₦airaland Forum

Amina Zakari has been appointed as the head of election collation centre for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2019 elections.

2019: Outrage over appointment of Buhari’s niece, Zakari as INEC head of collation centre Amina Zakari and Buhari INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement on Thursday.

Amina Zakari has been a key member of INEC as she has heald certain positions in the commission. However, her recent appointment has sparked outrage, with many alleging the appointment is one of the plots by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, party to rig the 2019 election in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Those decrying her appointment claim she is the niece of President Muhammadu Buhari. According to the PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, “While Prof. Mahmood Yakubu can no longer be trusted to conduct the 2019 general election, it is public knowledge that Mrs Amina Zakari, the INEC Director in charge of Operations and ICT, is a direct blood relation of Mr President and as such, we believe that she cannot be an impartial arbiter in an election involving her uncle.”

But the question remains: Who is this Amina Zakari? Amina Zakari, in a report by happeningnownews.com, is the former Acting Chairman of INEC. She took over the commission after the former Chairman, Attahiru Jega’s tenure elapsed in 2015. Amina Zakari is the first woman to chair the commission, though in acting capacity. She is a princess of the Kazaure Emirate of Jigawa State who completed her primary education in Kano state. She was the Senior Consultant/Chief Pharmacist working on PTF-funded health projects across Nigeria.

She once served as Special Assistant to the President from 2004 to 2007. She was former National Electoral Commissioner at INEC. She had also chaired the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) of INEC. She was chairman of the INEC Planning Monitoring and Strategy Committee effective November 2014.

Amina Zakari was allegedly first described as Buhari’s niece on July 27, 2015, in a report by Nigerian Tribune which had claimed that President Buhari was related to Amina Zakari. It had quoted a supporter of then president Jonathan, Alhaji Tanko Yakassa as saying, “I know that the woman from her childhood. Her father worked with me as my Permanent Secretary before later he became the Emir of Kazaure. We maintained a cordial relationship until he passed on.

However, the relationship between him and Buhari is something that I know of. Anybody around during that time also can confirm this. He (the late Emir) married the senior sister to Buhariand he (Buhari) started his childhood in the late emir’s house. The mother of this woman (Zakari) was either the first or second wife. Aside from that, Buhari stayed with him for sometime in Kazaure. I know that the relationship is true.”

However, Yakassai had, on September 8, 2015, in another interview on Channels TV, denied Amina Zakari’s relations with Buhari. He had said that his actual words were manipulated by some parties. He was later quoted to have said that “Somebody added something because I did not criticize her or her appointment. She is my daughter and a friend to her father was at one time my permanent secretary. Her mother is a friend to my senior wife. She is a friend to some of my children. I see no reason why I should criticize her.”

He had also said that Amina’s “neutrality should not be contested on the grounds of familiarity with the president because she is entitled to the post as a Nigerian and a qualified professional.”

But today’s appointment has shown many Nigerians condemning the INEC and alleging the commission has been coerced into becoming tool for the rigging of the 2019 election. What is your take?

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/inec-who-is-this-amina-zakari/

Excerpt: The PDP and Mr Saraki’s hiring of lobbying firms based in the US indicates how seriously the party and its leaders view the coming elections.
The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has secured the services of a United States lobbying firm to assist him in getting support of the American government and institutions ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Mr Saraki, who also doubles as the director general of the Atiku/Obi campaign organisation, reached an agreement with KRL International LLC , Nevada, USA, through Retail Express Limited of Lagos, Nigeria.
Details of the agreement, which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, is contained in the documents filed by the firm with the Foreign Affairs Registration agency as required by the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended.
The fillings are mandatory for all firms providing lobbying and PR services for foreign institutions and governments.
The retainership concerning the senate president was signed between Adekoyejo Shogbola of Retail Express Limited (on behalf of Mr Saraki) and K. Riva Levinson, President KRL International LLC.
The agreement, which took effect on August 20, 2018, and would run for eight months, would cost Mr Saraki $200,000, (about N72.7million at N363 to a U.S dollar) payable on a monthly installment of $25,000.
The senator wants KRL International to attract favourable conditions for him in the US while also building support for Nigeria’s political process and the 2019 elections.
“Whereas, the Client is desirous of engaging the services of the Firm to provide technical assistance in the area of stakeholder engagement in support of a free and fair election in Nigeria in February, 2019,” the terms of the agreement reads.
“Whereas, the Firm will advocate on behalf of H.E. Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki(hereafter referred to as ‘the Principal’) before the US government, the donor community, multi-lateral institutions, non-governmental organizations, international media and the private sector.


“Whereas, the Firm has accepted the professional engagement offered by the Client and represents that it possesses the necessary expertise, skill, technical knowledge, ability and experience to render the required services to the Client.
“Whereas, the firm will perform the following scope of work: Engage policy,makers and stakeholders in Nigeria, the US and internationally to secure support for the principal and for Nigeria’s political process. Advise on a communications strategy to convey the core tenets of the principal’s vision Provide in-country support throughout the electoral process including the post-election period.
“Whereas, the Firm’s services will seek to achieve the following;
“Establish the leadership and democratic credentials of the principal in Washington, D.C. and in key European capitals; Secure US support in ensuring free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria in 2019, and Consolidate the strategic importance of Nigeria in relation to U.S national security policy and US-Africa relations.
“Now, therefore, and in consideration of the mutual promise and agreements herein contained, the parties hereby agree as follows: It is mutually agreed by the parties to this agreement that the firm performing the services outlined above in this retainer agreement, along with the statement of work incorporated by reference, shall be compensated with a fee if $25,000 per month.
“It is mutually agreed that extraordinary expenses, including international travel, will be paid for by the client and outside of the scope of the fees herein. Extraordinary expenses shall be pre-approved by the client. All inter-continental flights to be business class with travel outside of the Washington, D.C. To be pre-approved and advanced by the client for travel.”
The agreement which commenced on August 20, 2018, and would run until April 2019, is renewable on a month by month basis, upon agreement from both parties.
“This agreement may be terminated with or without cause by either party providing the other party 30 days written notice of termination,” the memo further read.
“The retainer fee shall be due in monthly installments, with the first two months due upon the signing of this agreement by the parties and subsequent payments due on the 15th of the month prior, beginning on 15 September 2018.
“The agreement represents the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes, cancels, revokes and terminates any previous agreement on the same subject matter ever executed between the parties.”


LIKE MR SARAKI LIKE PDP

Besides Mr Saraki’s retainership of a foreign lobbyist, Nigeria’s main opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, also secured the services of an American firm for the purpose of assessing favourable support from the United States federal government in its bid to win the 2019 presidential elections.
The party is fielding a former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, whose relationship with the United States has come under scrutiny in recent months, particularly relating to allegations of corruption linked with convicted Louisiana congressman, William Jefferson.
Mr Abubakar is alleged to have been involved in corrupt practices during his term in office as vice president, between 1999 and 2007 after Mr Jefferson was recorded on a video tape saying he would be offering a “$500,000 bribe” to the former vice president to facilitate contracts in Nigeria for a foreign company, iGate.
Wadata-plaza PDP Headquarters
Although the congressman was found guilty and convicted, Mr Abubakar has consistently denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the allegations against him were unfounded.
His inability to travel to the United States since the case began triggered claims that he might be apprehended in the US by the authorities if he travels there.
The move by the PDP to seal a deal with a lobbying firm, Ballard Partners Inc, of the US in September 2018, may not be unconnected with helping its presidential candidate get the needed support in his quest for the presidency, analysts say.
Documents detailing the contracts showed that the PDP entered into a contract with Ballard Inc. to help it “advocate on its behalf those issues” the PDP “deems necessary before the US Federal government.”
The documents of the contract was also filed with FARA.
The contract was signed on behalf of the PDP by the Special Adviser to the National Chairman of the PDP, Osita Chidoka, while Brian D. Ballard, signed for his company, as its President. Both parties signed the deal on September 21, 2018.
Mr Chidoka is a former minister of aviation after he had served as Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps under the Jonathan administration.
“This contract is entered into between the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria (“Client”), Plot 1970 Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Nigeria, and Ballard Partners, Inc. (“the Firm”),” the contract read.
The contract terms specifically required the firm to provide an environment that would enhance the US-Nigeria relations, “with a special focus on the coming months on maintaining political and security conditions free of intimidation and interference in order to ensure the success and fairness of Nigeria’s national election for president in 2019.


“Whereas, the Client wishes to retain the services of the Firm in order that the Firm may provide strategic consulting and advocacy services to the Client in connection with its relations with the United States government, and whereas, the Firm wishes to provide such representation as the Client May from time to time require and whereas, the parties have agreed to the terms under which the Firm will represent the Client and wish to memorialize their agreement in writing,” the contract detailed.
According to the terms of agreement, the contract became effective on September 21, 2018 and would remain effective until September 20, 2019.
The contract is automatically renewed at its one year of expiration unless any of the parties terminates the agreement with 30 days written notice.
“It shall be the Firm’s duty to consult with the Client and advocate on its behalf those issues the Client deems necessary before the US Federal government,” the agreement states under the clause, Duties of the Firm.
“Issues and objectives may include, but not limited to, enhancement of US – Nigerian relations, strengthening and advancing democratic values and the rule of law in Nigeria with a special focus in the coming months on maintaining political and security conditions free of intimidation and interference in order to ensure the success and fairness of Nigeria’s national election for president in 2019.
“It shall further be the Firm’s duty to inform the Client of development in legislation and policy relevant to the Client’s issues and objectives.
On the duties of the Client, the agreement stated that, “It shall be the Client’s duty to provide the Firm the information necessary to best represent the Client. It shall also be the Client’s duty to timely compensate the Firm for its services.”
The agreement will cost the PDP $90,000 (about N32.7million) payable in quarterly installments in addition to other “reasonable” cost such as registration fees, hotel, air fare, car services and meals.
“The fee shall be paid in quarterly installment of $270,000 with the first installment being due immediately upon the execution of this agreement,” further details of the agreement revealed.
“Second installment due on December 21, 2018; third installment due on March 21, 2019; fourth installment due on June 21, 2019, and continuing to be due on a quarterly basis until the termination of the agreement. The Firm will bill cost quarterly.”
It is noteworthy that Ballard was President Donald Trump’s lobbyist during his election as president of the United States, and his role has been allegedly linked to the controversial interference of the Russian authorities in the last US presidential election.
The PDP and Mr Saraki’s hiring of lobbying firms based in the US indicates how seriously the party and its leaders view the coming elections, analysts say.
SARAKI’S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NOT LEFT OUT

Showing further penchant for foreign lobbyists, the National Assembly under the chairmanship of Mr Saraki also procured the services of a US-based lobbyist, Husch Blackwell Strategies, based in Washington D.C, as a government affairs consultant to provide services relating to creating an environment between members of the Nigerian legislature and officials of the US Government.
The contract was signed by the Director General of the National Institute of Legislative Studies, NILS, Ladi Hamalai, on behalf of the National Assembly and Gegg Harley, chief executive officer of HBS.
The agreement between HBS and the National Assembly became effective on February 15, 2018 and involves HBS organising an exchange visit and training for members of the National Assembly in the US.
Nigerian senate chambers
The firm is also expected to organise meetings between members of the National Assembly and key congressional members and leaders in the United States such as the Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader, President Pro Tempore and such other representatives from the US Congress.
HBS, by the agreement, is also expected to organise “technical sessions for members of the National Assembly of the federal Republic of Nigeria and members of the United States Congress which may include discussions in the area of trade and investment, the development of the electoral process, the role of Congress in foreign policy, and security.”
HBS is responsible for providing the National Assembly with “only government relations and educational services and will not provide legal services to NILS, notwithstanding that some of the personnel who provide services under this agreement may be lawyers.”
For the professional services of the firm, the National Assembly is expected to pay the sum of $20,750 (about N7.4million) for the task of organising visits and training sessions for the Nigerian delegation, which will not be more than 13 persons. The agreement stipulated that an additional person would attract $1,500 per person.
“Upon signature of the consulting agreement, NILS may apply for an advance by bank transfer of a minimum of US$15,000 only and the remainder of the balance upon arrival of the delegation,” a part of the agreement states.
“All amounts paid under this consulting agreement shall be deemed earned you and payable to the operating account of HBS after the tasks set out in Section 3(I)-(II) have been completed.
“Funds to cover all of the remaining reimbursables will be paid upon receipt of an invoice and scanned copies of original receipts Payment of any expenses incurred by HBS shall be made by NILS not later that 30 days after receipt of HBS’s statement, invoice and other necessary documents.”
When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, declined to comment on the deal with Ballard, saying the issues had been overtaken by events.
In the same vein, Special Adviser on Media to Mr Saraki, Yusuf Olaniyonu, did not answer or return calls when PREMIUM TIMES contacted him to get his principal’s response.
He also did not reply a text message sent to him on the matter.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/303912-exclusive-2019-elections-saraki-national-assembly-hire-american-lobbyists.html

The present administration’s three-point agenda, since 2015, includes to improve security, fight corruption, and grow the economy.
The finance ministry is pivotal to the realisation of the agenda on the economy. The ministry is in charge of the fiscal policy and providing direction for the economy.
The ministry’s main responsibility was to liaise with the monetary policy authority, like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and other agencies like the Debt Management Office (DMO), to build economic structures to ensure financial system stability and create the environment that is enabling for economic growth.
As minister for finance since November 2015, Kemi Adeosun had the task of driving the agenda for the country’s economic recovery. Her tenure ended on September 14, 2018, as she was compelled to resign from office after a PREMIUM TIMES report showed she was parading a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, a criminal offence by Nigerian law.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mrs Adeosun skipped the mandatory NYSC service and procured a forged exemption certificate she used in securing plum public service appointments, including her appointment as minister. Since her exit, Zainab Ahmed has acted as finance minister.
Finance ministry’s achievements under Adeosun
Mrs Adeosun, during her tenure, deployed her experience to initiate policies, mobilise financing and steer the austere economy out of troubled waters.
Although the economy sank into recession in the second quarter of 2016 after three consecutive contractions in the gross domestic product (GDP) negative growth, Mrs Adeosun was able to finance the economy back afloat.
From about -2.34 per cent in 2016, the economy recovered in the second quarter of 2017 with a 0.72 per cent growth and continued the sustained rise, albeit slowly, to the current 1.81 per cent in the third quarter of 2018.
Creation of Efficiency Unit


To help cut down on the high recurrent expenditure profile of ministries departments and agencies, the Efficiency Unit was created in the finance ministry to ensure all government expenditures received the best possible value for money.
The unit was responsible for reviewing non-wage related overhead expenditures, including travel costs, entertainment, events, printing, IT consumables, and stationeries.
The ultimate objective was to cut down on wastage – by eliminating duplication, promote efficiency and encourage best procurement practices to guarantee savings for the economy.
The government estimated that about N15 billion was saved annually from the services of the Efficiency Unit, while the capital expenditure component of the budget was reduced from the usual 80/20 ratio to about 70/30 in one year.
Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA)
Mrs Adeosun facilitated the creation of the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), to validate financial controls, assess risks, prune personnel costs, ensure compliance with public financial management reforms, detect errors and make recommendations to ensure full accountability of all government expenditures.
PICA has been involved in conducting personnel audits in MDAs, like the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and former Nigeria Airways workers, to remove ghost workers from government payrolls, verification of subsidy claims by petroleum products marketers, and recovery of salaries paid to ex-diplomats.
Introduction of the whistle-blower policy
Again, the former minister introduced the whistle-blower policy, to encourage Nigerians to volunteer information to the government on all acts of public corruption.
Essentially, the policy promoted a reward system where citizens were entitled to at least 5 per cent of the total value of recovery by the government from a reported corruption act.


As of July 2017, the minister said over 2,500 reports on various corruption acts were received through various reporting channels, with 365 of them being actionable tips.
The minister said the tips were related to issues of contract inflation, ghost workers, illegal recruitment, misappropriation of public funds, illegal sale of government assets, diversion of revenues and violation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) regulations, which also received increased enforcement under her administration.
Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS)
Mrs Adeosun also initiated the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), which granted defaulting taxpayers a one-year amnesty period to regularise their tax status.
As at May 2017, the minister said the scheme, undertaken by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and the State Joint Tax Authorities, uncovered only 14 million out of an estimated 70 million potential taxpayers that were economically active.
Babatunde Fowler, FIRS Chairman
FIRS chairman, Tunde Fowler, said the federal government realised over N1.17 trillion revenue in the first quarter of 2018 through VAIDS, apart from about 7,500 jobs created for young Nigerians as Community Tax Liaison Officers (CTLOs).
Asset Tracking and Management Project/ Central Asset Register
The ministry, under Mrs Adeosun, also launched an Asset Tracking and Management Project through which government could locate, identify, assess and evaluate all its movable and immovable assets.
Similarly, a Central Asset Register was created in the Federal Ministry of Finance for recording the actual quantity, value, condition, and location of all the capital assets belonging to the federal government.
Global Eurobond issues
Although the administration came at a time global oil prices had dropped to all-time low levels, the ministry was able to mobilise financing from within and outside the country for key infrastructure projects at a scale unprecedented in the country.
In 2017, Nigeria accessed the International Capital Market (ICM) thrice with Eurobonds issuances totalling $4.5 billion.


Details of the Eurobond issues showed that on February 16 of the year, about $1 billion bond, with a 15 years tenor, fixed coupon 7.875 per cent per annum and yield of 7.875 per cent, was issued to fund capital expenditure in the 2016 budget. The maturity date is February 16, 2032.
On April 5, another $500 million bond, expected to mature on February 16, 2032, with 15 years tenor; fixed coupon 7.875 per cent per annum and yield 7.500 per cent, was issued to fund capital expenditure in the 2016 budget.
In addition, a $1.5 billion bond was issued on November 28 to fund capital expenditure in the 2017 Budget and redemption of Nigeria Treasury Bills (NTBs). The tenor for the bond was 10 years, at a fixed coupon rate, with yield of about 6.500 per cent per annum each and maturity date of November 28, 2027.
Similarly, on November 28, $1.5 billion bond was issued to fund capital expenditure in the 2017 Budget and redemption of Nigeria Treasury Bills (NTBs). It had a 30-year tenor; fixed coupon 7.625 per cent per annum with a yield of 7.625 per cent and maturity date for November 28, 2047.
Settlement of outstanding workers’ liabilities, pension debts
With the recoveries and various cost-cutting measures, the ministry says it has been able to clear all the inherited arrears of pension benefits to civil servants for 2014, 2015 and 2016 and ensure regular payment of salaries as well as refund of all Paris Club Loans over-deduction debts to the 36 states of the federation in the last three years.
Establishment of strategic lending institutions
Also, to support industrialisation and credits to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), the ministry said it was able to facilitate the establishment of the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) to spur growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
In 2016, the ministry reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group, African Development Bank and the European Investment Bank for $1.3 billion for the take-off of the DBN in the first quarter of 2017.
To provide funding at subsidised interest rates through Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) such as the Bank of Industry, Development Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Agriculture, the ministry said it facilitated funding and access to these agencies.
Various initiatives being financed the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) with N27.4 billion in interest-free loans account for about 1.1 million beneficiaries so far, across the 36 states of the federation, under the TradeMoni, MarketMoni, and FarmerMoni, among others.
Financing of civil servants’ low-cost housing scheme
Again, the ministry has, within the last three years, successfully, launched a N13 billion Federal Civil Servants Mortgage Refinancing Scheme through the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), to refinance mortgages for 5,635 beneficiaries in the federal civil service.
Wider enforcement of the Treasury Single Account (TSA)/IPPIS
Apart from the wider enforcement of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system, which was virtually dormant under previous administrations, the ministry has been able to enforce the application of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in the computation of human resource data and preparation of salaries and other remuneration of all MDAs.
Funding of NSIA economic projects
The ministry has also been able to transfer additional funding from the Excess Crude Oil Revenue savings to the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), managers of the $1.5 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), to finance some projects targeting some high growth sectors of the country’s economy.
Managing Director, Nigerian Sovereign Investments Authority, NSIA, Uche Orji
In August 2016, the NSIA announced two major interventions in the housing and agriculture sector – a $500 million fund for Real Estate and a $200 million fund for agricultural development.
To boost local production of fertiliser, the NSIA financed the rehabilitation of about 16 moribund fertilizer-blending plants across the country with a combined installed capacity of over 2.63 million metric tonnes of NPK fertilizers.
The Managing Director of NSIA, Uche Orji, said the programme eliminates the importation of fertilizer and ensures the commodity was being sold at government subsidised prices of N5,500 against the market rate of N8,000 as well as create an estimated 50,000 direct jobs in the agricultural sector.
CBN FOREX, agricultural interventions
The interventions of the Central Bank of Nigeria, through the policy to restrict allocation of foreign exchange for the importation of 42 Items as well as the Anchor Borrowers Programme can be said to be another achievement of the finance ministry in the last three years.
Under the FOREX policy, the country has been able to achieve a relatively stable exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar since 2015, while the Anchor borrowers Programme has resulted in the increased local production of rice.
Illegal releases in NASS
National Assembly Complex
Arguably the worst actions taken by Mrs Adeosun as finance minister were the illegal releases she approved for the National Assembly. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mrs Adeosun released billions of Naira to the National Assembly, outside of their budgetary allocations. Payments were also made by the finance ministry to unregistered companies for controversial contracts they did with the National Assembly.
Zainab Ahmed takes over
Since taking over as the Supervising Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed says she has been able to sustain the achievements recorded by her predecessor in office.
Some of the achievements recorded in the last three years despite significant revenue shortfall include refund of $5.4 billion Paris Club Loans over deductions; payment of $6.8 billion Joint Venture (JV) Cash Call arrears to the operators; payment of N1.9 trillion contractor/Export Expansion Grant (EEG) and refund N488 billion to various state government for the construction of federal roads nationwide.
Settle outstanding pension, other liabilities
Again, Mrs Ahmed said the ministry released about N54 billion recently to settle outstanding pension arrears up to March 2017, while over 2,000 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited were also paid their entitlements through the Pension Commission (PENCOM) based on verification by PICA.
Besides, she said the ministry, through PTAD, has been making monthly payments to 9,215 former workers of NITEL/Mtel after over 12 years, while over N571million gratuity and arrears was paid to 174 Biafra War affected retired police officers (WARPRO) in October 2017.
Convictions for indicted ghost workers
She said the ministry has secured the conviction of four civil servants indicted for compromising the IPPIS platform, with 11 others currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Whistle-blower/VAIDS earnings
Several initiatives by the ministry to recover public funds, the minister said, have yielded positive results, with the whistle-blower unit recovering over N8.5 billion and $465 million from the 1,051 investigations conducted from tip-offs received.
The FIRS said it received about N47.5 billion the tax amnesty collection as at December 17, 2018, while Project Lighthouse is to be unveiled to allow the use of data analytics to provide intelligence on eligible taxpayers and their real taxable incomes and assets.
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed. [Photo credit: Guardian Nigeria]
The roll-out of the IPPIS to all MDAs is planned for 2019 along with the optimisation of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), and improved public financial management system to ensure an efficient and cost-effective public service delivery.
Funding for the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF projects)
The ministry says it has released about ₦97 billion through the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) managed by the NSIA for execution of some critical, strategic socio-economic infrastructure projects.
The projects included the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, (Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Expressway, Mambilla Hydro-Power, and East-West Road.
Budget Support to States
Besides, the minister said about N1.9 trillion Budget Support Facility was released to states to assist them meet their salary and pension obligations

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/303780-analysis-how-nigerias-finance-ministry-has-fared-in-three-years-under-adeosun-ahmed.html

A prophet of doom.
All he sees is death.

Governance in Nigeria is very poor and the worst levels of poor governance are found at the state and local governments. Whenever general elections occur, however, the attention of Nigerians, and indeed the world, is focused almost entirely on the presidential election, which is invariably a two-horse race. It’s the same for the 2019 general elections, in which high hopes for a better “third force” was rife up until about six months ago. Since the party primaries however, it has become clear that once again, the race is between two candidates, both in their seventies and both of northern Fulani stock. Nigeria has so far been able to develop a new generation of leaders, but we are left with current President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. There are, of course, dozens of other candidates, yet no one seems to pay them much attention.

During the 2015 election, Buhari was the beacon of hope that galvanised Nigerians to vote out an incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan. Today, after nearly four years, the hope has dimmed following his inability to deliver on his very clear campaign promise of providing security, jobs and effectively combating corruption. His rival, Atiku Abubakar, who has had presidential ambitions for the past thirty-five years, might finally have his chance. Clearly, this is his best chance so far.

In October, the Economist magazine articulated the view that it might indeed be his time, given his pledge to curtail joblessness and revive the economy, as this gives him an edge over President Buhari, with a few months to the election. The Atiku campaign organisation jumped on the prediction, claiming that: “As the Economist rightly states, the issues in 2019 are popular frustration over the rise in joblessness and poverty (two of the biggest voter concerns) on Mr. Buhari’s watch, as well as growing insecurity in central Nigeria. No other candidate has the capacity to address these challenges, like Atiku.” Atiku is presenting himself as a successful businessman poised to translate the significant success he has made in his private business empire to the public sector.

In its latest edition, the Economist magazine has changed its mind and now believes that President Muhammadu Buhari would win next year’s election. It also came out with the view that the opposition coalition may collapse before the general election. Not surprisingly, the upset PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, came out to say that this time around, the forecast of the London-based magazine fails to meet the attributes of objectivity, balance and fairness.

President Buhari has a number of weaknesses that are affecting his campaign. His biggest weakness is that he has lost his 2015 coalition, with many key players such as Atiku himself, Senate President Saraki, Speaker Dogara, Governor Tambuwal and so on defecting back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Buhari has also lost a lot of his financers…


Foreign predictions about the 2019 electoral outcome has become a game, with the Economist Intelligence Unit, the research unit of The Economist, and a multinational banking and financial services company, HSBC coming out with pro-Atiku predictions. The Buhari side then had to re-read a report by the United States Institute of Peace claiming they have predicted a Buhari win. The Institute had to come out with a statement captioned: “Correcting a Media Error: USIP Makes No Prediction on Nigerian Election.” They explained that “that the Institute’s 20-page report on risk to a peaceful election in Nigeria, predict(ing) victory for Buhari was false.” The problem with all these predictions and non-predictions of electoral outcome is that they tend to draw on so-called objective factors of performance or non-performance. Elections, however, are not about objective factors, they are often about the sentiments of voters.

Atiku’s choice of Peter Obi as his running mate for example, has created two currents of sentiments that are affecting his campaign negatively. South-East governors have been furious that he went above their heads to select his running mate and are not putting their state party machines in his support. In much of the North, Peter Obi is seen as an ethnic bigot with an anti-Hausa track record and that in itself is working in Buhari’s favour. At this time, it is very difficult to predict the outcome of the 2019 presidential election. The two candidates have strengths and weakness that are being played out in ways that could still swing the outcome.

President Buhari has a number of weaknesses that are affecting his campaign. His biggest weakness is that he has lost his 2015 coalition, with many key players such as Atiku himself, Senate President Saraki, Speaker Dogara, Governor Tambuwal and so on defecting back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Buhari has also lost a lot of his financers, who assumed winning would provide financial rewards for them and that simply did not happen. Equally, Buhari has lost the support of much of the Northern technocratic elite, who are of the view that he has not shown sufficient competence in governance and has, in addition, allowed his key ministers – finance, budget, power and works to allocate more resources to the South-West than the North-East and North-West. His party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also been very concerned that Buhari has consistently refused to make political appointments in its favour and that too many of Jonathan’s appointees have been retained over the past four years. This has created a significant lack of enthusiasm and commitment to the campaign among many of his supporters. This might reduce his support within his own base.

foraminifera

President Buhari has a number of strengths, however, that work in his favour. His core support in the North-West and North-East has remained with him and still consider him a good man, even if as many of them say, one surrounded by bad advisers. They therefore disregard his alleged non-performance, blaming it on others.

Atiku’s greatest weakness is that he is not well liked in his own base in the North-East and North-West. He does not have the type of love and charisma that Buhari enjoys in the zone. Atiku has also alienated the zone by articulating his campaign on restructuring the country, which is pleasing to the South.


Atiku’s greatest weakness is that he is not well liked in his own base in the North-East and North-West. He does not have the type of love and charisma that Buhari enjoys in the zone. Atiku has also alienated the zone by articulating his campaign on restructuring the country, which is pleasing to the South. Atiku is also considered by too many people as having a long track record of corruption. Even those who are complaining that Buhari has not performed as much as he could have on the anti-corruption front are worried that Atiku would be much worse.

Atiku’s strength is that he has built significant support from the South and the Christian community. He is the beneficiary of the terrible farmers-herders conflict that has turned much of the Middle Belt against President Buhari, who many in that zone believe allowed mass killing to spread unhindered. Atiku also has a vast network of friends and associates supporting him all over the country and has been able to keep his friends, while Buhari has lost much of his own. The PDP machine also has the capacity to generate a lot of financial support for the Atiku campaign, and one of the greatest unknowns of the election is whether the PDP money would flow; if it does, it would be a great boost to the Atiku campaign. The Atiku campaign has strong support in the South-East, South-South and what is known as the cultural or Christian Middle Belt. He is however another Fulani man, as such it is not clear whether voters there would come out en masse to elect another Fulani man.

The South-West would be the arbiter of the election. Would they vote for Atiku, who has promised them the restructuring they love or would they vote for Buhari, who has given them the vice presidency and powerful ministers? Clearly, the votes would be split but the margins of difference could be decisive. The media, social media and overtures that would be made in the coming weeks would all play a major role. President Buhari has a difficult but feasible chance of winning the 2019 elections. It would however require that he is able to quickly mends fences with supporters he has hurt or ignored and is able to mobilise against apathy. Atiku Abubakar also has a difficult but feasible chance of winning the 2019 elections if his campaign structure grows in coherence, is well funded and is above all able to carry the South-West with the promise of restructuring.

A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES

https://opinion.premiumtimesng.com/2018/12/31/the-2019-presidential-election-predicting-the-outcome-by-jibrin-ibrahim/

2011 was massively rigged, 2017 was moderately rigged.
As for 2019, they wouldn't be able to rig, so expect a much lower votes.

Ohaneze endorse PDP for 2019 Presidential election but wants APC to give them the Presidential ticket in 2023 in case APC wins.

Them think say na dem get sense pass

Jose Mourinho best formation

All 11 players defending in the box.

The formation should be
11 0 0

Like play, like play, Atiku won't get up to 8 million votes.

Jayslicky:
Shey dis woman get womb cos banky w has been firing for nothing.

Or he has been Firring of target?

Bunch of thieves that think Buhari is the corrupt loving Jonathan that would bribe them with 17 billion "election expenses"

“In a tough session with the National Assembly’s ad hoc committee on the budget (made up of chairs of the Finance Committee and Appropriation Committee of both chambers and other leaders of the National Assembly), an additional N20 billion was re-introduced as election expenses for National Assembly members.

“We insisted the amount be dropped because it nullified the 13 per cent cut made to their statutory budget, but managed to reduce the N20 billion figure by only N3 billion to N17 billion.

“This became the price to pay to have the 2015 budget passed.”

Okonjo-Iweala

Buhari is not the corrupt loving Jonathan that bribes them


“In a tough session with the National Assembly’s ad hoc committee on the budget (made up of chairs of the Finance Committee and Appropriation Committee of both chambers and other leaders of the National Assembly), an additional N20 billion was re-introduced as election expenses for National Assembly members.

“We insisted the amount be dropped because it nullified the 13 per cent cut made to their statutory budget, but managed to reduce the N20 billion figure by only N3 billion to N17 billion.

“This became the price to pay to have the 2015 budget passed.”

Okonjo-Iweala

She tweeted:

News Flash
Rice Growers Association has endorsed
@MBuhari

Donates N100 each towards his reelection bid.
There are 12.2 of them
You dont need to do d maths. Its N1.2billion

This is 12.2 million votes according to d chairman of d RGA

Pls dont argue with me. Argue with d farmers

I consider it too Machiavellian

osazeeblue01:
That idiot is still alive...

betrayal

His betraying is in the past,
What would you say about Umahi bag of rice betrayal?

Sweetguy25:
One of the backstabbing politicians GEJ trusted.

Atiku still has many backstabbing politicians behind him.

A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Muazu, is currently meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Muazu, a former governor of Bauchi state was said to have arrived the Vice President’s wing at the Presidential Villa around 4pm and went straight into a closed door meeting with Prof. Osinbajo.
Our correspondent could not establish whether the meeting was in connection with the planned defection of Muazu to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or not.
However, our correspondent recalled that it was a week after a former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio, met with the Vice President that he defected to the APC.
Proudly called the game changer, Muazu led the PDP to defeat during the 2015 general elections in the country, which ended Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-adamu-muazu-game-changer-in-crucial-meeting-with-osinbajo.html

I am in an agricultural online group with Indians. They type "broken bottle" English. I was surprise that none of them were correcting the other English.

If were Nigerians we would be using queen's English to pass information that worth nothing.

Anambralstson:
The event yet to start when this was taken.

Rubbish, show us the full view of the stadium when the event have started, not picture taken inside the crowd.

PDP just packed people like sardine in one small space.

Okay

According to an insider, who reached out to blogger, Kemi Ashefon, there is an untold version of the purported affair between Linda Ikeji and Sholaye Jeremy.

With a confirmation on Friday morning that oil and gas billionaire, Sholaye Jeremi, is the father of her new baby, while addressing other issues surrounding their purported affair, Sholaye’s friends have decided to unveil what actually transpired between Linda and their friends.



“She was silly to have written all that because many have seen through her veneer of piety and pretence that she is just another desperate young lady who employed the oldest trick in the book— tie a potential suitor down with pregnancy, a source close to Sholaye revealed.

Still referring to Linda’s post in her blog entitled ‘Meet my son Jayce…and yes, Sholaye Jeremi is his dad,’ which has since gone viral, Sholaye’s friends said:



“Linda desperately wove an incoherent story of how she met Sholaye, in one breath saying he lived in a three bedroom apartment in Lekki and in another saying he was a billionaire further lending credence to the insinuations that she just wanted to be Mrs Jeremi by all means and crudely deployed old feminine wiles to achieve that but in vain.”

Tracing the genesis of her relationship with the Delta State-born billionaire to one night in December 2015 shortly after moving into her Banana Island mansion and how they hit it off almost immediately, Linda wrote, “I was definitely searching and I fell in love almost immediately and so we became an item…It was a whirlwind romance. He was the funniest and most romantic guy I’d met up until that point, so it was easy to fall in love and I truly believed the feeling was mutual.” She went on to describe how one thing led to the other and ‘she fell pregnant’ even though the relationship had gone south. Linda welcomed a son whom she named Jayce Jeremi three months ago.

“Predictably, Linda’s post is the trending topic on all social media platforms – an uproar borne out of the song and dance she made of her alleged celibacy. A lot of Nigerians have weighed in on the matter while the man in the middle of the storm, a private man who despite his billions and connections, remained anonymous until this blogger came into his life. Even now, he would rather keep quiet.

“What Jeremi and Linda had was just a fling – a typical case of boy meets girl, just that in this case, there was a very desperate party. Jeremi was just out to have fun and there was not supposed to be any commitment or emotional attachment. But Linda had her plans from the moment she set eyes on him.”

“When Linda came up with the pregnancy tale and stormed his house crying and begging, Jeremi had to be diplomatic about it because he didn’t want to create a scene.

“He told her point-blank how disappointed he was and that if she was trying to lure him into marriage, she had another think coming. That was when Linda began to plead and blackmail him. Initially, she said it was a taboo from her part of Imo State to have a child outside wedlock. Later, she said Jeremi should just meet her father to assure him that he is the owner to save them from shame and what the world would think of her after she had deceived a lot of young girls about her pious life.”

“I am privy to the fact that Linda has been begging him to just accept paternity of the baby. And she herself confessed that she knew he was not in love with her neither did they talk about marriage but since she was pregnant, abortion was out of the question because of her age. Now, Jeremi feels used and I don’t know how the matter can ever be settled because what they had was not supposed to lead to this – it was more like a one night stand. So, all the emotion she is whipping up is to sway her gullible followers,” the source said.

http://www.informationng.com/2018/12/sholaye-jeremi-never-had-a-relationship-with-linda-ikeji-insiders-reveals-how-blogger-reportedly-blackmailed-him-with-pregnancy.html

Atiku should not yan nonsense o, men are waiting for his money in the streets.

People are waiting for Atiku money in the grassroots, you are talking of YouTube.

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the success in the fight against corruption, insurgency and other security challenges.

In a congratulatory message to president Buhari on his 76th birthday on Saturday, the former leader praised the president for providing focused leadership and showing tremendous energy despite his age.

President Muhammadu Buhari will clock 76 on Monday 17, December, 2018.

IBB noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had been “an excellent role model to many young aspiring politicians and even to the not so young, because of the way and manner you have managed to sustain the survival of our country as an indivisible one nation albeit in the face of many daunting diversions.

“You achieved great success in the fight against corruption, terrorism and other forms of insecurity in addition to getting our country out of economic recession.

“It is heartwarming that at 76, in spite of the numerous onerous challenges of leadership, you have managed to remain focused and have shown tremendous energy and vibrancy in running the affairs of state with your acknowledged patriotism and commitment to serve our nation diligently with honesty and sincerity of purpose,” IBB

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ibb-praises-buhari-for-tackling-insecurity-other-challenges-despite-age.html

Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has disclosed that even the governors serving on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts to declare support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election, adding that “We are now just waiting to swear-in Mr. President in 2019 from what I saw today.”

Lalong spoke yesterday in Jos after returning from a meeting with the President in Abuja, which according to him was attended by other governors across all political parties including the PDP.



He said, “I am just coming back from Abuja. Today, the governors went to greet Mr. President; both the APC and the PDP governors. We were surprised, we thought it’s only the APC governors that like President Buhari, but when we got there every body praised President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Both the APC and the PDP governors said Mr. President has done very well for the country. They told the President, you have rescued Nigeria from crisis and poverty. And they concluded that may God help you and may God help us as well.”

The governor, who also commissioned his campaign office for his 2019 re-election bid along Yakubu Gowon road, Jos, said he was overwhelmed by the turn out, adding that it was a testimony that Plateau people wanted him to continue is good works in the state.

Also speaking at the event, the state APC chairman, Mr. Latep Dabang warned that the campaign office was not meant for the commissioners to come and hang around, ordering them to go to their various local governments and campaign among the grassroots and deliver their councils to APC in the elections.
Dabang also declared that the APC campaign office was the most prominent in the state, noting that other parties can only copy from the APC.

Also speaking, Mr. Pam Dung Gyang, the Governors campaign organisation Director General said, “I see the event as the opening of new era in Plateau.
“Your leadership style and track record show that you have the capacity to take Plateau to the next level. We are assuring you that we are working hard and doing our best to ensure that there is no vacancy in Government House come 2019.

We now have peace in Plateau, barracks have been established, and schools have been established among many other achievements. We shall launch our campaign and all other parties shall go into hiding. “

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/12/15/pdp-governors-have-endorsed-buhari-claims-lalong/

Girls should be careful not to fall,
If the mistakenly fall,
They shouldn't forget to
Go for pregnancy test.

My 2 cent.

The Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team has arrested four persons operating an illegal fake drug production factory in Lagos.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood, told newsmen on Friday in Lagos that the suspects operated the factory from a four-bedroom building located at No. 2, Okunnenye Street, Ikotun Egbe area of the state.


Parading the suspects at the factory premises, Moshood said the IRT operatives raided the secret factory on Thursday, following a tip off.

According to him, large quantities of suspected fake drugs were seized during the raid.

“Recovered from the scene were cartons of assorted fake drugs, large quantities of unprocessed chemical substances used in manufacturing drugs, several machines fabricated for processing, manufacturing and packaging of the fake drugs.


“Also recovered are forged pharmaceutical papers.

“The premises has also been sealed and remains sealed till the determination of the matter by a court,” Moshood said.

The principal suspect told journalists that he owned the factory, stressing that he learnt the trade from a friend who died four years ago.


“Although I am not a pharmacist or a chemist, the medications are not totally fake, as I use quality chemicals to produce them.

“My market is at Onitsha, Anambra State. I don’t supply in Lagos. I distribute only in Onitsha and they in turn know where they distribute to.

“I have not really made too much money but at least, I have made little money.


“I am the owner of the place. I do take the drug and give to my wife and children to treat malaria because it is not totally fake. I try to be genuine.

“Instead of 250mg, I make it 180mg. That is the only offence I have committed, but really, the medicine works,” the suspect said.


A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria at the scene reports that the uncompleted building served as factory and residence for the suspects.

(NAN)

https://punchng.com/i-distribute-my-products-only-in-onitsha-never-in-lagos-says-fake-drugs-manufacturer/amp/

Na clap en take dey enter dance - Aristotle, 2000BC.

What would Atiku have lost if he had signed it?
What would be the opinion of international community on Atiku for failing to sign the peace accord?
Whoever advised him not to, don't mean well for him.

Buhari is a force