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OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

HOW FG IS BACKING MSMEs THROUGH COVID-19 PANDEMIC DISRUPTIONS - OSINBAJO

*NAFDAC registration of MSMEs now discounted 80% for 6 months
*Zero tariffs for first 200 businesses to register on the e-platform
*Waiver on administrative charges
The Federal Government has issued a set of palliatives to help MSMEs wade through the current economic fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, these palliatives reflect the Buhari administration’s determination to support MSMEs and the priority the Federal Government places on small businesses.

The palliatives are:
E-Registration of MSMEs/products at 80% discounted rate over a period of six months.

Zero tariffs for the first 200 micro and small businesses to register on the E-platform.

Waiver on administrative charges for overdue late renewal of expired licenses of micro/small businesses products for a period of 90 days.

According to the VP, as businesses across the world confront the disruptions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government will continue to adopt and implement practical measures to ensure that the projected growth in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector is not seriously affected by the development.

He gave the assurance in Abuja at the virtual launch of palliatives for MSMEs by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo added that “of importance to the government’s response was to find ways of not just giving succour and assistance to existing MSMEs but also ensuring that there is practical and active fillip to new MSMEs so that the growth of this sector is not discouraged by the current economic trauma.

“This is our moment and the government of Nigeria and its regulatory agencies are prepared to back MSMEs and other businesses that are prepared for the innovative and interesting times that lie ahead of us.”

Speaking specifically about some of the steps taken by the Federal Government to protect private investments especially small businesses in the country, Prof. Osinbajo said, President Muhammadu Buhari had from the onset of the health cum economic crisis taken strategic decisions aimed at insulating businesses from imminent collapse.

According to him, “just after the first index case of the disease was discovered in Nigeria and before the lockdowns began, Mr. President put together strategic teams to immediately determine the impact of the disruptions likely to be caused to the economy and what our immediate and medium to long term approach should be.

“The vulnerability of MSMEs to the severe shocks that were to follow was priority at every consideration of the issues. But perhaps even our best projections could hardly have predicted the massive economic disruptions, the unprecedented number of business failures, job losses of what began as a health challenge and the ensuing lockdowns would cause especially to MSMEs, who, of course as you know, are the backbone of our entire economy.

“As the President has repeatedly urged, we have no excuse not to be one of the most productive and prolific economies in the world. Our hope is to achieve this aim in the incredible numbers of MSMEs that we have,” the VP noted.

He described the launch of NAFDAC palliatives for MSMEs as “a thoughtful and strategic response to the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic”.

According to the Vice President, “This is why the e-registration assistance for MSMEs through the Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS) is so timely.

“These are all indicators of the new spirit of NAFDAC and foretaste of the support MSMEs stand to enjoy in wading through these trying times. But this is not a new undertaking for us. It is merely an extension or intensification of the Federal Government’s long-standing commitment to MSMEs.”

The VP urged regulatory agencies involved in the MSMEs sector to improve on their service delivery noting that “we expect to see from them in terms of innovation, adaptability in the next few months and through the challenges that we will be seeing in business environment.”

He then added that “I am sure that NAFDAC, SMEDAN, BOI and all of our MDAs concerned with the MSMEs see this period as one when we must work with the MSMEs, identify with them, and must be quick on the job to ensure we are able to resolve all of the problems that they have.”

Other participants at the event include the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye and representatives of federal regulatory agencies in the MSMEs sector.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
15th May 2020

KanwuliaExtra:
So-so tok tok!

Nonsense dummy-VP!
Make face like Amotekun poo!

I pray that sense fall on you

Although the Coronavirus pandemic has affected lives and livelihoods of Nigerians in different ways, it, however, offers an opportunity for the Nigerian people and government to have a reset in critical sectors of the economy and social services, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday, at a virtual launch of the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, NSSF, – an initiative of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the Global Citizen, and other partners. The Vice President joined the event from his office.

The NSSF is designed to provide additional support for Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund will enable Nigerian Citizens resident at home or in the diaspora as well as international donors to come together and directly contribute to Nigeria’s fight against the pandemic.

Speaking on the fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian economy, the Vice President said the establishment of the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund would support “the creation of a stronger, more resilient, more inclusive political economy and healthcare system.”

According to him, “this is a creative, forward-looking and thoughtful response to what is perhaps the most profound global and domestic challenge to health and the economy in human history.

“We need not belabour the point that the COVID-19 challenge is also an unprecedented opportunity for us as a nation and people to reset in critical sectors of the economy and social services.”

Emphasizing the point about resetting Nigeria’s systems, Prof. Osinbajo said “…the deep plunge in oil earnings, the disruptions to business and commerce on account of lockdowns, have meant that we must develop a comprehensive economic response.”

Speaking about the efforts being made by the Federal Government to ensure that Nigeria is properly positioned to deal with the fallouts of the pandemic, Prof. Osinbajo said “there are several initiatives in place now to attempt an effective response to the COVID-19 disaster.”

Continuing, the Vice President noted that “in addition, there is the drive to re-engineer and rethink our healthcare delivery systems. This by itself, is a massive undertaking that will involve the states, local governments and the private healthcare community. I was excited to hear that Global Citizen already has in mind, a project to build healthcare centres across every local government in Nigeria.

“In the past few years, I’m sure those of you familiar with the activities of government probably note there’s been quite a bit of effort around creating a Social Investment Programme. The precise purpose of that is not just to provide safety nets for several of the vulnerable and poor in our midst, but more importantly to provide jobs, provide credit to several informal traders, smallholder farmers, several others in our economic value chain who are usually ignored or untouched by several other credit facilities and other economic initiatives of government.

“This fund will support that and I have noticed that this is one of the objectives - to support the Social Investment efforts of the government, especially the protection of the vulnerable and provision of assistance to many in that huge informal sector that we have.”

He commended the NSIA, Global Fund and other partners involved in the creation of the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund.

Other participants at the virtual event include the Minister of Finance, Budget & National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; the Chairman of the Board of Directors of NSIA, Mr Jide Zeitlin; the Managing Director, NSIA, Mr Uche Orji; the Chairman of Global Citizen Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Folawiyo; and the Vice Chairman Global Citizen Nigeria, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN launches virtually the Nigeria Sovereign Support Fund with The Hon. Minister of Finance Dr. Zainab Ahmed, Chairman of Global Citizen Nigeria Mr. Tunde Folayiwo, Chief Policy Government Affairs Officer Mr. Michael Sheldrick of Global Citizen and many other distinguished Nigerians.

President Buhari presides over the first virtual Federal Executive Council meeting where a minute of silence was held in honor of the late COS, Mallam Abba Kyari. He also confirmed the appointment of the new Chief of Staff, Prof. Agboola Ibrahim Gambari.

https://www.yemiosinbajo.ng/president-buhari-presides-over-virtual-meeting-of-the-federal-executive-council-meeting-on-13-05-2020/

Nigeria's Vice - President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on Monday reviewed the draft of the Economic Sustainability plan before its final submission to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The ESC was on March 30 constituted by President Buhari with the responsibility to develop a post Covid - 19 economy. That is, a clear economic sustainability plan until 2023.

The committee is to identify the fiscal and monetary measures to enhance oil and non-oil revenues in order to fund the plan; develop a stimulus package and come up with measures to create more jobs while keeping the existing ones.


Giving the report of today's meeting, Vice - President Osinbajo wrote on his Instagram handle:

"Reviewing a draft of the Economic Sustainability Plan today with committee members ahead of the delivery of the final report to President Muhammadu Buhari."


Also speaking, the Spokesman to the Vice - President, Mr. Laolu Akande said that "VP Osinbajo, chaired a meeting of the Economic Sustainability Committee today reviewing the draft Economic Sustainability Plan ahead of submission to Mr. President for his consideration."

Confirming that the President is regularly briefed on the progress report, he added: "the VP has also been intimating the President with the work and progress of the Committee."

athaboi:
This one still dey? He has finally been raligated

What you need is education and sense

VP Osinbajo, chaired a meeting of the Economic Sustainability Committee today reviewing the draft Economic Sustainability Plan ahead of submission to Mr. President for his consideration. The VP has also been intimating the President with the work and progress of the Committee.

The workaholic Vice President; an icon of economic prosperity. The best Vice President ever in the history of our Democratic Journey.

More pictures

VP Osinbajo met today with the President's Power Sector Reform Working Group which he leads, including Kaduna Gov, Power & Finance Ministers, CBN Gov & Special Adviser on Infrastructure and others. The President's objective: significantly improve output in sector for our people.

Osinbajo holds the key to any sound legacy President Buhari may wish to establish. Undermine Osinbajo at your peril.


Public discourse has naturally shifted to permutations about the next chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari following Abba Kyari’s death. One newspaper reported that 26 persons, including current and former ministers, governors and senators, were already jostling for the position of chief of staff. What will or should the Buhari presidency look like after Abba Kyari? Vice president Yemi Osinbajo holds the aces to a successful Buhari presidency regardless of who replaces Kyari.


Some caveats are crucial at this stage. For the avoidance of doubt, I have never met Professor Osinbajo. I am not a contractor and I do not seek a job in government. By the grace of God, I have a permanent academic position in a top 100 global university. The Supreme Court of Canada struck down mandatory retirement for university professors. That means I do not have to retire from my position. Therefore, in a country like Nigeria where motives are understandably dissected and clinically shredded, I would like to be clear that I have no ulterior motive. 

Yemi Osinbajo served as attorney general and commissioner for justice in Lagos state between 1999 and 2007 under Chief Bola Tinubu. As the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 elections, the choice of a suitable running mate for Muhammadu Buhari became a politically contentious matter. Tinubu was the obvious choice given his broad political influence and the crucial role he played in the formation of APC. Some APC stalwarts were concerned that a Muslim-Muslim ticket would be risky despite the historic Abiola-Kingibe ticket. There were also concerns about feeding into a supposed Islamization and sharia agenda by Buhari. Religious grounds — rightly or wrongly — were used to knock Tinubu out of consideration for vice president. Olusegun Adeniyi notes in his book Against the run of play that Buhari asked Tinubu to nominate three individuals. The Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom presented only one name — Yemi Osinbajo. The rest is history. 
A vice president is largely as effective as the principal allows in a presidential system of government. The vice presidency is a difficult position anywhere in the world. A president is right to carefully calibrate the powers delegated to a vice president and weigh the individual’s loyalty, ethics, and capacity. Professor Osinbajo has suffered serious indignities as vice president with the epithet “VP academic” a summation of it all. He has borne insults, disrespect and belittlement with uncommon grace. 
The fiasco during the invasion of the National Assembly by agents of the Department of State Security (DSS) in August 2018 compelled Yemi Osinbajo, as acting president, to remove Lawal Daura from the position of director general of the DSS. It was absolutely the right decision to make given the ignominy the incident brought on the government and Nigeria’s democratic practice. Professor Osinbajo has paid a heavy price for that decision. Those who thought it was a good idea to have Abba Kyari take a bill to President Buhari in London in November 2019 disrespected the vice president. Why take a bill to London for the president’s signature when there was a capable vice president? 
The removal of the vice president’s key aides, refusal to name him acting president during President Buhari’s subsequent trips overseas and creation of a parallel economic think-tank vis-à-vis that headed by the VP exemplify his travails in the presidency. People who have neither his character nor his intellect have undermined him in the presidency. Ultimately, such characters do not wish Nigeria well.
Nevertheless, Professor Osinbajo has proven his mettle. In August 2017, President Buhari commended Osinbajo and noted that he “used his intellect” to govern the country as acting president during his extended stay overseas for medical reasons. Buhari also emphasized the “loyalty and dedication” of Osinbajo on the vice president’s 63rd birthday in March 2020. The likes of the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar, have also acknowledged the loyalty, commitment and dedication of Osinbajo. Some other VP could have begun to scheme to usurp power once the president became ill.
President Buhari needs to allow his deputy to use his knowledge to shape the direction of the government. Osinbajo does not have overweening ambitions. He will seek little credit for himself and not outshine his principal. He is smart and loyal. He has proven to be a bridge-builder in a politically fractured society. Recall his engagement with the Niger Delta crisis and the relative calm in the region since then. There was also palpable calmness in Nigeria when Osinbajo was acting president particularly in 2018. The stock market loved him; he was viewed as a steady and secure pair of hands. People who have been part of strategy sessions with him attest to his acuity.  
I have emphasized for a while that those still spending time criticizing the Buhari presidency are wasting their time. This is time for solutions. This government needs help. The sea-washed lifeless body of three-year old Alan Kurdi, a boy fleeing war-torn Syria with his family in 2015, is a compelling reason why we must wish our country well even if you do not wish the government good luck (no pun intended). This government and this country may unravel at the seams if President Buhari allows — implicitly or explicitly — his deputy to be marginalized in a post-Kyari Aso Rock. 
Osinbajo holds the key to any sound legacy President Buhari may wish to establish. Undermine Osinbajo at your peril. 
‘Tope Oriola teaches criminology and terrorism studies at the University of Alberta, Canada. Follow Oriola on Twitter: @topeoriola

http://saharareporters.com/2020/05/07/osinbajo-and-buhari-presidency-after-abba-kyari-‘tope-oriola?fbclid=IwAR0vbNQ0mc0nqm2HZdXR6gRqvSiGCmA-mfPV2VnyIXiSno_7r-rE55Q3L-A

As chairman of the NEMA Council, the Vice President shall ensure that

(b) Subject to the provisions of the NEMA Act, make, alter and revoke rules and regulations for carrying on the functions of the Agency;

(c) Fix the terms and conditions of service, including remuneration of the employees of the Agency after consultation with the Federal Civil Service Commission; and

(d) Do such other things which in the opinion of the Agency are necessary to ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Agency.

-There were no violations in approval of N5.8b Emergency Food Intervention Fund for North-East


-The presidential approvals were well within the clear constitutional authority of the Acting President.

-The action was in response to the threat of hunger and starvation based on strong warnings received from the United Nation in April, 2017.

-The procurement process was not ignored in the release of funds as alleged.

-Section 43 of the Public Procurement Act makes provision for emergency procurement, in which case the procuring entity is allowed to engage in direct contracting for goods and file a report thereafter with the Bureau of Public Procurement.



-In any situation where the companies were considered under emergency and alleged to have fake documents, the liability lies on the owners of the companies to prove otherwise.

-Still on alleged violations; NEMA wrote to BPP for “No Objection Certificate”. The BPP replied, confirmed that the situation was Emergency and did not fault our action in any way.

-On the issue of documentation of the companies, the submission to BPP was made with the available document submitted to NEMA during the procurement process.

-Prof. Osinbajo did not approve the release of N33 billion but N5,036,644,933.26, after excluding bagging costs and this was pursuant to the recommendation that bagging, transportation and other logistics were best handled by NEMA.


-The then Acting President personally supervised the process from planning to distribution. He held several meetings on strategies for distribution some of which were attended by representatives of the National Assembly like Senator Abdulaziz Nyako.



-Prof. Osinbajo subsequently accompanied by relevant stakeholders inspected the electronic truck-tracking unit established in Maiduguri for the purpose of monitoring the transportation and flagged off the food distribution on the 8th of June, 2017.


-No product or grain meant for the IDPs got rotten.

-Probably the Reps’ call for the resignation of the NEMA DG might have been as a result of their inability to corner contracts for themselves as allegations of contract award beyond the DG’s limit are false.

-The NEMA Act requires that the DG should secure approval from the President, which he did before the award.

-The suspension of the six NEMA directors was based on the findings of the EFCC interim report on the agency.

-They were suspended to pave way for a smooth and full-scale investigation as there were findings that related to questionable transactions on accounts linked to them.

The Buhari Media Organisation on Tuesday accused the Peoples Democratic Party of lying against Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo over an alleged indictment by a House of Representatives’ committee.
It said Osinbajo was “never indicted by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness in 2018” as claimed by the PDP.

The PDP had in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbodiyan, on Monday, asked Osinbajo to explain his role in an alleged N33bn NEMA fraud, it also alleged that the Vice-President was indicted by a committee of the House of Representatives.

However, the BMO in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, on Tuesday said, the PDP had developed an infamous reputation for peddling “false, unverifiable claims.”

The BMO said, “There was nowhere in the report by the then House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness that a single allegation of corruption was made against Professor Osinbajo.

“In fact, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Ali Isa, who incidentally was a PDP representative from Gombe State, publicly admitted at plenary that the Vice-President was not mentioned in the report.
“For the avoidance of doubt and the need to correct the false impression, the approval by the Vice-President was not for the release of N33bn. It was for the N5.8bn Emergency Food Intervention Fund for the North-East and was within his powers, back then, as acting President.”

The statement explained that Osinbajo who was then acting President, acted in response to the threat of hunger and starvation based on information received from the UN World Food Programme in April 2017, that it would be reducing its vital support to about 1.8 million IDPs by as much as 85%, due to the reduction in funding by donor countries.

“Just like the Presidency said back then, we view this latest allegation against the Vice-President as a feeble attempt by a party which is synonymous with large scale corruption to smear the Buhari administration with the dirt it is known for,” it added.

BMO dismissed the PDP statement as diversionary noting that, “It is on record that under the Obasanjo administration, $1.2bn was recovered in 2002, $149m in 2003, $500m in 2004 and another $458m in 2005.

“The Jonathan government received $1bn in 2012, $227m and $48m in 2014 and $380m in 2015, but surprisingly there is no official record of how these recovered funds were used in the PDP years of the locust.”

https://punchng.com/you-lied-against-osinbajo-bmo-tell-pdp/

NEMA: Stop dragging Osinbajo into your impending implosion, Group tells PDP

Ask party spokesman to cure self of obsession with the VP
A group of young and politically conscious Nigerians has described the Peoples Democratic Party’s attempt to resurrect a fake news and rehash unsubstantiated claims about a NEMA scandal as laughable and shameful, stressing that the party is out of touch with reality.
The Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front, (BOSF) also observed that the PDP spokesman has simply become obsessed with the Vice President’s name.
The national group was reacting to a statement by the PDP urging Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to come clean on the so-called N5.8 billion National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) scandal, a kite they keep trying to fly but which has simply fallen short of resonance with Nigerians.

In a statement signed by Olawale Badmus, National Coordinator of BOSF, the group said that not only has the Houses of Representatives and its Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness led by its then chairman, Ali Isa stated categorically that the Vice President, then Acting President, was not mentioned, it also said the Vice President was not fingered in the matter.
The group said the Committee on national television reiterated that the Vice President was not mentioned in its report and explained that the media reports at the time were figment of the imagination of those pushing the fake news.
“Nowhere in the House of Representative report was there an allegation of corruption against the Vice President and this is why claims against him by the PDP are mere political tactic intended to malign him,” the group said in a statement on Tuesday.
The group noted that this is an old, rehashed and baseless allegation by the PDP which Nigerians should contibue to pay no attention. “Not a single claim of the PDP is factual. No indictment by the House at all. No fraud of any kind was perpetuated on the part of the Vice President.
“PDP thinks that if they repeat a lie for long enough a time, it will stick but not this one, because the issues are so well interrogated and well known to the public as a mere political stunt.
BOSF explained that because President Buhari chose another DG, NEMA, the PDP sees it as an opportunity to reawaken its fishing expedition.
The group said this is proof that the PDP deserves pity and have lost every modicum of shame. However they should not be allowed to perpetuate lies or ventilate a fictitious agenda.
Commenting on the party spokesman the BOSF noted that he is perhaps acting in the distorted view that his relevance is tied to disparaging the good name of Prof. Osinbajo. “The PDP official these days have gone into oblivion and can’t find any issue to relaunch his jaded responsibility. So he is sticking to the name of the VP to keep hope of not loosing his job alive. This is so shameless.”
The group said PDP as a party has failed generally, wasted public time as an opposition party, and should not be taken seriously. “At a time when the world is uniting across party lines to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the PDP that has contributed nothing to curb the virus choose to unearth old fake news.

“This action speaks volume about the mentality of the political party and its leaders, and the party’s lack of sincerity  or benevolent public spirit,” BOSF said.
It would be recalled that in 2018, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Presidential Political Adviser, had rubbished similar claims made by the PDP.
“It is evident that the opposition are in search of company for their acts of grand corruption which brought Nigeria to its knees as of May 2015. They cannot find that company in the Vice President,” the adviser said while responding to press inquiries.
He added that: “first, there is nowhere in the politicized House of Reps report where the VP was accused of corruption or embezzlement of funds. I challenge them to quote any word or sentence that makes such an accusation.
“Even the House Committee Chairman has said there was no allegation of corruption against him. The only allegation is that he approved funds for the emergency operations in the North East from the consolidated Revenue Fund not budgeted funds. This conclusion we have proved to be false. The funds approved were from budgeted funds, specifically the Rice Levy.”

https://www.chronicle.ng/2020/05/nema-stop-dragging-osinbajo-into-your-impending-implosion-group-tells-pdp/

Ask party spokesman to cure self of obsession with the VP
A group of young and politically conscious Nigerians has described the Peoples Democratic Party’s attempt to resurrect a fake news and rehash unsubstantiated claims about a NEMA scandal as laughable and shameful, stressing that the party is out of touch with reality.
The Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front, (BOSF) also observed that the PDP spokesman has simply become obsessed with the Vice President’s name.
The national group was reacting to a statement by the PDP urging Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to come clean on the so-called N5.8 billion National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) scandal, a kite they keep trying to fly but which has simply fallen short of resonance with Nigerians.

In a statement signed by Olawale Badmus, National Coordinator of BOSF, the group said that not only has the Houses of Representatives and its Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness led by its then chairman, Ali Isa stated categorically that the Vice President, then Acting President, was not mentioned, it also said the Vice President was not fingered in the matter.
The group said the Committee on national television reiterated that the Vice President was not mentioned in its report and explained that the media reports at the time were figment of the imagination of those pushing the fake news.
“Nowhere in the House of Representative report was there an allegation of corruption against the Vice President and this is why claims against him by the PDP are mere political tactic intended to malign him,” the group said in a statement on Tuesday.
The group noted that this is an old, rehashed and baseless allegation by the PDP which Nigerians should contibue to pay no attention. “Not a single claim of the PDP is factual. No indictment by the House at all. No fraud of any kind was perpetuated on the part of the Vice President.
“PDP thinks that if they repeat a lie for long enough a time, it will stick but not this one, because the issues are so well interrogated and well known to the public as a mere political stunt.
BOSF explained that because President Buhari chose another DG, NEMA, the PDP sees it as an opportunity to reawaken its fishing expedition.
The group said this is proof that the PDP deserves pity and have lost every modicum of shame. However they should not be allowed to perpetuate lies or ventilate a fictitious agenda.
Commenting on the party spokesman the BOSF noted that he is perhaps acting in the distorted view that his relevance is tied to disparaging the good name of Prof. Osinbajo. “The PDP official these days have gone into oblivion and can’t find any issue to relaunch his jaded responsibility. So he is sticking to the name of the VP to keep hope of not loosing his job alive. This is so shameless.”
The group said PDP as a party has failed generally, wasted public time as an opposition party, and should not be taken seriously. “At a time when the world is uniting across party lines to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the PDP that has contributed nothing to curb the virus choose to unearth old fake news.

“This action speaks volume about the mentality of the political party and its leaders, and the party’s lack of sincerity  or benevolent public spirit,” BOSF said.
It would be recalled that in 2018, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Presidential Political Adviser, had rubbished similar claims made by the PDP.
“It is evident that the opposition are in search of company for their acts of grand corruption which brought Nigeria to its knees as of May 2015. They cannot find that company in the Vice President,” the adviser said while responding to press inquiries.
He added that: “first, there is nowhere in the politicized House of Reps report where the VP was accused of corruption or embezzlement of funds. I challenge them to quote any word or sentence that makes such an accusation.
“Even the House Committee Chairman has said there was no allegation of corruption against him. The only allegation is that he approved funds for the emergency operations in the North East from the consolidated Revenue Fund not budgeted funds. This conclusion we have proved to be false. The funds approved were from budgeted funds, specifically the Rice Levy.”

https://www.chronicle.ng/2020/05/nema-stop-dragging-osinbajo-into-your-impending-implosion-group-tells-pdp/

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has lauded the resilience of Nigerians, saying the country and its people will emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger.
According to a statement by Osinbajo’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, the Vice-President spoke at the 2020 edition of The Platform, themed ‘Nigeria’s battle against COVID-19’ on Saturday.
The annual event of the Covenant Christian Centre that features discussions around the states of the country and its development was held by videoconference.


Osinbajo said, “We will get through this much stronger economically and much stronger as a people because of our resilience. There are a lot of challenges, but they offer significant opportunities for us to turn things around.”
“I am very confident that Nigerians, with our resilience, our strength and our innovation, will go through this in great shape.”
The Vice-President laid out some of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the economic fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on how the country can transform the challenges caused by the pandemic into opportunities for economic diversification and job creation, he said, “We have to prioritise the use of local resources in all public works. In road construction, for instance, it is cheaper to build concrete roads using limestone than spending resources on the importation of bitumen.
“We have limestone in abundance hence we should be looking in that direction. The road from the Apapa port to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is being built with cement and is of high quality.
“In the housing sector, where we have a huge deficit, we need to focus on using local resources to build houses and, in the process, we will be creating opportunities for young engineers, architects and builders, etc.”
In the area of agriculture, the Vice-President said government’s initial policies had saved the country from the huge foreign exchange burden of food imports and related activities.
Osinbajo stated, “We think that by ramping up agriculture, especially small holder agriculture and improving the value chain, especially in storage and processing facilities, more jobs will be created for many young people.

“We have found ourselves in a situation where we realise that the way to go is to support the creation of the jobs in agriculture and reduce food imports and ultimately address the issue of unemployment and food shortages.
“What we must do as much as we can is to change the narrative about Nigeria and provide more jobs.”
On mitigating the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic such as inflation, the Vice-President explained that government would focus on improving productivity and improving food stock across the country.

He said, “If you can ramp up food production and the logistics of bringing food to the urban centres, inflation will be controlled to a large extent.”
Osinbajo added that boosting agricultural production for export purposes and supporting the mining sector would bolster the country’s forex earnings and reserves.
Other contributors at the virtual summit included Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, and Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chike Ihekweazu, also spoke at the interaction which included interviews, panel discussion and speeches.
The event was moderated by the Convener of The Platform, Pastor Poju Oyemade.

https://punchng.com/nigerians-will-emerge-stronger-after-covid-19-says-osinbajo/?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true

In compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) liaise with the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), the PEAC, on Thursday, met with Prof. Yemi Osinbajo's led ESC to draw out Sustainability plan. This, however, is part of ongoing engagements to develop strategy for post COVID-19 Nigeria


VP Osinbajo, on Thursday, after the meeting, said on his twitter handle that plans have been finalized.

"The ESC today engaged with the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee on the Sustainability Plan.

"The goals are to stimulate local production, save jobs, create new ones where possible, and continue to protect the most vulnerable and the working poor.", he tweeted.

In the same vein, the Spokeman to the Vice-President, Mr. Laolu Akande,on Thursday, said that part of the work of the Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by VP Osinbajo, members of Economic Advisory Council were invited to a meeting for their inputs into the Committee's forthcoming report to the President.

The statement reads in part:

"The goals of the report-the Sustainability Plan include to stimulate significant local production, save jobs, create new ones & also protect the most vulnerable and the working poor. It's about turning the current challenges into great opportunities for Nigerians & Nigeria in line with Mr. President's vision.

"Besides members of the ESC & PEAC, several ministers were also part of the videoconference anchored from the Presidential Villa. 

"ESC's engagement with the PEAC creates synergy & effective coordination as Nigeria confronts what is clearly a serious economic situation." He added.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

COVID-19: SUPPORT FOR INFORMAL SECTOR A PRIORITY, SAYS OSINBAJO

*How Nigeria is responding to pandemic

Though Nigeria’s massive population constitute a challenge in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, the advantage of being able to manage the issues in smaller measure through the states and so develop best practices has enabled authorities to reassess responses across sub-nationals and adjust where necessary.

Equally, providing support to small businesses in the informal sector should be a priority for all economies aiming at lessening any adverse effect of the pandemic on the economy.

These views were expressed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on Wednesday at a virtual conference entitled “How Africa's Informal Sector Reacts to COVID-19”, organized by Africa.com.

Besides the Vice President, others who spoke at the webinar were President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana; Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna; Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak, Professor of Economics, Yale University; and Amandla Ooko-Ombaka, Senior Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Co.

Mr. Hakeem Bello-Osagie, a Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer of Business Administration, and Teresa Clarke, CEO of Africa.com, moderated the discussions with participation by several thousands who signed in across the world.

According to Prof. Osinbajo “perhaps we have the advantage of being able to manage our problems in smaller measure, or by dividing them, of course we run a federation, which means that Gov. Nasir could do some very excellent work there in Kaduna, Lagos could do some excellent work, Ogun state and others could also do some excellent work.

“But of course, by the very nature of this pandemic, it also means that you run the risk of everything going south if some state isn’t doing as well as it ought to.

“I think, in the end, we have that advantage that we are able to almost isolate responses, and even look at best practices across the various states and try and ramp up wherever we find that there are deficiencies.”

Speaking specifically about some of the measures that are currently being implemented to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the economy, the Vice President said “We have done a lot on conditional transfers especially within the context of our social investment policies, but we are now looking at how to possibly enlarge the scope of that and do more.

“We are looking beyond using cash transfers as if it were some incentive for staying at home. We are trying to see whether this can address some of the increasing problems of poverty that we are likely to find now given the disruptions in the economy.

“Aside from the lockdown, just the disruption in the economy have meant that the daily paid worker simply has no means of working and many laid off.”

Governor El-rufai also spoke about the efforts of the Kaduna State government in containing the spread of the disease as well as mitigating the effect of some of the measures adopted by government to check the spread.


Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity

Office of the Vice President

29th April, 2020

Punch under attack over unethical practice - Columnist Admits Error,Indiscretion, Begs Secretly*
_
____Barely ten months after being accused of blaspheming the Holy Bible, Punch newspapers has come under ethical headwinds following allegation of suppressing a rejoinder by one of the nation’s finest female legal icons against an offensive publication.

In the correspondence under reference, Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke expressed strong exception to a particular piece written by Punch’s columnist, Ms. Abimbola Adelakun, on April 2 entitled, ‘No God is Punishing us with Covid-19’, describing it not as only distasteful but also libelous of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including her good self.


Ms. Abimbola Adelakun

The highly esteemed octogenarian, who is the first female to be decorated a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), rose in stout defense of a junior colleague, a fellow SAN and presently Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN who Ms. Adelakun had portrayed in “disgusting” lights.

Chief Solanke copied Punch Newspapers, the columnist as well as some people.

We sighted a copy of Chief Solanke’s two-paged rejoinder and it reads in parts:

“That quoted disparaging reference to the TITLE (SAN) is pure and unmitigated insult. No, most certainly NOT, the title is not a tag by any definition. Rather, it was designed as a decorative and prestigious rank bestowed upon a lawyer in recognition of his or her outstanding performance, after years of professional training, a decade or decades of arduous and impressive legal practice, and superior and compelling advocacy in the law courts and elsewhere. Indeed, the preferment is the apex for a practicing lawyer.”

In concluding her statement, 88-year-old Solanke pointedly demanded, “With all due respect, I enter a CAVEAT: This REBUTTAL should be published VERBATIM in The Punch. It is already edited. Thank you.”

However, in a petition, a social advocacy group named Justice Network of Nigeria (JNN) accused Punch Newspapers of suppressing the publication of Chief Solanke’s Right of Reply by shirking the obligation to not just publish but give equal prominence to her rejoinder in line with global best practices.

“Rather, our investigations revealed that Ms. Adelakun went behind to plead with Chief Solanke to forgive her and forget, admitting that she committed an error. But we strongly condemn this shameful antic of attacking defenseless people in the public with the foulest of language and going behind to beg them secretly,” said JNN in the statement signed by its Executive Director, Mr. Ayo Awojobi.

“We find this unbecoming of a newspaper like Punch that prides itself as the champion of ethical journalism. This is certainly inconsistent with the shining legacy of high integrity bequeathed by Punch’s founder, late Chief Olu Aboderin, and its past administrator, Chief Ogunsola,” JNN added.

Concerted efforts to get the reaction of either Punch newspapers or Ms. Adelakun were unsuccessful before the deadline for this publication.

Interestingly, Ms. Adelakun was also at the center of a blasphemous article last year for which Punch tendered a public apology aside from sacking two editors and a cartoonist.

In the said article, a cartoon of someone peeing on the Bible was used to illustrate an article by Ms. Adelakun.

Following public outrage at the publication, the newspaper sacked its Daily Editor, Martin Ayankola. Also asked to resign was the Saturday Editor, Olabisi Deji-Folutile over the same issue.*


https://www.monsmedia.com/

truthfulperson:
All this your shitty big grammar , simply just say people are suffering and cant stand more 30 days quarantine.

It’s not meant for lazy heads

The fears heightened by rapid escalation of the COVID 19 since the first recorded index case in the country, require proactive measures particularly at state levels where the numbers have remained remarkably low. One of such states is Kaduna; where until very recently, the state has retained a one-digit mark in the number of recorded cases, according to official figures made available by the National Center for Disease Control, NCDC. Given the associated challenges identified with the pandemic as we have come to realize on a global scale, the current attractive standing of Kaduna state in checking the rise in numbers of infected persons requires commendation and encouragement. Against the backdrop of the state’s strategic location as a gateway to other parts of northern Nigeria, the expectation that, Gov. Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai will demonstrate leadership and act effectively has also been challenged by his contacting of the virus, in a sense.  
For a governor already doing remarkably well in a number of areas we can identify and appropriately benchmark within tangible development indices, Malam el-Rufai’s triumphant defeat of the virus after weeks in isolation speaks to the state’s level of preparedness to contain the pandemic, and may have further inspired hope while heightening the expectations of the citizens in terms of the appropriate and effective strategies to be deployed against its spread. It is in the light of this that, the State Standing Committee on COVID-19, headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe is being publicly profiled. With a couple of concrete directives and outings by the Committee suggesting steady progress, including the provision and availability of isolation and testing centers respectively; and with the numbers of recorded cases remaining on the low, the average Kaduna citizen would expect any further review by the Committee to acknowledge the specific, tangible gains recorded so far in the fight against the pandemic in clear terms, the gaps or threats identified and the areas requiring improvement, including strong assurances to secure their buy-in, moving forward.
If this was the objective of the latest statement by the state government, reviewing the earlier invoked Quarantine Act to further extend the lock down for another 30 days among other effective from April 26, 2019, it may have fallen short of the desired assurances required to offer hope to an already disillusioned citizenry. The major thrust of the statement and the justification advanced for the extension is the strengthening of the provisions against unauthorized movement. This is among other considerations proposed by the COVID Committee for the Governor’s approval. Regrettably there is less in the statement to suggest more that is being done to inspire hope and encourage compliance. Rather than a holistic assessment of the entire response framework and the benefit of more viable assurances including a possible strategy overhaul, there is a narrowing more profoundly to the upbraiding of violators of the imposed restriction of movements; whereas a lot more needs to be (shown to have been) done to build resilience of the people and earn their confidence. Curiously the admittance of evidence of interstate travels in violation of the restriction has portrayed a failure of strategy identified against a pervasively weak enforcement by state authorities.
The force in the tone of the latest pronouncement by the State government may have been justified by the compelling need for such, within the relevant laws, in the prevailing circumstances. However, the two-day window previously enjoyed by residents locked down in their homes now reduced to Wednesdays only without a complimentary action plan to offer (dis)incentives for encouraging compliance, leaves a lot more to be desired. For instance, it would have been reasonable to properly situate this cut in the window within the context of an overall broader action plan, say, for instance, an enhanced penetration of community testing and more robust community engagement which could include scaling up palliatives for the indigent and vulnerable critical mass, with particular attention to reviewing the method of disbursement of relief packages and other social safety nets to make it more adequate and efficient. Not doing so in the current review of action leaves the impression of ‘business-as-usual’ in the expected state-wide disbursements. This is primarily because the scheme already suffers a crisis of public confidence, from widespread reports of diversion of food items and severe inadequacy, where available, in the earlier exercise covering 59 community clusters across nine Local Government areas.
It is also baffling to read that, the State Standing Committee has gotten the nod of the Governor to initiate a 25% cut in the salaries of the state’s employees within a category which certainly includes medical workers on the COVID-19 frontline; and cause senior appointees to donate N500, 000 this month with additional 50% of their earnings in subsequent months till this pandemic ends. We may agree that, the state possibly lacks the funds to wage this war, given the appeal extended to corporate bodies, donors and philanthropists; but, is this the ideal among other possible options in addressing this? While many of us never knew that regular appointees earned high enough to possibly offer that much, would it not be appropriate if the gesture is made voluntary, especially for the other category of workers giving up 25% of their monthly wage? Given the propensity of an army of beneficiaries trailing every individual Nigerian worker, such a cut, in a critical time as this, clearly shows less empathy and may deepen despondency for average earners in particular.
In the overall, a lot that is already being done by the state government regarding COVID-19 is not adequately or effectively disseminated. Beyond reinforcing the traditional safety protocols and the current consideration for enforcement of the wearing of face masks, we should consistently be told what the state government has done so far in aggregating goodwill to raise funds and improve its response capacity, including assuring disclosures of existing containment and complimentary relief strategies beyond lockdown extension. Detailed information on facilities and equipments already procured scaling up of capacities already secured and more effective and adequate means of disbursement of relief materials, especially food items, can redress apathy to continued compliance while allaying fears. A larger underlying threat that confronts us is pervasive hunger. What is being done to motivate farmers to mitigate a bigger post-COVID problem? At this point of the COVID crisis, the people desire hope and the benefit of more assurances and tangible incentives, rather than statements which threaten them and may not build their resilience. While this latest pronouncement appears to be a leap in the overall action plan on the part of government, it is far from persuasive and imposes more despair on the part of a citizenry already in a loop of uncertainty and avoidable apprehension.
Sa’id writes from Hayin Danmani New Layout, Kaduna.

THE Federal Government has launched free e-learning portals for all students in primary and secondary schools following the closure of schools nationwide to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who announced this on Friday in Abuja during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said all students in Nigeria have been granted free access to following e-learning portals; the schoolgate.ng and the mobileclassroom.com.ng App.

“These e-learning platforms have been declared subscription free for Nigerian students in primary and secondary levels during the period of this lockdown as necessitated by COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Mobile Classroom is an indigenous mobile application that enables students to learn audio-visually through devices like phones and computers.

It had earlier offered all Nigerian students free access to its online portal without subscription for the period of suspension of academic activities in schools nationwide.

The minister said the timetable for online classes in all the states of the federation that have keyed into the programme have been provided in the platforms and could also be access at the Federal Ministry of Education website.

Nwajiuba said the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education, is collaborating with telecommunication sectors and network providers to grant the students free access to the portals on their mobile phones.

He added that the online learning is being coordinated by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in conjunction with the States Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).

It would be recalled that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government announced the nationwide closure of all educational institutions as part of measures to curtail its spread in the country.

According to the minister, this necessitated the need to explore other avenues to deliver lessons to students.

He added that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu had also disclosed that Airtel Nigeria network users could already browse this e-learning platforms for free while other telecom service providers like MTN, Glo, and 9mobile are currently making technical adjustment to their systems to accommodate this free access.

“This is provision we have already made this in relation to how you can access these platforms,” he said.

On the question of how these classes are conducted, he explained that online classes are the same as off-line classes, saying “you can download them and keep and learn them at your pace.

“Online can be real time if you are on the same wave and time when it is being taught.”

On a good day, Abimbola Adelakun is a compelling read. But writers do have dry days, when the muse fails the quill abysmally. Such must have been the misfortune of the columnist in her April 23 outing.

The tragedy was however not her failure to deliver; the real catastrophe was actually the pedestrian intellection unwittingly exposed within a spell of creative drought.

In the said Punch column entitled “Why are Nigerians still so poor?”, Adelakun resumed her pillory of just any institution, idea - just anything Nigerian, other than her own fancy. The raging Coronavirus pandemic would seem to present yet another opportunity to mercilessly pound her favorite of all - the Buhari administration.

In the service of mischief, facts can, of course, either be creatively twisted or exaggerated mindlessly. The more outlandish the easier to hit a target. So, an official directive to the Central Bank that a category of importers be denied forex allocation for food staples on which local farmers were thought to have achieved market saturation was generalized audaciously by Adelakun to mean a national claim of total food security!

Well, such has to be established as the theoretical foundation, however ramshackle, for a premeditated bombardment.

Her entire fulmination can, in fact, be winnowed into two broad submissions. One, she pounced upon the latest reports of “hunger in the land” within three weeks of lockdown of a section of the country, to boldly underline the falsity of her earlier self-manufactured claim of “national food security“ in an orgy of brazen intellectual masturbation.

Hear our emergency economist playing to the gallery thereafter: “How did we go from a country that said it had achieved food security to one where thousands of Nigerians are now unabashedly slamming their bank account number on social media and begging for alms from strangers? We have always been a poor country, that much is certain, but how did things get this bad for us?”

Seriously?

By the referenced pedestrian claim, the columnist only succeeded in giving herself away as utterly bereft of the real issues. At a time when even kindergarten pupils are forced to stay at home on account of the rampaging Coronavirus that has disrupted the pre-existing social order, how amazing that a supposedly informed columnist fails to realize that what is at play is the telltale sign of economic shut-down.

The art of wealth-creation consists of the exertions of both skilled and non-skilled workers, all things being equal. Lockdown means demobilizing the engine that creates wealth. Even secondary-school Economics students know this.

So, if Adelakun truly hears and understands the mob she is so eager to incite in Nigeria, she would know that the cry is essentially about empty pockets, not scarcity of food. Which is not surprising for a national economy still operating at the subsistence level. Most folks live from hand to mouth. Added to this unfortunate population are the unemployed, the beggars and others. So, not having the chance to eke a living means they are no longer capable of the means to purchase goods and services available.

Against this backcloth, it therefore becomes easier to recognize the gravity of the danger posed to society by the propagation of falsehood or misinforming the multitude. The kind constituted by those willfully inflicting their point of view with the zealotry of the biblical Pharisees with virulence as deadly as the dark pathogens of Covid-19.

By the way, Adelakun is known to be ensconced in faraway United States, from where she regularly launches her missiles against moving and immobile targets in Nigeria.

In what looks more like act of commission than oversight, it is observed that, in this particular literary misadventure, the columnist uncharacteristically avoided drawing foreign parallels. (An obsession to often relativize Diaspora and homeland without regard for cultural contexts simply to validate pre-conceived notion of fatherland Nigeria as “hopelessly useless”; a fixation shared unfortunately by a countless others offshore who, in truth, are actually afflicted by a neurosis that can be diagnosed roughly as acute inferiority complex arising from sustained neo-colonial brainwashing.)

But one can, at least, assume that the columnist has access to television or internet to view the world from whichever part of America the ongoing lockdown caught her. One then wonders how she will classify the over 26 million Americans who had already filed for economic benefits (at this writing Thursday, April 23) within the three-week lockdown? Or the growing food queues all over the acclaimed “God’s own country” for that matter? Would Adelakun also interpret that to mean “hunger” or the end of “food security” in America?

At this writing, the Trump administration was proposing fresh $1 trillion for small businesses aside another $2.5 trillion already appropriated in a massive stimulus package to save businesses and jobs as a result of unprecedented challenges brought about by Covid-19 pandemic.

The second leg of Adelakun’s diatribe was to discredit in its entirety the social investment programme (SIP) including the “conditional cash transfer” to the aged and poorest of the poor.

By her own warped notion of economic re-engineering, beneficiaries of Tradermoni and Marketmoni ought to be financially fortified by now to be counted among those beyond the “hunger” unleashed by Covid-19 lockdown.

Hear our economic guru again: “By that calculation, those that were given N10,000 loan in September 2018 should have had their lives significantly improved enough to be repaying a N30,000 loan by now. Their standard rate of living should have, statistically at least, gone up by 200 percent and that should have had an appreciable multiplier effect on the rest of the country. Yet, here we are, people are too poor to adhere to a pandemic-mandated lockdown for even a few days. How come our system cannot withstand even a month of disruption?”

(Again, it is unknown what Adelakun will tell us why America where she is holed, often touted the biggest economy with understandably one of the highest incomes per capital in the world, therefore a giant compared to the ant misnamed Nigeria, too unraveled within the same time-frame such that over 26 millions had fallen on the dough.)

Of course, nothing can be more reflective of a poor understanding of the SIP idea and the succor intended to bring to the most vulnerable in the society. For clarity, what inspired Tradermoni and Marketmoni from outset was a thought to proliferate and drive entrepreneurship. While sums ranging from N10,000 to N100,000 may be peanuts to the likes of Adelakun, it is a quite a big deal for lots of folks out there without property or asset to put down as collateral to loan sharks.

Ultimately, the objective of the programme is to spare the petty traders such ordeal. Note, contrary to the estimation of the likes of Adelakun, the process of lifting a vast number from crushing poverty is unlikely to be completed within one election cycle.

History teaches that such lofty aspiration can only be realized not just through the honesty of leadership but also policy consistency over a reasonable time-frame.

From Muhammad Yunus we learnt the power of micro-credit loans. The Bangladeshi banker began by offering as little as $20 (less than N8,000) loan to local people, mostly women, to begin a trade in the 80s, propelled by a vision to “create economic and social development from below”.

With consistency, the scheme succeeded in transforming vast number of hitherto excluded, if not complete destitute, into entrepreneurs, thereby helping to transform the communities and banish poverty. So transformative was Yunus’ effort in birthing a new generation of entrepreneurs that he was found worthy of the award of Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

But in their desperation to throw the baby away with the bathwater, intemperate enemies of Tradermoni and Marketmoni like Adelakun fail to proffer a viable alternative given our very peculiar circumstances, as against the option of sustaining the old culture of pocketing the national budget by a few.

Of course, no sane mind would entirely dismiss Adelakun’s concern over the integrity of the list of beneficiaries. Let a national conversation continue with a view to formulating a mechanism for a more scrupulous oversight. But from the insights provided recently by Mrs. Maryam Uwais (Special Adviser to the President on SIP), we should, at least, recognize that among those bad-mouthing the SIP all along are those who had failed in their bid to parlay the power of the legislature to force its handlers to “carry them along” (euphemism to share the money or be allowed to name those to benefit in their constituencies).

Indeed, these are extra-ordinary moments in human history when patriotism should compel national solidarity to proffer workable solutions against a common enemy. We have, so far, seen worthy examples of sacrificial contributions and public spiritedness from all walks of Nigerian life, both in the public and private sectors.

Contributions to this national effort should however not be material alone. Freelance mischief-makers peddling falsehood and career hate entrepreneurs can also join the ongoing national effort by simply engaging in one civic rite: either resting their hyper-active dane guns in the rafter or quarantining their mouths from the public space.

* Louis Odion is the Senior Technical Assistant on Media to the President.

The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, yesterday, met with State Governors on the management of the Covid-19 Pandemic, which has been on the increase, affecting more states of the federation.

On Wednesday, the 36 state Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum has announced its decision to declare a "14 nationwide lockdown' in other to curtail the outbreak.
Also, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Wednesday, announced 91 new cases of coronavirus in Nigeria on Wednesday taking the total to 873.
“Ninety one new cases of COVID-19 have been reported; 74 in Lagos, 5 in Katsina, 4 in Ogun, 2 in Delta, 2 in Edo, 1 in Kwara 1 in Oyo 1 in FCT 1 in Adamawa.
“As at 11:25 pm 22nd April there are 873 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. Discharged: 197 Deaths: 28,” NCDC said.
In a tweet by the spokesman to the Vice - President, Mr. Laolu Akande said:
"Late last night, VP Osinbajo held a videoconferencing with 8 Governors from the geopolitical zones on how to coordinate the plans of the States with those of the FG on management of the Covid-19 Pandemic."
Also Present at the meeting were: the Secretary to The Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and her Health counterpart, Osagie Ehanire.

There are 10 personality traits a great leader should possess.

God truly Blessed us with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who possesses all 10

1 Kindness
2 Intelligence
3 Integrity
4 Compassion
5 Empathy
6 Honesty
7 Humility
8 Strength
9 Courage
10 Loyalty

Do you know the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN is the Chairman and Preside over the:

1.National Economic Council (NEC)

2.National Council on Privatization

3.National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Board

4.National Boundary Commission (NBC) Board

5.Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA)

6.National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Board

7.Debt Management Office (DMO) Board

8.Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC)

9. Review Committee of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM)

10.Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Board

11.Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council (IPCAC)

12.National Council on Skills

13.National Research and Innovation Council

14.National Council on Nutrition

15.National Addressing System Council

16. NEC Special committee on covid19

17. Economic sustainability committee

He is Capable!!! #PYOIsActive

"The evil that men do live after them." -- William Shakespare

I am aware that this is breaking with the conventional wisdom. I am conscious that this is a rebuke of tradition. I am not oblivious to the fact that it is against the norm. I am not unaware that this is not in tune with the mainstream. I am aware some would loath me for it. Some would deride me. Others would call me names. Those who really never liked my guts, would have this reinforced it for them. But those who have the objective ability to see things the way they are and are able to call them as exactly as they should, would see some sense in this.

The idea of not speaking ill of the dead is not a good idea, especially if the dead person did nothing deserving of praise. The idea of praising the dead, regardless if the dead, during his or her life was mean spirited, greedy, selfish, inconsiderate, odiously acquisitive, ruthless and disdainful, is totally unacceptable. It is wrong and should be done away with. We should be able to say exactly what kind of person someone was during his or her life.


I have been reading in the media unbelievable eulogies about the late Chief of Staff to President Mohammadu Buhari, Mr. Abba Kyari. I have been reading some hypocritical praise - singing of this man who, to many Nigerians who celebrated his infliction a couple of weeks back, was no less a monster, because he has become the casualty of the Coronavirus 19. I have read from those who hated him saying embarrassingly 'nice' things about him. What a fraud. What a dishonesty.

It is a sad day when people cascade into casual casuistry with unbridled audacity. It is an act of deliberate undermining of the societal values to heap praises on someone whose remains ought to be used to cast away evils from the entire society. To project a mean - spirited public office holder as a saint when he is not, is a sin in itself.

I take serious objection to the rain of praise that has been raining down on the corpse of the late Abba Kyari. Though, this is a matter of choice to which we are all entitled depending on the way we see it. In my own view, Kyari is not deserving of any praise whatsoever. It is alright for President Buhari to cry himself hoarse. Kyari was his Chief of Staff and his relative. It is okay for his goons in Aso Rock, his partners in crime to weep without end. It is okay for those who are beneficiaries of his corrupt practices, his impunities to gnash their teeth to numb. It is their loss. His immediate and extended family members reserve the inalienable rights to mourn him infinitely and indefinitely.

I also believe that it is alright for the rest of us who are victims of the first family and their collaborators in Aso Rock, to acknowledge the loss of a soul, not because of any other reason other than the fact that we are all human beings. And this is where it ought to end. No more, no less.

For those who are Buhari's sycophants and who still hope to benefit from the misery he is visiting on Nigeria, it might be acceptable to them to shed their crocodile tears even if they really did not like the man when he was alive. They are welcome to do so.

Here is a man, who never got a single vote, whether rigged or not, from the Nigerian people, but who hijacked the executive powers of the Presidency. He held Nigeria and Nigerians to ransom since 2015. He rode roughshod over the people of this country. He appropriated all the appurtenances of power for his personal idiosyncrasies.

Abba Kyari never cared. He never gave a damn. Yes, he did not give a damn how many Nigerians died. He did not care how many Nigerians went hungry. He did not care how much injustice was perpetrated. He did not give a damn how many innocent Nigerians were murdered. He did not give a damn how many Nigerians were chased off their ancestral lands. He did not care how many of our daughters were raped. He did not give a damn how many were maimed by his tribesmen.

He was a perniciously greedy soul. He was remorseless in his ways. The 500 million naira bribe he took from the MTN was emblematic of his innate rapacity. It was emblematic of his bloated edacity. He appointed himself to the Board of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It was the first time in the History of Nigeria for an incumbent Chief of Staff. It was against the norm of decency and restraint. It was impunity at its worst.


Kyari relentlessly harassed the Vice President, licentiously anchoring Professor Osinbajo's deliberate disempowerment. He unabashedly intimidated the Ministers and prevented them from meaningful collaboration with the man who appointed them, or whom he helped appointed. With a mien akin to that of a dove, he was a heinous hawk, a vicious vulture that is egregious and atrocious in its debauchery and cupidity.


He was mindless and mean. He was cruel and cold. He was crude and callous. His greed was congenital. His insouciance encrypted his guiled mendacity. He was hung up on power hunkering. He had disdain for the rules. Like his principal, Buhari, he believed and acted above the law. His arrogance was horrifying. His condescension, sardonically sickening in the way and manner he exercised unmerited power.


Yes, the idea of not speaking ill of the dead is a VERY WRONG one, especially if that dead person never did anything to deserve it. If this practice was to continue, it means every criminal in our midst should look forward to being praised after he/she was dead regardless of the crimes committed. This would also mean a genuine disincentive for those who strive to do positive things and improve their communities.

It is very important to ensure that dead people's memories be imbued with their acts of omissions and commissions when they were alive. It is an act of injustice to arrogate false achievements, fake qualities to monstrous figures more notorious for their kleptomania as they gallivant through the inner rooms of power.

Hopefully, when I die, people would have the unburnished courage to say exactly what they feel about me and not deodorize my omissions and imperfections. Hopefully, those who would feel the need to mourn me would not see the need to be hypocritical and dishonest in their elegies.


In all this, what became clearer is the vanity of vanity itself. It brought to the fore the cliché popularized by the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State in the early 1980s, ",,, vanity upon vanity, all is vanity." It underscores the ephemeralness of not just power, but of all things that are human, except our deeds. This probably informed William Shakespeare's ageless rumination captured in the phrase, " The evil that men do live after them."


We should not praise villains when they are dead. It is a great disincentive to those who laboured to be above board and did the right thing. You don't have to agree with me. You don't have to like me. Please, don't like me, just respect the truth.


“The world tells us to seek success, power and money; God tells us to seek humility, service and love.” - Pope Francis

*©️Remi Oyeyemi*

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Lies never last, History never dies and the TRUTH is always constant.
-Remi Oyeyemi

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