought over the issues I had raised and finally decided to accept my suggestion and that yes, he would be happy to reconcile with Alhaji Abubakar. When did he think we could meet then, I asked him? He said he would look at his diary and get back to me later. Then, just before 11pm the same Tuesday, I received another call from him saying his diary was full, that the earliest date for him was October 21st. I accepted happily and told him that I would try and reach Alhaji Abubakar either directly, or through his aides to convey the news.

My initial intention had been to return to Abuja that same evening from Lagos, but my hosts at the Four Square Gospel had suggested that I should get some rest. Next morning, Wednesday October 10th, after I had finished celebrating the Holy Mass, I received a call from President Obasanjo: ‘Bishop, listen, I have changed my mind’. My heart nearly sank, but before I could ask why, he said: ‘Let us do it tomorrow if you can reach Atiku. I am going to deliver a lecture in Ife and will be back home before 1pm. So, tell him to come at 1pm’. I started frantic efforts to reach Alhaji Atiku without luck. I reached one of his aides, Paul Ibe, and asked him to please let him know I am trying to reach him. Finally, at about 1pm, I received a call from him. I told him what had happened with President Obasanjo. He agreed and said he would be in Abeokuta for 1pm on Thursday.

I got back to my hosts, the Four Square Gospel Church to tell them about the change in my travelling plans especially as I had no car to take me to Abeokuta. I didn’t want to ask President Obasanjo’s people to send me a vehicle because I believed I needed a leeway of independence and trust. My hosts were exceedingly gracious in making a vehicle available, a driver and an aide to take me to Abeokuta. Earlier that morning, President Obasanjo had called me a second time and told me that he wanted Alhaji Abubakar to come with the Chairman of the PDP, and two or three others. He also told me he had also invited both Shaikh Gumi and Rev. Oyedepo. This was welcome news- Rev. Oyedepo is a kinsman of his, and the presence of Shaikh Gumi made sense.

I was a bit nervous, seeing that the circle was getting larger for something I thought was between three of us.I arrived Abeokuta about 12.15pm ahead of both President Obasanjo and Alhaji Abubakar and his team. Alhaji Abubakar and his team arrived, and then I saw more and more people coming in.

I saw familiar faces of different people who turned out to be the leaders of Afenifere. All these years, whenever I brought up this matter of reconciliation, my idea has always been for the three of us to sit down together. I still believed that the meeting would be between the two of them and the three religious leaders.
When President Obasanjo appeared, I walked up to him and said I wanted to know the protocol for the meeting. He suggested that we would meet in a hall and that I should say a few words about how we got here. I declined because it seemed again that at this point, we were in small forest of politics and I had no wish to be caught in it. I was happy that what I wanted to achieve had been achieved, namely, getting these two men to put the past behind them. My personal preoccupation was a pastoral one, and not a political one. I was uncomfortable with this and I decided to make my position clear. I offered a different proposal to help us sift the moral grain from the chaff of politics via a three-step process so as to insulate the three of us from the political fallout.

I proposed that the first step would be for he and Alhaji Abubakar to sit down behind closed doors, sort out their issues and then the next step would be for both Sheikh Gumi and I to go in and listen to the two of them as Rev. Oyedepo had not arrived. After that, I said, they could continue with the third phase which from what I could see was high wire politics and I had no wish to be caught in the web. After they both finished their brief meeting, Sheikh Gumi and I went in and sat down with the two of them. We had some small briefing and then both of us spoke briefly on what they had done, encouraging them to ensure that this reconciliation holds. I even said jokingly that I am a Catholic priest and our marriage vows are indissoluble! After that, we prayed and then took what has now become the famous photograph behind closed doors.

At this point, I felt that my spiritual duties had been achieved and I was prepared to maintain my independence. Sheikh Gumi and I shook hands and although I was hungry and food was being laid out, I skipped lunch. I quietly let myself out by the side door, got into the Four Square Gospel car and we drove off to Lagos. Despite the dread of Lagos traffic and the disruption of flights at the Airport in Lagos, I had declined the offer of a seat in the Aircrafts which had flown them to Abeokuta. Although flying with them was the best (and most convenient) assurance I had of getting to Abuja in time for a speaking engagement at an event with the Sultan and Cardinal Onaiyekan for 9am the next day, it was necessary to ensure that I took no favours from any of the two parties.

I was not in Abeokuta to endorse Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. I perfectly understand the feelings of many of my friends and members of the opposition who believe that I travelled with Alhaji Abubakar and his team to attend his endorsement by President Obasanjo, but I reiterate that this was not the case. All the bills for my travel were settled by the Four Square Gospel hosts for the earlier dated programme who had bought my tickets, booked accommodation for me and took care to get me to the airport for my flight to Abuja and Sokoto.

I am a strong believer in a peaceful and united Nigeria, ideals for which I have striven and served my entire adult life as a thinker and a priest. My instincts for reconciliation and peace were sharpened during my involvement and experience with the Oputa Panel. When the Generals refused to respond to the invitation of Oputa Panel, I personally undertook to visit both General Babangida and Buhari (he was not at home) at a time that today’s latter day Buharists were asking the Panel to compel them to come or risk being blacked out of national life.

Objective-minded people will remember that back in 2001, when the Christian community and many of President Buhari’s opponents claimed that General Buhari had said that Muslims should vote only for Muslims, many people in the Christian community were disappointed that I wrote a long article to explain the context of what he had said after speaking with the General. His party, the ANPP later used part of my article for their 2003 campaigns! My faith and experience have taught me to learn to suspend judgment till I have heard both sides of a story, no matter what.

I hope that this clarification helps to allay the concerns of those who may have seen all of these in a different light. Many minds will remain set no matter the reasonableness of my comments here, and this is to be expected- one can not please everyone. This is why it is often best to seek to please only one’s own conscience, and here, mine is very clear.

I have been involved in a few behind-the-scene shuttle diplomacy for years, largely on my own initiative, taking advantage of my knowledge of those engaged in the conflict or at the invitation of third parties. Some have succeeded and some have not. As priest, it is not in my place to publicise what we have achieved.

I am the Convener of the National Peace Committee. This alone is enough to place a moral boundary which I am bound to respect. The NPC able to accomplish much because of trust and that is not what I can treat lightly. When it became clear that both President Obasanjo and Abubakar were on the verge of making peace, I alerted the Chairman of the NPC, General Abdusalam. Since I happen to be in Lagos, I drove to the Ikoyi home of Chief Emeka Anyaoku and alerted him. I spoke to my Metropolitan, the Archbishop of Kaduna, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso. All in all, everyone believed this was a very good move if we could achieve it. None of us imagined the third phase of this meeting.

Both theoretically and practically, I have come to know that peace making is a very risky business and often a thankless job. I recall listening to the late Kofi Anan speak about his on two different occasions. Anyone involved in peace making from domestic quarrels to larger battles, must be ready for the good, the bad and the ugly. In the end, we must wear the shoes of the long distance runner, believing and trusting that the truth never ever sinks to the bottom of the sea. The truth will always have a stubborn way of defying the hostile elements and popping up at the right time, no matter how long it takes.

I perfectly understand that with Alhaji Abubakar having just picked up the Presidential ticket of his Party, without providing this context, definitely, I can appreciate why many people will have a lot of anxieties. They will definitely be right to question my neutrality. However, I have far too many friends across party lines for me to openly endorse one candidate or party against the other.

It will be against the principles of the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church which regulates our public life in the political space. The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has signed a statement to the effect that no altar of the Catholic Church must ever be open to any politician, something we have all taken seriously. I therefore hope that this clarification helps those whose minds are open.

I am thankful to God and quite pleased that this reconciliation took place and that I was a small instrument in making it happen. However, I am sorry that it has been given a different colouration and doubts to many people. Its timing was purely fortuitous and purely circumstantial not a contrivance. Personally, I will never relent in the very urgent task of making peace and reconciliation across the spectrum of our country.

President Buhari's 10 'sins'

Do you know why some yesterday's men of power and privilege have resolved to frustrate this administration's desire to realize the Nigeria of our dreams? Below are the 'sins' committed by President Muhammadu Buhari in the last three years.

~ His resolve to restrict access to our national vault which ended the era of mindless looting and stealing of our commonwealth.

~ His decision to channel the recovered Abacha loot into programmes that would lift ordinary Nigerians out of poverty. They wanted him to share the recovered loot with them.

~ His insistence to introduce the Executive Order 6 which has tightened the noose round those who stole Nigeria blind.

~ His decision to invest more in capital projects than allow such money end up in private pockets.

~ His call for a transparently managed National Assembly and legislative businesses devoid of sharp practices.

~ His decision to go after past leaders who stole and misappropriated funds meant for strategic national projects.

~ His resolve to empower ordinary Nigerians through the Social Investment Programmes which is gradually lifting ordinary Nigeians out of extreme poverty and lack.

~His decision to run a government with strict adherence to financial rules and regulations which brought about the TSA.

~ By ensuring that all ill-gotten wealth and money stolen in whatever guise are returned to the national treasury.

~For refusing to compromise his agelong virtues of integrity, moral discipline, patriotism and incorruptibilty.

Why Atiku Abubakar can never step his foot on US soil again

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar can never step his foot on United States soil again because he is wanted for money laundering and illegal transfer of funds.

Atiku who is the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate was the subject of a probe ten years ago, by a United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Carl Levin.

The report detailed how Atiku Abubakar while still the vice president of Nigeria between 2000 and 2008, used offshore companies to siphon millions of dollars to his fourth wife in the United States, Jennifer Douglas.

Specifically, the report said Jennifer Douglas, an American citizen, helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to U.S. bank accounts.

In 2004, the then President Bush barred Atiku and other corrupt politically exposed persons from being issued visa to the United States.

The US Senate probe was motivated by US government concern about corruption in the Third World and its corrosive effects on the development of honest government, democratic principles, and the rule of law.

“It is also blamed for distorting markets, deterring investment, deepening poverty, undermining international aid efforts, and fostering crime. Some have drawn connections between corruption, failed states, and terrorism. Corruption also continues to be a massive problem. The World Bank has estimated that $1 trillion in bribes alone exchange hands worldwide each year,” the committee noted in its bulky report.

The report unveiled violations of US laws by Atiku and his fourth wife, Jennifer Douglas. It also included revelations about Siemens bribe paid into one of the accounts, and it possibly provided the basis for Atiku being barred from entering the United States, since then.

Is this how Atiku wants to run the economy?

The PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, keeps saying based on his antecedents, he is the best man to fix the country’s economy. He must really think Nigerians are either daft or are suffering from amnesia. Below are records of his ‘achievements’ when he was head of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s economic team and chairman of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) from 1999 to 2007.

~16 billion dollars set aside for the upgrade of power supply infrastructure disappeared into thin air. No improvement in power supply to show for the humongous figure.

~In 2007, both a Senate panel, chaired by Victor Ndoma-Egba and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) indicted Atiku for diverting 145 million dollars meant for the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to various bank accounts linked to him between 1999 and 2006.

~In 2010, the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations exposed a pattern of wire transfers of more than 40 million dollars from offshore companies like Siemens into bank accounts controlled by Atiku and one of his wives, Jemila Abubakar (formerly Jennifer Iwenjora, later Jennifer Douglas). To avoid being arrested and jailed for this and other scandals, Atiku has avoided the US like a plague for years.

~He was also indicted by the former IGP Mike Okiro panel for sharing the 74 million dollars proceeds of the famous Halliburton bribe scandal to other top officials of the very corrupt administration in which he served.

~He sold national assets in fraudulent circumstances to himself and cronies and was heavily involved in the corruption-laden incorporation of Transcorp.

~US investigators also named Atiku as the collector of the famous 6 million dollars bribe from officials of Willbros Group, Inc., a global engineering and contractor company based in Houston, Texas. He was said to have demanded and collected the bribe to facilitate illicit and illegal deals for the company in Nigeria.

In the wake of the political drama unfolding in Ogun state, a political group, Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD), has warned Senator Iyabo Anisulowo and other politicians against dragging Vice President Yemi Osinbajo into the ongoing political drama in the state.

The Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD) noted that although the Vice President is an indigene of Ikenne in Ogun state, he has never meddled in the politics of Ogun or influenced the outcome of electoral or political processes in the state.

In a statement issued in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun state, the President of the group, James Akinloye, pointed out that politics is local and what is happening in Ogun is beyond the Vice President.

He explained that the emergence of Prince Dapo Abiodun and Adekunle Akinlade as governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in parallel primaries, have nothing to do with the VP.

“Prof Osinbajo knows nothing about the zoning to Ogun East or Ogun West and has never campaigned or urged voters to support any of the candidates,” Akinloye said.

“We all know that the Vice President resides and votes in Lagos State even though he is an indigene of Ogun. To the best of our knowledge, he has never mingled in Ogun politics and has nothing to do with what is going on.

Akinloye stressed that the APC oversaw the primaries and had the National Working Committee (NWC) posted to states across the country.

“To drag the Vice President into this is completely unfair. Senator Anisulowo is only whipping up sentiments where there is none.

“The APC NWC was charged with conducting the primaries in Ogun state and other states across the country and they should be held responsible if the election is not free or fair.

“Calling out Prof. Osinbajo because he is from Ogun is completely petty and unbecoming,” Akinloye stated.

He added that in other states where two candidates emerged the name of the Vice President was not mentioned.

The group cautioned the former Minister of State for Education against promoting violence and hatred in the state.

OSINBAJO KICKS AGAINST CANCELLATION OF LAGOS GUBER PRIMARY October 3, 2018

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for Lagos governorship primary to be upheld
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for Lagos governorship primary to be upheld
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has kicked against the cancellation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos governorship primary held on 2 October.

The APC governorship primary which held across the state on Tuesday was cancelled by the National Working Committee (NWC).

APC NWC led by Clement Ebri insisted that only a secret ballot voting system will be recognised in the primary between incumbent Lagos governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and contender Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Reacting to the cancellation, VP Osinbajo said the results should be accepted if the process was free and fair.

According to a source close to the Presidency, “Osinbajo is calling on State and National APC leaders to work together and ensure that today’s voting in Lagos should be honored as long as it is free and fair.

The source revealed that “there has been a lot of confusion about the election especially after APC national team released a statement that the voting did not follow agreed guidelines”.

However before this, results of the voting had been widespread all over the social media from ward to ward.

Other sources close to APC headquarters told Chronicle NG that the VP had been advising that the best thing in the circumstances is to honor the polls except there is compelling evidence of irregularities and violation of electoral laws.

We have seen a certain message circulating on WhatApp titled: THE VP, APC CHAIRMAN & OTHERS MOVE TO MANIPULATE PRIMARIES IN FAVOUR OF AMBODE.

This is completely fabricated piece of misinformation by faceless cowards that should be totally ignored by all people of goodwill. Every bit of claim in the said message is false and only a mischievous attempt to drag the good name of the VP and APC Chairman into a mess. The presidency and national APC leaders are working for a free and fair Lagos APC Guber primaries and ensuring that there is a level playing field for all aspirants. So too other party leaders and governors mentioned in the said fake news.
The VP is known as a man of integrity whose enviable place in the minds of Nigerians is already settled and therefore the attempt to malign him by mentioning a non existent receipt of "expands of land at Eti Osa LG" is not only ridiculous, childish and wicked all together. In today's Lagos primaries our prayer is that the better candidate will emerge and we keep the party together having ensured that the will of the voters is sacrosanct.

Signed: Concerned Lagosians for APC reconciliation

UNITY PHOTO EXHIBITION GROUP UNVEILS INITIATIVE TO BOOST TOGETHERNESS, PATRIOTISM AMONG NIGERIANS OCT. 1

In a bold response to the ethnic and religious agitations that sometimes bedevil the country since the first republic, an initiative tagged ‘ANISZA’, a visual art project aimed at promoting unity among Nigerians especially young citizens will be formally launched in Abuja on October 1, according to organizers.

ANISZA, an acronym coined by combining words from Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, and depicting unity, “is a Nigerian idea that is set to address the needless agitations that Nigerians are faced with, fanning the embers of disunity.”

Miss Novo Isioro, the coordinator of the project disclosed this to journalists at a news conference Tuesday while announcing activities lined up for the launch of the initiative timed to coincide with Nigeria’s 58thIndependence Anniversary.

According to Isioro, “we have seen contestations among adherents of the various religious and ethnic groups in the country. There have been tensions that have been generated because of our differences. But I think that this diversity should be celebrated and not be a problem.

“So I just thought about this tendency towards disunity, and as a visual artist, I understand how image tells the story more than words. So, I thought that we should use pictures to tell the stories of strength in diversity.

“The idea is to use pictures to speak to the people to stop the agitations, the drama, the hate speeches, division and instead work together. This is practically focused on young people. I realized that most people especially the young ones really don’t understand our history.”

Speaking on the sustainability of the initiative, Miss Isioro said, “We are using a mobile gallery so we can take it to the 36 states and focus on schools.”

She said: “We are collaborating with state governments and federal ministries to take this gallery to schools in their domain to get as many children as possible to benefit from the project. But we are also having an online platform that we will use to keep the message alive.

“But for October 1, we are inviting students from schools across the country. We plan to host the students for three days during which there will be a symposium, an exhibition and a mini-tour," according to Isioro, who is SA Visual Communication & Personal Photographer to the Vice President.

Other partners in the project said the initiative would bring to live forgotten values and the essence of maintaining Nigeria’s heritage for the purpose of promoting unity.
The Managing Editor of Daily Times, Mr Melah Bonaventure said the issue of unity in Nigeria is important and as such “Nigeria needs patriotic citizens more than oil because the problem of unity has to come first of all from lack of patriotism.

He said: “No country can achieve greatness when the citizens don’t love the country.
“It is only when we bring our various unique differences to the centre that we can form a greater and prosperous nation.”

On his part, Dr Mayo Adediran, a former top FG official on Museums & Archives now a Consultant, said preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage was as important as promoting the country’s economic potentials.

According to him, “sometimes human memory may fail us but when you put concentrated information in a monument, it becomes a historical fact that jolts our memory each time we walk past.”

For Architect Sadiq Bello, one of the technical managers in the group “what we are doing is supposed to excite," and spark all the senses of unity to see that Nigeria is indeed becomes a great nation."

The Project Manager Murphy Imamezi noted that love is what drives true patriotism and a sense of unity among any people, adding "this is what is at the center of ANISZA."

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to declare the exhibition open next Monday October 1.

Some Nigerians have argued that the $322.5m General Sani Abacha loot recovered from the Swiss government by the Buhari administration could have been used for other infrastructural projects instead of sharing N5000 each to 400,000 poor households over a period of time.

But here are the reasons why the Federal Government of Nigeria could not have done otherwise.

1. A Swiss court ruled that the Abacha loot will only be returned to Nigeria if Nigeria nominates a project that is aimed at alleviating poverty.

2. Swiss Court ordered the commencement of repatriation of Abacha loot on the condition that the World Bank would supervise utilization to prevent mismanagement and re-looting.

3. Nigeria had to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Swiss government and the network of Civil Societies (CSOs).

4. The Swiss court rejected Fast Power Project nominated by Nigeria because it could not be supervised by the World Bank instead settling for Conditional Cash Transfer.

5. The Swiss court stated that Abacha loots returned to Nigeria were re-looted by previous governments.


6. The N5,000 shared to 400,000 poor households by the Nigeria government is done in partnership with the World Bank.

7. Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of the loot to the poor would also enable the mandatory involvement of the World Bank in the process, such that the money would be used in a subsisting programme of the Bank in Nigeria to enable it to use its existing monitoring and broader institutional resources to monitor the use of the funds.

8. The decision to give the money to the poor were an outcome of months of negotiation that enabled the repatriation of the funds in the first place.

9. The idea of giving N5000 to the poor was conceived by the Buhari administration in 2016 under the Social Investment Programme (SIP) as against rumours that it a political agenda conceived in 2018.

10. Like the CCT, Market Moni and Trader Moni which are designed at empowering SMEs and petty traders respectively were conceived in 2016.

The APC Campaign Council for the Osun Governorship Election has urged
the party's members in the areas where the state's election rerun will
be held on Thursday to ignore the rantings of the PDP and turn out en
masse to vote for the ruling party.

In a statement in Abuja by the Chairman of the Council's Media
Committee, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Council said the threat by the PDP
that it would challenge, in court, INEC's declaration of last
Saturday's election as inconclusive is nothing but sheer bravado,
especially as the opposition party is afraid of losing the rerun.

It said the PDP may also have contrived the court threat as a way of
distracting the APC and its members ahead of the rerun, calling that
distraction strategy dead on arrival.

''The PDP knows that the so-called court challenge which it has
threatened to mount will not fly, especially because the highest court
in the land has already pronounced on the issue of whether or not INEC
has the powers to declare an election inconclusive

''The PDP is not unaware of the pronouncement of the Supreme Court in
the case of James Abiodun Faleke Vs INEC and others, that INEC has
the duty of conducting elections and that, besides the constitutional
provisions, it is guided by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and
the Election Guidelines and Manual issued for its officials in
accordance with the Act,'' the Council said.

It said that since the PDP had boasted that its candidate will win if
the Osun Governorship Election is conducted over and over again, the
party should stop being jittery and put its money where its mouth is
by willingly participating in the rerun.

The Council said, however, that if the PDP chooses to boycott
Thursday's rerun out of fear, the party's right to do so will be
respected.

''The PDP, after its failed mission to win Saturday's election at all
cost, is shopping for an illegal shortcut to victory by threatening a
court action over an issue that has been settled. It's a sheer waste
of time. Let the PDP drop its pretension and get ready to be defeated
in Thursday's rerun. Alternatively, it can withdraw to save face,''
the Council said.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Chairman
APC Campaign Council Media Committee
Abuja
25 Sept. 2018

As the Buhari administration’s Trader Moni continues to expand across the country, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will on Saturday formally launch the initiative in Owerri, Imo State capital.

TraderMoni, which is part of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme, is designed to assist petty traders across the country expand their trade through the provision of collateral and interest-free loans from N10,000. The loans are repayable over a period of six months.

The micro-credit scheme under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), was first formally launched on August 7 in five markets in Lagos State – Mushin, Ikotun, Agege, Ketu, and Abule Egba areas.

Following the Lagos leg, the micro-credit scheme has since been formally launched in eight other states, including Kano, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Osun, Kogi, Oyo, Cross River; and Abuja (Federal Capital Territory).

Under the scheme, beneficiaries can get access to a higher facility ranging from N15,000 to N100,000 when they repay N10,000 within the stipulated time period.

Also, through TraderMoni scheme, the Buhari Administration aims to take financial inclusion down to the grassroots, and uplift Nigerians at the bottom of the pyramid, considering the contribution of petty traders to economic development.

The Federal Government is also aware of the fact that many of the petty traders don’t have what the commercial banks require to grant them loans.

Petty traders from across the states have continued to laud the Buhari administration for helping them in expanding their trade and empowering them economically.

By the end of 2018, the micro-credit scheme would have reached all 36 states of the federation, with an estimated two million petty traders set to become beneficiaries.

WE WILL DEPLOY MORE RESOURCES TO EASE YOUR SUFFERINGS, VP OSINBAJO ASSURES COMMUNITIES RAVAGED BY FLOODS IN ANAMBRA, DELTA, NIGER

*Says FG will ensure those affected are resettled quickly, and livelihoods restored in affected areas

*Continues visits today


Having declared the recent flooding of communities in parts of the country as a national disaster, the Federal Government will deploy more resources to mitigate sufferings of people in the affected areas, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

While commending the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and the state emergency management authorities for its quick responses, Prof Osinbajo also said the Federal Government would work together with the state and local governments to ensure that people in the affected communities are resettled so that they can get back to normal lives.

The Vice President gave this assurance during his visits to Anambra and Delta states on Thursday to inspect communities in the states that were affected by the severe flooding that has ravaged several states in the country.

He assured the people affected in the states he visited that the Buhari administration will do everything possible to bring relief and restoration to all who have suffered on account of this flood disaster.

Prof. Osinbajo visits to the affected states is on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, and it comes a day after he also visited Zungeru Primary School in Niger State, where persons displaced by the flooding resulting from the construction of the dam were being camped.

The Vice President also directed NEMA to immediately supply materials needed for the building of the permanent resettlement site for the communities affected by the construction of the 700MW Zungeru Hydro Power Project in the State.

He said, “President Muhammadu Buhari asked me to come and see to your welfare. We will also do our best to help everybody so that you can resettle well. We are paying attention to everything that is going on here. And we will make sure that we do everything necessary to make you as comfortable as possible and to resettle you as quick as possible.

“Already, I’ve asked NEMA to supply immediately some relief materials to start some construction and the resettlement site. We have a new resettlement site, which as you know, has been in the works. We are going to continue construction and put a few structures there so that those who are here can move away from the school.

“We will also do our best to help everybody so that you can resettle well. Nobody wants to be in any trouble like this. You are hard working people, doing your work in your farms or trade. We want you to be able to go back and continue your work and your life.”

On the directive of President Buhari, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) had on Monday declared flooding a national disaster in four states – Kogi, Niger, Delta and Anambra. “This underscores the enormity of the disaster here and what needs to be done. There is a lot of work that needs to be done not just by way of providing temporary relief and succour which is being done in IDP camps,” Prof. Osinbajo said.


Speaking earlier in Otuocha LGA in Anambra State while interacting with some leaders of communities affected by flooding in the state, and having flown over the affected communities to see the extent of damage, the Vice President said, “I am here to see for myself and to be in a position to brief Mr President about the extent of the disaster. As you know the disaster here and in several other states has resulted in the situation where the Federal Government has ordered that the situation be declared a national disaster.”

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “It is an unprecedented act for the President to so declare especially because there are certain things that need to be done as quickly and as efficiently as possible.”

He said: “I have overflown many of the disaster areas on my way here and we recognized that Ayamelu, Onitsha South and North, Anambra East and West, are experiencing varying degrees of flooding and many are already under water, and tragically also farmlands, especially at a time when we are ramping up rice production. I overflew the Coscharis farm and it is practically under water.

“This is really a disaster of immense proportion and we intend as a Federal Government, to deploy federal resources as much as possible to assuage some of the challenges that have been caused by this disaster.”

He added that “as an interim measure, NEMA has already sent allocation of food and relief materials to several areas.”

Prof. Osinbajo however advised families that are reluctant to relocate from their flooded homes to move children and other vulnerable persons to safe places, assuring that government would still reach out to them.

According to him, “we also noticed that aside from the IDP camps, many people have insisted on remaining in their homes, but because children and other vulnerable people are involved, we insist that they must be taken to safe places.

“But for those who insist on staying in their homes, we will be sending allocation of food and water to some of such communities, so we are not just going to be focusing on the IDPs.

“Already NEMA is taking a look at that, they have facilities for water purification, they also have some high-quality water treatment plants that are mobile. So, we would deploy clean water and other relief materials as quickly as possible.”

In the aftermath of the flood, the Vice President said “the most important is what happens in the long term. When these floods clear, people have lost their livelihoods, their farmlands, we have to find ways to assist them get back to their normal lives. We will be working to see how that can be done as quickly as possible.”

In his remarks, Governor Willie Obiano thanked the Vice President for the visit and the Federal Government’s efforts in supporting the state assuage the hardship faced by the people.

He appealed for additional support to enable people regain their livelihoods in the aftermath of the disaster especially those who lost vast expanse of farm lands.

In the same vein, during his visit to the camp for displaced persons in Asaba, Delta State, Prof. Osinbajo said the Federal Government would collaborate with the state government to help in restoring the livelihood of the people affected by the floods.

He said, “Let me say first how touched I am just seeing all you who are here and who has had to be evacuated from your homes and from the various places where you live, the various communities to this place as a temporary shelter.


“We are going to be working with the state government and of course with the local government authorities and we will do everything that is necessary to ensure that the sufferings, the pains that you've gone through already is not allowed to continue and as quickly as possible you can return to your homes and return to your livelihood and return to your work wherever that may be.”

Continuing, he said "The implications of a national disaster obviously means that the Federal Government will be working with all of its agencies and with the state government to ensure that lives are protected and those who need medical help are granted the medical help."


“We have also asked that the National Emergency Management Authority move quickly to supply additional relief materials to all IDPs, adding that "by tomorrow we should have an additional relief material including water, food, beddings and whatever is required, not only in this camp but in all the IDP camps or holding camps as is now called all across the state."


The Vice President commended the Delta State Government and its Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, for “moving very swiftly to assuage the sufferings of the displaced persons and for putting place adequate facilities in the camp for them.


In his remark, Governor Okowa said the camp for displaced persons was just a holding place, noting that they would soon be relocated as soon as the flood receded.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
21st September, 2018

Kemi Adeosun: Yet A Quintessence of Probity and Integrity

“Recognised probity is the surest of all oaths.” - Suzanne Curchod.

On the 14th of September, the former minister of finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun honourably tendered her resignation letter to the President, Mohammadu Buhari, bringing to an end, near three years of purposeful management of the nation’s economy with epitomized probity. However on a controversial note.

Nonetheless with this singular act, Kemi Adeosun has not only etched her name in our history books, but has also justified the fact that in public service, integrity, probity, ethics, transparency and self discipline can still be found.

The former minister made history as the first political office holder to quit her position on the basis of integrity and probity. She has justified the federal government’s credo of integrity by throwing in the towel even when the old order of manipulating the system in view of the caliber of political clouts around her would have been the order of the day.

The ruling party, APC described her resignation as actions of honour, strength of character and integrity. And I do not disagree with them. Most Nigerians don’t. In fact they were shocked she would take this rare but honourable path.

In the previous administrations in the country particularly since the emergence of our most recent democracy 20 years ago, no minister or political office holder had resigned his or her position despite in the face of allegations of corruption or malfeasance or misconduct or fraud.

Still fresh in the minds of Nigerians are the cases of former aviation minister, Stella Odua and that of Minister of Interior, Abba Moro. Both Ministers under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Stella Oduah, currently a senator of the Federal Republic, was enmeshed in two scandals of certificate forgery and maladministration.

Oduah claimed she attended St. Paul’s College, Lawrenceville in Virginia, US, from 1978 to 1982, obtaining a first degree in Accounting and a Master’s Degree in 1983. But the college disclosed that it had never in its 125-year history had a graduate school or graduate programme.

Her claim to have obtained an honorary doctoral degree in Business Administration from Pacific Christian University based in Glendale, was also found to be dubious.

Following these revelations, the then Minister had since amended her biographies on the internet revising her profiles on the web with a view to cleaning up any reference to St. Paul’s College in her history. While the PhD allegedly received has also been deleted from her Wikipedia profile.

The former minister was also involved in reckless financial meddlesomeness.

She was rocked in financial misappropriation following her refusal to follow due process in the award of contract for the purchase of two bulletproof cars at the sum of N255 million; a total sum that was grossly inflated.

Consequent upon the scandal, the committee set up by then President Goodluck Jonathan to probe the scandal in the Aviation Ministry indicted Ms Oduah. The report of the presidential committee tallied with some findings of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on the corruption case.

The development sparked a wide controversy within and outside the country with many Nigerians and groups calling for her sack as well as the House committee’s recommendation that the minister be relived of her duty. None of the calls nor recommendations were heeded.

While the minister refused to resign in the wake of the two proven cases of outright forgery and breach of public trust, the then president, Goodluck Jonathan still retained her until she voluntarily resigned in order to contest the 2015 senatorial election in her state of Anambra.

On his part, former minister of Interior, Abba Moro, conducted a most embarrassing and tragical recruitment exercise in the country’s history when on Saturday, March 15, 2014, his Ministry conducted recruitment exercise into the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.

Tagged “Nigerian Immigration Service Recruitment Tragedy” afterwards, the exercise, poorly planned and implemented, led to the death of about 20 applicants in various recruitment centres across the country, involving over 520,000 Nigerian graduate applicants who paid N1,000 each to be qualified to take the test.

After the NIS tragedy, several Nigerians demanded the resignation or dismissal of Mr. Moro and the then Comptroller-General of Immigration, David Parradang, as well as their criminal prosecution for involuntary homicide, but none of such happened as their boss then, Goodluck Jonathan turned a blind eye to the pains and anguish of Nigerians and retained him till his government was voted out in 2015.

Other cases of scandals that rocked past administrations abound but never did one of them throw in the towel even when such cases were proven beyond reasonable doubts that the actors committed perjury or gross misconduct.

Though, in her resignation letter, Mrs Adeosun still maintained her innocence having submitted the same certificate to different government institutions in the course of her public service to her state and Nigeria in general; her innocence remains a debate for the court room where it would be expected that she makes a case that she knew nothing about the fake certificate and had no hand in procuring it.

One thing Mrs Adeosun would be remembered for is this: She brought discipline into the country’s finance systems, implemented policies that her predecessors were scared to touch; she identified and pursued a path to long term sustainable economic growth for the country.

Under her stewardship, Nigeria was able to exit recession and has laid the foundations for lasting growth and wealth creation.

Beyond the certificate scandal, Mrs Kemi Adeosun would be remembered for being a role model, and a quintessential persona when integrity and honour is called among Nigerian politicians and leaders.


Amaechi Agbo
Abuja-based public affairs analyst

Why Tradermoni matters


On 7th August this year, the Federal Government commenced the Tradermoni scheme in Lagos.

Tradermoni scheme is designed to help petty traders expand their trade through the provision of collateral free loans of an initial sum of N10,000.

The scheme was launched in partnership with the Bank of Industry, BoI, in order to enlarge government’s financial inclusion agenda down to the grassroots, the bottom of the ladder, considering the contribution of petty traders to economic development of any nation. It is a federal government empowerment scheme to help alleviate poverty in Nigeria by empowering traders and artisans.

Tradermoni is similar to MarketMoni which is another cash transfer loan scheme of the the Federal Government under the same Social Investment Programmes, but they are not the same. While Marketmoni loans start at N50, 000 and target medium-scale traders, market women, artisans, and youth in market associations. Tradermoni loans on the other hand starts at N10, 000 and target petty traders and petty artisans.

There have been lots of misconceptions with people questioning what the petty traders can do with N10,000. But one cannot wish away the impact it will have on the fufu seller on the street whose capital is N3,000. As little as it seems, an added sum of N10,000 to her capital would lead to her expanding her business and serving more customers.

To an average income earner, N10,000 does not sound so big a money to help in business but to the rural traders, it is not so. N10,000 will make a significant impact in the business of the roadside corn seller, akara (fried bean) seller. The ugu (pumpkin) seller as well as the groundnut, garri, shoe maker/reparier, beans and all other petty traders who are the beneficiaries of this scheme.

These loans come from a recognition of the genuine contribution of petty traders to the growth of the nation’s economy. Consequently the loan will not only help the local traders to expand their businesses, but also change their standards of living thus aiding in poverty alleviation and stability in the country's economic outlook.

This programme aims at reducing short-term poverty by direct cash transfers and fight long-term poverty by increasing human capital among the poor through conditional cash transfers.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries can get access to a higher facility ranging from N15,000 to N50,000 when they repay the initial N10, 000 within the stipulated time period of 6 months. Accordingly, beneficiaries have the options to repay the loan with flexible options of N85 daily or N430 weekly.

Since coming into power via his change mantra, President Mohammadu Buhari has never hidden his desire to change the economic well-being and welfare of the poorest Nigerians - the masses. Access to credit to help boost the output of their petty businesses has proven to be one route he has taken in providing succour to Nigeria’s lowest income earners.

The Vice - President Yemi Osinbajo over the week told beneficiaries of the Tradermoni loan scheme in Gbagi Market, Ibadan, Oyo state, that more funds would be committed to the scheme as soon as the traders begin to pay back. This emphasises the need for the sustainability of the programme, which in itself can only be sustained through the collective efforts of the traders - simply paying back the small loans they have collected.

Tradermoni scheme is not only a justification of the current Federal Government's unrelenting drive to take Nigerians away from the clutches of poverty but also a determined initiative to ensure that government reaches out to the unreached, and create a more equitable society.

The scheme has been implemented, successfully, in 10 states so far. These states are: Lagos (the pilot state) which was launched on August 7, Kano state kicked off on August 18, 20th of August saw Abia state integrated into the scheme while Akwa Ibom was on 21st of August.

Katsina got into the initiative for the take off of the scheme in the state on September 1st; Osun, Kogi, Cross River and Oyo states kick started the scheme on 3rd, 8th, 11th and 13th of September, respectively. The programme was also launched in the Federal Capital Territory on the 6th of September at the Utako Market.

With the scheme currently being implemented in 10 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, the Vice- President, as part of his outreach in ensuring a smooth and successful implementation of the free loan scheme, visited the market in Ibadan to assess how the loan was being executed and to ensure that all registered traders got the money.

It is unfortunate that there are Microfinance banks in the country which invariably are saddled with the responsibility of granting or providing loans to small traders but have made their interest rates so high that no low income trader would dare consider. This initiative by the Buhari administration helps close the gap.

The intention of the programme is to reach all 36 States of the country and the FCT. It has started on a remarkable note and can only get better. Testimonies from some of the beneficiaries have already filled the media space - attesting to the impact it has made in their little businesses. The testimonies resound what ought to be: government should be for not just the elites, but the lowest cadre of society. And this is what the Buhari administration is achieving with the TraderMoni initiative.

Amaechi Agbo
Abuja-based Public Affairs Analyst

The issues surrounding restructuring in Nigeria have remained topical at least since 1999, but it assumed a new level of resonance recently as the 2019 general elections approach. As expected, different pressure groups, socio-cultural associations and politicians have joined the fray. The most discernible motive for the high tempo in the resurgence of discourse about restructuring mainly centres around the ploy by some opposition politicians to take advantage of it to harangue the Buhari/Osinbajo administration as if all Nigeria’s problems will be solved with restructuring.

In their attempt to pull wool over our eyes on the topical issue and profit from it politically, they have tried to hinge the myriad of problems besetting Nigeria on restructuring, thereby insisting that the Buhari/Osinbajo administration must restructure Nigeria in their own terms and conditions.

As a responsible government, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo made an intervention on the need to focus more on rebuilding the country for the benefit of all citizens which is evident in the administration’s programmes, and equally acceding to fiscal federalism as a restructuring model.

Some politicians who ab-initio had hoped to gain mileage with the advancement of a holistic restructuring will not listen or accept the Vice President’s line of argument rather they chose to pour invectives on him.

Being a gentleman and patriot, Professor Yemi Osinbajo further adduced reasons to justify his position for fiscal federalism, rather than geographical restructuring as being canvassed by some politicians. For any discerning mind, Professor Osinbajo’s postulations on fiscal federalism as a type of restructuring is not only patriotic but realistic and workable especially if we consider the heterogeneous nature of the country. As a country with divergent ethnic, cultural, religious and political backgrounds it will be chaotic and disruptive to embark on a geographical restructuring of the country at present, yet in a bid to benefit from the clamour of the crowded streets, some opportunistic politicians are insisting otherwise.

It is however important to remark that any long-lasting tinkering of the Nigerian political firmament as it is presently constituted must be weaned of the shout or plaudits of the throng, because in the end the essence of government is to guarantee the security of lives and properties of the citizens as well as cater to the needs of the people. I think it is within this prism that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo tried to reason with the other schools of thought on the issue of restructuring. Unfortunately while as a statesman he is endeavouring to toe the patriotic line which will be acceptable to all the strata of society, his traducers chose to play to the gallery ostensibly for immediate political gains.

Therefore as the controversy over restructuring rages it important that Nigerians come to terms with the position of the Vice President, bearing in mind that this is one man who has never failed to stand shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in their moments of need. There is no doubt that he has remained altruistic, devoted, committed and determined to sink and swim with Nigerians in the quest for an egalitarian society, and this is in line with the stand of President Muhammadu Buhari who has seen in him an undiluted level of patriotism and love for Nigeria, hence his decision to run again with him in the 2019 presidential election.

Nigerians must be wary of the later day restructuring converts to avoid any disappointment in the future. In the three and half years of the Buhari/Osinbajo administration it has become crystal clear that they have a clear focus of where to take the country, and using the three enablers of providing security, reviving the economy and tackling corruption Nigerians have seen the duo as partners in progress in whom they can entrust their future. As we approach the 2019 elections, we must distinguish mere rhetoric, deceitful political propaganda and realistic postulations as advanced by the Vice President of Nigeria Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

It is rather disappointing that some politicians in bid to gain momentarily from a prevailing situation will throw caution to the wind and condescend to the level of being impervious to reason. Lest we forget, Professor Osinbajo is not averse to restructuring as he has consistently promoted the creation of state police which is an aspect of restructuring, but he has always maintained the need for fiscal federalism which tends to devolve more powers to the sub-national governments rather than geographical restructuring.

By Chukwudi Enekwechi JP

PRESS RELEASE
Tope Kolade Fasua Campaign Organization Announces Campaign Coordinators

Tope Kolade Fasua Campaign Organization today announced the campaign coordinators for the campaign going forward.
1. Mr. Soji Alabi will be in charge of South-West and will also be the Acting Campaign DG.
2. Barr. Chidi Imoko will be in charge of South-East and South-South.
3. Alhaji H.F Dauda (Moisoro) will be in charge of North-East, North-Central and North-west.
4. Mr. Deji Gbatosho will be the Coordinator Online Strategies.
Each appointee will assist in making best choices towards the campaign while utilizing their skills, expertise, experience and Goodwill to the benefit of the campaign.
They will also oversee the affairs of each geopolitical zones in preparation for the forthcoming 2019 elections.
State Coordinators remain those who took the cue and opened their platforms in their states. Mr Alabi will help collate all the states where we have structured presence shortly and we will also ensure we get to all the states.

Many Nigerians have wrongly claimed that the TraderMoni train travelling across Nigeria is designed to induce voters ahead of the 2019 election, in some cases, like we saw in Osun, they believe that the scheme was designed to influence the governorship election holding on 22 September.
But a critical look at the scheme shows that all those politicizing the scheme got it wrong. Firstly, TraderMoni is a ‘Federal Government’ empowerment programme to alleviate poverty in Nigeria by empowering traders and artisans. It was conceived in 2016, three years before the general elections in 2019.
Secondly, Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) are not required to benefit from the scheme. This means it’s immature and poorly thought for anyone to describe it as vote buying. There’s no certainty that the beneficiaries have PVCs or will vote, so how does it translate to vote buying?

“The petty traders are not required to show PVC, or any document for that matter, they are only expected to show they are petty traders and this is why the enumeration is done in the markets and wherever the traders ply their trades,” said Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Many of these people forget that TraderMoni is a loan. They often think its free money, but you can’t blame them, they are used to freebies from previous administration.
With this microcredit scheme, petty traders get LOANS that are interest and collateral free but not FREE money. After the loans are repaid, they become eligible to access more loans.
Thirdly, talking of the train stopping by Osun, TraderMoni train has a timeline and that included Osun. The traders had been briefed and they were expectant and that is what government is all about, serving the people.
There are some that are of a different school of thought. They claim N10,000 is too small to start a business but they are totally naïve. For those who watch CNN, perhaps you might have had the chance to see Richard Quest’s advert, it simply says, “It Begins with 'Just a Penny' in CNN's 'Quest Means Business”.
We’ve heard stories of big businessmen and women who started very little and became household names. Take a second and look at hawkers on some of Nigeria’s major roads and you’ll realise that many of them require far less than N10,000, but still they jump onto the streets and start chasing after cars.
If these hawkers get N10,000 collateral and interest free loans, they will be off the street and on to better things. With N10,000 you could get a stall and start selling fruits, vegetables, food items, etc.
Here’s an interesting fact about microcredit scheme like TraderMoni. Globally, the Services sector contributes a whopping 75% of the global GDP and overall employment. In other words, the Services sector contributes more to world leading economies than oil and agriculture combined.
In India, microcredit schemes are the most powerful engine of the country’s growth, accounting for the swelling numbers in the Service sector but in Nigeria, it’s seen as a political tool.
TraderMoni has been launched in Kano, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Osun, Abuja, FCT, Kogi and Cross River. Hopefully we will learn not to politicise issues that are of utmost importance to many who need them.

​Akinloye James writes from the FCT​

VP OSINBAJO CALLS FOR BACKWARD INTEGRATION IN DAIRY INDUSTRY AT MEETING WITH FRIESLANDCAMPINA

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN is encouraging investors in the diary industry to facilitate backward integration in the sector including providing incentives for local diary farmers.

Prof. Osinbajo expressed this view earlier today when he received on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, a delegation from FrieslandCampina led by its Global CEO, Mr Hein Schumacher. The delegation also included the President Consumer Dairy, Royal FrieslandCampina, Roel van Neerbos; Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Ben Langat; Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Robert Petri, the Chairman, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr Jacobs Moyo Ajekigbe and other management staff of the company.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Nigeria’s leading dairy manufacturing company, at the meeting, announced that its Dairy Development Programme (DDP) has impacted over 100,000 people directly and indirectly through milk processing and adjunct business opportunities along the value chain. The company stated that in collaboration with partners, it targets to network 20,000 farmers by 2021.

According to the Vice President, “I think that Friesland needs to, on its own, do something because there is really no incentive for backward integration.

“I think that there is a need for you to do more in terms of local production and set some timelines. Maybe after six years, you should be doing 70% and not 10%. My view is that if we go at the current rate it will be extremely difficult for the local producers to move up.”

Speaking specifically about the need to develop a robust plan to improve local production across the country. Prof. Osinbajo said “The plan of extending the dairy development programme to other states is extremely important. I just think that backward integration is just so crucial, my worry is the lack of incentives for backward integration.”

He advised that “as part of the backward integration, a programme of how to put the farmers in a position where they are able to produce more should be put in place.”

“There should be a very robust plan to encourage cattle breeders to actually increase yields so that we can say, after a particular period, 70% of products should be locally produced but the problem, I must say, is still the lack of incentives,” Prof. Osinbajo added.

He, however, assured the company of the Federal Government’s readiness to support it to actualize set business objectives while urging for better synergy between the public and private sector.

Earlier in his remarks, the Global CEO of FrieslandCampina, Mr Hein Schumacher said the company, established in Nigeria since 1973 has developed a plan to grow Nigeria's local dairy industry through a small holder farmer dairy programme.

He, however, appealed to the Federal Government to support the company's development plan by improving infrastructure in its operational base in Oyo state and also providing tax incentives for its new investments.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
07 September, 2018

Many Nigerians have taken to the various media outlets, especially Twitter, to voice their views concerning statements credited to a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Fani Kayode, describing Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as an emissary of satan.

An online news portal, DailyPost Nigeria, had reported Mr. Kayode to have said “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has condemned Church leaders for not supporting Buhari’s FAKE anti-corruption war yet he refuses to condemn the genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder that Christians have been subjected to in Nigeria. Shame on him!”

However, in a swift response to his allegation, social media users condemned Mr. Kayode, whom many reported to be under the alleged influence of “cocaine.”

Below are their tweets:

@inferno_nija: “Where did Nigeria get this Satan called Femi Fani Kayode from?”

@yetundeogudo: “FFK's father late Chief Remi Fani-kayode was a crooked & mischievous policitian in the Western Region! He was in the landrover when the premier of Western Region S.L. Akintola was killed! He allegedly led the coupists to the Premiers House in the wee hours of January 16 1966!”

@mushinspeaks: “This is sad. Must this man be rude in expressing his opinion? This is the height.”

@Diego99176254: “Who is even taking @realFFK serious. He is busy blackmailing the AgP, thinking that will stop the good work Proff is doing. Let remind FFK that PYO is a God ordained fellow that can never be blackmailed successful, because God is involved. I only pity your innocent children”

@EmekaOssai: “I think Fanikayode is mentally derailed at the moment. Calling the AgP Osinbajo as an emissary is so unfortunate. No doubt, fani Kayode may be under d control of a drug as he known to be of the abusers of cocaine.”

@Wadayahayawada: “I think Fani Kayode maybe under d influence of tramadol. How on earth would he attack d AgP like this? We all, FFK is a known blackmailer who survived on falsehood against people. @realFFK”

@AngelaDanny3 : “Mr. Femi Fani Kayode, are saying the Ag President is wrong? What kind of a Christian are you? I am disappointed in some of you that have abandoned God but, pretending to be Christians. Today some of our pastors are campaigning in d church against President Muhammadu Buhari because he is against corruption @realFFK”

@ogbeniCzar: “@ProfOsinbajo was married to only one wife without multiple failed marriages. Never reported to have ever beaten his wife. No report of ever sniffing cocaine. He's neither treated in Ghana fecklessly for pyscho. Never has any of his children publicly disown him. So, who's FFK?”

@Osinbajonews: “Let it be known in the History of Nigeria that there lived a man called Femi Fani Kayode. He looted public funds with his friends and hates Osinbajo, the man whom in his first tenure as the Vice President helped expose him.”

@IloriMichael: “It's clear, the devil always seeks to desecrate what God has concentrated. He uses satanic tools like

@realFFK to achieve his aim. What baffles me is the extension of this madness to the press. Some journalists will rot in jail.”

@gumaridris: “Stop comparing or insulting people whose there contribution to the nation is incomparable to you and your godfathers please. Do you know how our aviation sector is progressing now? You did nothing while you were there except siphoning the countries fund.”

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has become famous among Nigerians for gainfully using the powers of his office to advance the socio-economic agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. For example in the heat of the Niger Delta crisis when militants resorted to blowing up oil installations, which crippled the country’s economy Professor Osinbajo took up the gauntlet and waded into finding lasting solutions to the problems in the Niger Delta region.

His interventions as manifested in his engagement with the Niger Delta leaders under the umbrella of Pan Niger Delta Forum led to the acceptance of dialogue by the Niger Delta agitators who eventually dropped their arms and saved the country from a total economic collapse and perennial restiveness in the region.

While it clear that some demands of the Pan Niger Delta Forum have not been fully implemented by the federal government, yet we see an obvious commitment on their part to fulfill most of their obligations to the Niger Delta region, and Professor Osinbajo is at the helm of seeing all these come to fruition. His inclination towards the maintenance of peace in the region has helped to stop the incessant interruption in the production and exploration of oil as a result of militancy, thereby improving the country’s economy and development.

In finding solutions to the problems confronting the region he has adopted some pragmatic approach, and the results are visible to all Nigerians. The reopening of Maritime University Okerenkoko in Delta state and establishment of modular refineries resonated well with the people and stakeholders of the region. The setting up of the modular refineries is a practical solution to the degradation of the region’s environment traceable to oil exploration.
Gladly the Buhari/Osinbajo administration is committed to the environmental remediation of the region as exemplified in the start of Ogoni clean-up programme.

The various empowerment programmes of the federal government which are targeted at supporting the youths of the region to lead useful lives have helped to provide the youths with gainful employment. In addition, the impartation of knowledge in various skills to the youths has played an important role in enhancing the productivity of the companies and other public institutions in the region.
The strengthening of the capacity of the Niger Delta Development Commission to deliver maximally on its mandate has raised the tempo of development in the region, especially in the area of infrastructural development and improvement in living standards.

As Nigerians continue to applaud Professor Yemi Osinbajo for his proactive leadership style, especially in the latest sacking of the director general of Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura for acting ultra vires in the security siege at the National Assembly, it is discernible that the duo of Acting President, Professor Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari are determined to bring succour, not only to the people of Niger Delta but to all Nigerians.

His timely intervention in bringing the National Assembly siege to a stop played a significant role in restoring the confidence of Nigerians to the security agencies, and reemphasised that rule of law remains sacrosanct in Nigeria.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

ACTING PRESIDENT ORDERS IMMEDIATE OVERHAUL OF THE SPECIAL ANTI-ROBBERY SQUAD (SARS) OF THE NIGERIA POLICE

*Directs investigation on alleged violations of the squad

Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any Unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.

The Acting President has also directed the IGP to ensure that all operatives in the emerging Unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regard to International Human Rights Law and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects. The operatives should also bear proper identification anytime they are on duty.
In the meantime, the Acting President has directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a Special Panel that will conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President
on Media & Publicity
Office of the Acting President
14 August 2018

If Prof Yemi Osinbajo’s rankings in the last week were to be measured by the stock market, they would say he topped the Gainers’ Table closing the week at a record N5000 per share.

If it was to be judged in footballing terms, Osinbajo would have emerged World Footballer of the Year, Ballon d’Or and Most Valuable Player all in one breathe.

If it were to be judged by the astronauts, they would say he defied all odds, all logic and all conspiracy theories to reach the sun and back.

What if it were the bookmakers, Osinbajo will probably be at 1000/1 odds. That’s smiling to the bank than you could ever imagine.

But since we are talking politics, then ‘That Is Very Presidential’ is apt. His boss, President Muhammadu Buhari could be tempted to extend his vacation.

What a week, what a man, what a(n) Acting President.

Way to go Osinbajo!!!

Nathaniel C. Adoji

Even if saraki was to be impeached, what good has he done for us even as a Senate president...remember his family owned the Savannah Bank that recked most pensioners in this country so people should stop defending him please. Don't let's take sides with the devil..he deserves to be impeached.

comos:
Buhari, Osibanjo, Oshiomole, Daura, Ahmed Lawal & all the APC exco are the ones that plotted this coup.

Lawal Daura was only made a sacrificial lamb just to save their face.

Osibanjo can not say he is not aware of the plans by APC/DSS to impeached saraki when all the media houses are already aware.

1. Why did osibanjo have to wait till 12 noon before sacking daura,

2. why did Osibanjo did not order the DSS to leave the assembly immediatly as at 6.30 am when pictures where everywhere of how the DSS has blocked entrance to NASS.

3. It was only when the APC coup plotters could not come to NASS because of the tense situation having sense that the coup have failed, then Osibanjo quickly sack Daura just to save the face of the presidency.

4. Daura will surely be compensated later, forget about the fake sack


people should stop absolving Osibanjo he knew about the coup to impeach saraki