₦airaland Forum

The awkward trend of public officeholders getting foreign medical services at public expense is self-serving, immoral and condemnable. It is, therefore, heartwarming that the House of Representatives is walking on the path of justice to undo the exploitative pastime of a privileged few. But beyond sanctions for violators, the House should, by extension, push for an effective and efficient health system in the country.

Against the backdrop of dwindling foreign reserves and biting economic realities, the lower chamber of the National Assembly again pushed to curb foreign medical trips by government officials. The worry is that such medical tourism has gone reckless and the privilege abused at the expense of the State and its scarce resources. A conservative estimate puts medical tourism at an average of $2.5 billion (N1.04 trillion) a year. To push back on the prodigal spending, Reps is walking the ropes of an Act that prescribes a jail term of seven years and/or a fine of N500 million for officials who spend public funds on foreign medical trips. The bill has graciously passed the second reading. The Sergius Ogun-proposed legislation is not the first to attempt an amendment to the National Health Act 2014, to raise a reasonable barrier against foreign medical trips, which is thriving at the expense of creating such services at home. It is, perhaps, the first time a serious effort is dissipated at discouraging violation of the rules, and that is commendable.

Regrettably, over the years the rapid decline of medical facilities and services has continued to force Nigerians to seek life-saving treatment abroad. The brain drain that began in 1985 has consistently robbed the country of practicing physicians and specialists to cater for its 200 million people. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) has it that for any country to claim to have enough doctors for its population, it should have one doctor for every 600 persons. It, therefore, means that Nigeria needs about 300,000 medical doctors, but has less than 35,000 working in the country currently. Yet, it is sad to note that these few working medical officials do not have a conducive environment. Of course, the consequence of this is grave with several avoidable deaths and medical errors recorded routinely. These morgues, pretending to be hospitals, have caused the country so much in capital flight, as patients lack confidence in the sector.

As a matter of fact, the right to medical care, whenever and wherever, is sacrosanct. The public service rule also empowers public officials and their families to travel abroad for medical treatment. As a rule, once the scale of charges determined by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is right, the permanent secretary will make his recommendations to the head of the service of the federation for treatment abroad. Perhaps, to curb the abuse of these privileges, President Muhammadu Buhari sometime in April 2016 said, the federal government would not provide funds for any government official to travel abroad for medical treatment unless the case cannot be handled in Nigeria.

He said: “While this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly not encourage expending our hard-earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad when such can be handled in Nigeria.”

But the abuse of privilege has continued to be the national albatross. A number of public officeholders consistently continued to fly overseas for common ailments that cost the national purse a fortune. Even the President, who is due for medical vacation in London, has not shown a good example for the rest of the public officeholders. As of August 2021, Buhari has spent 201 days receiving medical care in London since he assumed leadership in 2015. He is not known to have visited any Nigerian hospital in the last seven years. But, Buhari has stayed long enough in power not to have at least one hospital that has the right equipment and specialities to attend to his medical peculiarities that keep taking him abroad at public expense. An absconding President, who only gets his ailment treated in foreign hospitals, by foreign doctors, and observes vacation overseas is an insult to national pride and a compromise to national security. Such is uncharacteristic of remarkable leadership.

With the President and co. freely junketing wards of foreign hospitals, why should anyone bother about the decrepit status of public local hospitals where the poor masses are dying in droves? It is such immorality of wicked self-centredness that the new bill is pushing to arrest. What is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander. Nigerians too deserve to have first-class hospital services at home that are manned by happy Nigerian doctors. Yet, it is a constitutional and moral responsibility that the current administration owes to the people. We expect the House of Reps to see the bill through. Then, it would no longer be business as usual, since even the privileged officeholders will need and push for an effective and efficient healthcare system that works for all in Nigeria. The Nigerian public can as well count on the lawmakers to demand better funding of quality and affordable healthcare that meets the needs of all – irrespective of status. That is the path of fairness and justice. The lawmakers can do no wrong in this matter.

PRESS RELEASE

POLICE WOMEN DRESS CODE: ADOPTED, APPROVED IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, has approved a new and improved dress code for Women Officers which permits them to wear stud earrings, and headscarf under their berets or peak caps as the case may be while in uniform. The dress code was unveiled at the IGP’s meeting with Strategic Police Managers on March 3, 2022.

The IGP noted that the Nigeria Police workforce has officers from every local government in the country with a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, and an increased inclusion of female folks. This therefore brings the need to guarantee inclusion, gender mainstreaming, ethnic and religious diversity in the work place for optimum output and professionalism. This has informed the improvement for effective global workforce diversity management. Other countries that have adopted same dress code include Canada, the United States of America, Sweden, Turkey, Australia and the United Kingdom amongst others.

The dress code is optional and Senior Women Police Officers have been tasked by the IGP to ensure compliance with the approved standard for women police officers who have opted to adopt the dress code.

The Inspector-General of Police noted that this development, which is in line with international best practices addresses the growing concern for gender mainstreaming and respect for culture and diversity.

CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra
Ag. FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA
MARCH 4, 2022

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the reinstatement of Obasi Odefa as a member and also as the deputy speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly.

The court also restored the seats of two other lawmakers, Ngọzi Eziụlọ (PDP-Afikpo North East) and Oliver Osi (PDP-Ivo).

The court order followed an ex-parte motion, dated February 24, 2022, filed by the three lawmakers, challenging the declaration of their seats vacant and the removal of Mr Odefa as the deputy speaker last month.

The court barred the House, its speaker, and the clerk from carrying out any action that would affect the membership of the three lawmakers.

Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered all parties in the matter to maintain the status quo that hitherto existed before the House took the controversial decisions against the trio.

The Judge said: “An Interim Order of this Honourable Court restraining the defendants, especially the 5th to 8th defendants, ether by themselves, their servants, assigns or privies or otherwise howsoever from taking any other or further steps as it relates to the entire circumstances of this matter and or from disturbing the plaintiffs’ membership of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice.

“An order of this Honourable Court directing parties in this suit to maintain the status quo ante bellum that existed on the 18th day of February 2022 pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice already pending before this Honourable Court.”

The House, under controversial circumstances, last month declared Mr Odefa’s seat and that of the two other lawmakers vacant.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Francis Nwifuru said Mr Odefa wrote a letter in which he resigned his membership of the House, a claim Mr Odefa denied.

The House, after removing Mr Odefa, elected Ogbonnaya Ịkọrọ as the new deputy speaker.

The House said it declared the seats of the other two lawmakers vacant because of their alleged resignation from their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The lawmakers refuted the resignation allegation.

The Ebonyi House of Assembly, the speaker, and the clerk were joined as respondents in the suit.

Other respondents include the Independent National Electoral Commission, Attorney General of the Federation, Inspector General of Police, and the State Security Services.

The court ordered for substituted service on the 5th to 8th respondents and adjoined the matter to March 16 for hearing.

President Muhammadu Buhari met with governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday at State House, Abuja, where he expressed his preference for former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, as consensus candidate for the office of APC national chairman.

The meeting with the state chief executives was called to discuss the forthcoming national convention of the party scheduled for March 26, among other issues.

APC stakeholders from the South-east pushed for the office of National Secretary, while the South-west, where the office was originally zoned, was still divided over the party position.

However, under the latest agreement reached by the Governors yesterday at their meeting after the meeting with Buhari, all the previous positions in the party held by members from the North-west would now go to those from the South-east; all positions that were held by those in the North-east would go to those in the South-west; and all positions previously held by those from the North-central would automatically go to those from the South-south. Therefore, the position of party secretary and chairman were dealt with.

It was agreed that Adamu would be National Chairman.

The president’s only preference was Adamu as National Chairman, and for the rest positions, he asked the stakeholders to go and decide.

Some of the APC governors at the meeting wanted the March 26 date proposed for the party’s national convention to remain as planned, but some aspirants for the party positions wrote to the president to halt plans for the convention.

Although it would have been Buni’s preferred plan to hold the convention and presidential primary same time, that is no longer feasible given INEC’s timetable and time constraint.

At the meeting attended by 11 of the 22 APC governors at the president’s office, Buhari was said to have turned down the governors’ request for him to have a rethink on his support for Adamu as national chairman of the party.

The president, who met with the governors shortly before departing for Nairobi, Kenya, to attend a four-day international summit, said no to the attempt by the governors to get him to change his mind on the former Nasarawa State governor. He was said to have bluntly refused to shift ground, when the governors advanced their reasons against the ranking senator emerge as national chairman.

The governors were said to have expressed their desire to allow all those that have signified interest in the national chairmanship of the party to run, which the president rejected.

The engagement provided an avenue for South-east APC governors to complain about the zoning of the office of the national secretary to South-west rather than their region.

Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, who led the team to the meeting with Buhari, was said to have told them that it was too late to amend the zoning formula.

In spite of the position of the chairman of PGF, the South-east governors resolved to take their agitation for the party scribe to a meeting of the APC governors that was scheduled to hold next Tuesday at Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

The Tuesday evening’s meeting, expected to be attended by the 22 APC governors, will take another look at the totality of the forthcoming national convention with regard to the zoning arrangement for the offices.

Apart from Bagudu, other APC governors at the meeting were Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Aminu Masari (Katsina), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Sani Bello (Niger), Umar Ganduje (Kano), and outing deputy governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke.

Buni absent at meeting

At the end of the meeting with Buhari, the governors affirmed that there was no plan to move the national convention from the scheduled date of March 26, in Abuja. This was despite the tight timeframe provided by the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released for next year’s general election.

There had been speculations that a section of the party was pushing for the postponement of the national convention so that both the election of the national executives and the primaries to select its candidates for the 2023 elections could be done simultaneously.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting with the president, Bagudu assured that the party would maintain the March 26 date for the exercise. He said the governors met with the president to congratulate him for signing the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and also on the victory of APC in some of the by-elections conducted over the weekend.

On whether the idea of further postponement of the convention was discussed at the meeting, Bagudu stated, “Last week, we were in this hall (villa), about 20 APC governors, and this question came up and we clearly said we came to discuss the national convention, which is slated for March 26, and are working hard to ensure that on March 26, we have our convention and elect our national officers and that remains the case.”

He dismissed speculation that the APC state chief executives were still divided over the direction of the party especially, after what seemed to be an altercation among them as they emerged from the meeting with the president.

Bagudu stated, “There’s no altercation, I’m not aware of any. Mallam Nasiru (Kaduna State governor), again last week, answered that. Look, if by altercation people are talking about differences of opinion before a decision is arrived at, then, maybe, that is what people can… but as a body, the 22 governors of APC are united behind the party and behind Mr. President.”

On the essence of the meeting on Tuesday, Bagudu explained, “Today, Tuesday, 1st of March, a number of APC governors came to Mr. President to, among others, congratulate him on signing the Electoral Act.

“This is something many Nigerians have expressed different views about, but Mr. President had once again taken the courageous step of, even while having observations, he signed and requested the National Assembly to look at it. So, we congratulate the National Assembly for passage of the amendments and equally congratulate Mr. President for signing the amendment.

“Secondly, our party, the All Progressives Congress, participated in a number of by-elections over the last weekend and equally, we congratulated Mr. President and in addition, we spoke about other issues that concern our party.”

Bagudu dismissed insinuations that governors were still not comfortable with certain provisions of the Act, saying, “I’ve always had cause to address this. There was no time; legislation, everywhere in the world, is based on continuous improvement. Constitutions that are 200 years old are subject to reviews sometimes and those reviews are not cut and dry. Even people, who truly believe in the need for legislation may have worries about the implications of it.

“Like I said, we’re never against the principle of amending laws. They (governors) are never against the National Assembly, but even among the National Assembly, there’s debate. To imagine that there is some legislation that is punitive to the governors or to the National Assembly, I think that will be tantamount to negation of the Oath of Office, whoever is participating in doing that.”

According to a senior official of the APC caretaker committee, “As you know, our party is already fragmented along different interest groups. It is expected that there will be serious crisis within the party after the national convention fixed for March 26. And we don’t have enough time to resolve the crisis before the presidential primary that will start on April 4.

“So, our reasoning is that if we hold the national convention and presidential primary same day, we will have almost eight months to resolve the crises that will emanate from both the national convention and the presidential primary before the campaign starts – in line with INEC’s timetable.”

The APC chieftain added that almost all members of the interim committee and some governors had keyed into this news idea, saying it would be “suicidal for the party to go ahead” with the national convention fixed for March 26.

“The whole idea is to see how we can manage our crisis. We don’t want to have a sharply divided party that will be going into campaign and elections. And we hope to present this case to our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, for approval in the next few days.”

Another source also claimed that the fresh plot to hold the national convention and the presidential primary same day had always been the “agenda” of Buni-led caretaker committee.

The source said, “We are aware of the new move by some members of the caretaker committee. That has always been their agenda. They really want to conduct the presidential primary and the convention the same day, so that they can benefit from it. Let’s see how it goes.”

Moreover, a group under the auspices of All Progressive Congress (APC) Action Group demanded that the presidential primary and the national convention of APC be held on the same date.

The group, in a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bisi Olanipekun, said there was need to save money for the party and to shield party members from expending so much resources for the two events that could be held in a day.

Aspirants Write Buhari, Want National Convention Halted

The Forum of All Progressive Congress (APC) Aspirants for National Convention wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari and urged him to halt the forthcoming national convention of the party slated for March 26. The aspirants, in the letter jointly signed yesterday by the forum’s President and Secretary, Mr. Tolulope Ashafa and Mr. Usman Adamu, respectively, alleged that four APC governors were planning to bring the convention forward by holding it earlier than planned.

The aspirants said the development would make the APC unable to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the 30-day notice required by law for it to hold the convention.

The forum said the prediction that the Electoral Act 2022 would cause the demise of APC was anchored not on the content of the legislation but the unholy manipulations going on in the party.

The forum stated, “We crave your patience to recall the near toxic wrangling over the timing of APC’s National Convention. But for the wisdom of Mr. President, who sided with critical stakeholders on the need to hold the convention at a more auspicious time, a gang of state governors had arrogated the power of decision to themselves and were going to force the gathering through without minding the consequences on the party, the country’s democracy, and Your Excellency’s image.

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State are among the members of the cartel that has put its interest over that of our great party by trying to forcefully conduct the convention in a manner that would have sabotaged the APC but for your timely intervention.”

The forum alleged that these governors were exploiting the names of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and the president to promote one candidate above the others in a manner that completely negated the neutrality that the president had embodied in the handling of political decisions in the country.

Barring any last minute change, the former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is set to once again dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the
New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP.

Already Senator Kwankwaso on Tuesday met with the leadership of NNPP in a bid to finalize his coming to the party which he is expected to use for his presidential ambition.

The outgoing National Secretary of the party, Ambassador Agbo Gilbert Major, disclosed this in Abuja, on the sidelines of the Special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

He said the meeting was aimed at taking crucial decisions that will reposition the party ahead of 2023 general elections.

According to him, in few days time, the two-time Kano State governor would join the party alongside his allies.

He said, “Nigerians are getting set for the general election and we are meeting to reposition the party, and the frontiers are opening, a lot of Nigerians are coming in and there is need for us to adjust and accommodate the interests that are coming in.

“These are the very crucial decisions that we are about to take and it is going to midwife a national convention which will hold within the next 30 days. We have read Nigerians speculating, the only thing I can tell you is that we are in deep talks with Kwankwaso, in fact we have almost concluded, in the next few days, we will be reverting to Nigerians to tell them what understanding we have had with him (Kwankwaso), but I can assure you that he is on his way into NNPP,” Major said.

He also ruled out an automatic presidential ticket for Kwankwaso, saying other aspirants would be given the opportunity to contest for it.

He said Kwankwaso, during the talks, assured that he would be a loyal party member and would follow the dictates and rules of the party.

“The presidential ticket is not automatic, he (Kwankwaso) has told us that his moves towards coming into the party should not be seen as an attempt to take the ticket automatically, and we have encouraged other aspirants to come so that we can fully demonstrate the power of the rights of people,” he said.

Major also said the party will not be going into any coalition or merge with any group or political party, as this had been tried in the past without meaningful result.

“We have never been part of any coalition, it is important to let you know that the NNPP is a very old party and so we have seen a lot of these things come and go, we have never believed in this coalition thing because we have experimented it.

“In 2007 we went into some form of electoral alliance, we did not get what we wanted to get, coming together entails either a merger arrangement or a coalition, we have experimented with coalition repeatedly, and it has not given us any result, the only thing they have tried and it worked is the merger,” he said.

The meeting adopted the proposal to amend the party’s constitution granting waivers to new members and restructuring of the party.

This is to enable new comers contest for party’s elective positions or as candidate of the party in state and national elections.

Members of the Caretaker Committee were sworn in immediately as the with the outgoing national chairman becoming the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman.

AVM John Chris Ifeimeje (Retd) emerged the acting national chairman in the national caretaker committee of the party.

The caretaker committee was shared between the party’s old NNPP members and other members of the Kwankwaso groups.

Some of the prominent Kwankwaso loyalists that attended the meeting include former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali; former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Engr. Buba Galadima; and former Kaduna Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi among others.

eddie7:
Any info on the version of the house of reps voting?

I am deeply saddened by the news of the sudden death of Mr. Ojima Omale, aka OJBEST, 28, my young enterprising shoemaker and friend.

Omale was CEO of O.J Best Footwears. He was talented, creative and dedicated to his craft. I never ceased to be impressed by his exertions for perfection in his products.

I and many members of my team, for whom he also made shoes, will miss him, his services and unfailing good humour.

Our thoughts are with his family as we pray that God will comfort them. May his memory remain blessed. Amen

28 Feb 2022

The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) discussed again today the dilemma the Olympic Movement is currently facing after the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government and the government of Belarus through its support in this.

The Olympic Movement is united in its mission to contribute to peace through sport and to unite the world in peaceful competition beyond all political disputes. The Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, World Championships and World Cups and many other sports events unite athletes of countries which are in confrontation and sometimes even war.

At the same time, the Olympic Movement is united in its sense of fairness not to punish athletes for the decisions of their government if they are not actively participating in them. We are committed to fair competitions for everybody without any discrimination.

The current war in Ukraine, however, puts the Olympic Movement in a dilemma. While athletes from Russia and Belarus would be able to continue to participate in sports events, many athletes from Ukraine are prevented from doing so because of the attack on their country.

This is a dilemma which cannot be solved. The IOC EB has therefore today carefully considered the situation and, with a heavy heart, issued the following resolution:

In order to protect the integrity of global sports competitions and for the safety of all the participants, the IOC EB recommends that International Sports Federations and sports event organisers not invite or allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in international competitions.

Wherever this is not possible on short notice for organisational or legal reasons, the IOC EB strongly urges International Sports Federations and organisers of sports events worldwide to do everything in their power to ensure that no athlete or sports official from Russia or Belarus be allowed to take part under the name of Russia or Belarus.

Russian or Belarusian nationals, be it as individuals or teams, should be accepted only as neutral athletes or neutral teams. No national symbols, colours, flags or anthems should be displayed.

Wherever, in very extreme circumstances, even this is not possible on short notice for organisational or legal reasons, the IOC EB leaves it to the relevant organisation to find its own way to effectively address the dilemma described above.

In this context, the IOC EB considered in particular the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and reiterated its full support for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Games.

The IOC EB maintains its urgent recommendation not to organise any sports event in Russia or Belarus, issued on 25 February 2022.

The IOC EB has, based on the exceptional circumstances of the situation and considering the extremely grave violation of the Olympic Truce and other violations of the Olympic Charter by the Russian government in the past, taken the ad hoc decision to withdraw the Olympic Order from all persons who currently have an important function in the government of the Russian Federation or other government-related high-ranking position, including the following:


Mr Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation (Gold, 2001)

Mr Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation (Gold, 2014)

Mr Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office (Gold, 2014)

The IOC EB welcomes and appreciates the many calls for peace by athletes, sports officials and members of the worldwide Olympic Community. The IOC admires and supports in particular the calls for peace by Russian athletes.

The IOC EB reaffirms its full solidarity with the Ukrainian Olympic Community. They are in our hearts and thoughts. The IOC EB commits to continue and strengthen its efforts for humanitarian assistance. Therefore, the IOC EB has today established a solidarity fund. In this context, the IOC expresses its gratitude to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Sports Federations that are already supporting Ukrainian athletes and their families.

The IOC EB, assisted by the IOC Task Force, continues to closely monitor the situation. It may adapt its recommendations and measures according to future developments.

Today’s IOC statement builds on the IOC statements made on 24 February 2022 and 25 February 2022.

The IOC reaffirms the call of the IOC President: “Give peace a chance.”

IOC EB urges all International Federations to relocate or cancel their sports events currently planned in Russia or Belarus

IOC strongly condemns the breach of the Olympic Truce.

The Federal government Friday met with Envoys of the Group of Seven (G7) countries over the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the leader of the delegation and German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory; United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard; British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing; Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi and representatives of the Embassies of Japan and Canada.

Speaking after the closed door meeting, Ory, the German Chair of the G7 Group, expressed appreciation for the recent African Union statement on Russia and the current situation in Ukraine which is very worrisome.

Ory stated that, what was needed, which they found out that they have, was a clear and unanimous condemnation of the attacks by all United Nations member states in the light of Russia’s military aggression.

Ory further said there will be resolutions in the United Nations Security Council, as well as the General Assembly and other United Nations fora such as the Human Rights Council where Nigeria is a very important voice and member.

While commending Nigeria for putting in its weight, Ory stated that Nigeria is a very important voice that the world needed to hear.

Responding, Onyeama restated Nigeria’s condemnation of the military invasion into Ukrainian territory by Russians.

Onyeama added that the Federal Government made it clear that Nigeria does not condone those aggressions and urged Russia to pull back and stop intervention and urged peace and diplomacy to be prioritised by both sides.

“We support every effort being made to stop the aggression and Russian troops to return to Russia,” Onyeama said.

The meeting which took place at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja, had in attendance the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the leader of the delegation and German Ambassador to Nigeria, Birgitt Ory; United States Ambassador to Nigeria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appealed directly to Ukrainian troops and told them "it will be easier for us to agree if you take power in your own hands".

During the address, he added it was "easier to negotiate with you" than the "gang of Nazis that ha captured Kyiv" - an apparent reference to Ukraine's current leadership.

"I once again appeal to the military personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine: do not allow neo-Nazis and (Ukrainian radical nationalists) to use your children, wives and elders as human shields," he said at a televised meeting with Russia's security council.

"Take power into your own hands, it will be easier for us to reach agreement."

He went on to claim Russian servicemen in Ukraine were acting "bravely, professionally and heroically."

It comes as the Kremlin said Russia was read to send a delegation to Belarus for talks with Ukrainian officials after launching its invasion.

dfrost:
Everybody don dey collect.

Do the crime, do the time. E remain Sura the Tailor cum Escobar

The Court of Appeal, Abuja on Wednesday upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court which set aside the candidacy of Andy Uba as the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recent governorship election in Anambra State.

In a unanimous Judgement delivered by Justice Danlami Zenchi, the appellate court dismissed the appeals brought by Andy Uba and the APC against the judgment of the trial court for lack of merit.

Justice Zenchi held that the panel considered all the issues raised by the appellants in the two appeals and resolved all the issues against them. The court agreed with the submissions of the counsel to Moghalu, Chris Uche, dismissed the appeals, and affirmed the decision of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court delivered on December 20, last year.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, had in his judgment that was been challenged at the Court of Appeal, held that Uba was never a candidate in the poll having emerged from an illegally conducted primary election by the APC.

Ekwo held that the plaintiff, George Moghalu, succeeded in proving that the APC did not conduct a valid primary election which Mr Uba claimed to have won as the party’s flag bearer in the November 6, 2021 election. Consequently, he ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delete Uba’s name from its record as a candidate in the election.

Justice Ekwo equally ordered the APC to refund to the plaintiff N22.5 million he paid for expression of interest and nomination forms since the party failed to conduct a valid primary. Andy Uba had emerged as the candidate as the APC’s candidate at the primary election held on June 26, 2021.

But in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/648/2021, Moghalu, an aspirant in the APC primary election, challenged the process and the outcome of the primary election.

Moghalu contended that the APC did not comply with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the APC’s regulations and guidelines in the conduct of its governorship primary in Anambra State.

Meanwhile, the November 6 election has since been won by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, who was inaugurated in March.

In the suit, Moghalu urged the court to determine whether a political party that fails to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act (2010), the party’s constitution, and its guideline, can validly field a candidate for the election.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Chris Uche, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court that his client’s grouse was that the “so-called primary election”, which produced Mr Uba as APC’s candidate for the Anambra governorship poll, breached the Electoral Act and the APC guidelines for the conduct of the exercise.

In his arguments, Uche referenced a report by officials of the INEC which allegedly declared that the primary election did not take place up till 5.30 p.m. when its officials left the primary election venue.

This report, according to the plaintiff’s lawyer, corroborates his client’s claim that the APC did not hold a valid primary in Anambra State. He prayed the court to declare that, by virtue of the APC’s alleged non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the party’s regulations and guidelines in the conduct of its primary in Anambra State, Uba “is not a candidate at the said 6th November 2021 gubernatorial election or at any subsequent postponement”.

The plaintiff equally asked the court to declare that the APC was bound to comply with all the relevant legal provisions in the conduct of its primary election after having demanded and received N22.5 million from him and 13 other aspirants.

He also asked the court to, among others, declare that having allegedly failed to comply with the relevant applicable laws, the APC had no candidate for the governorship election. He, therefore, urged the court to order the party to refund the N22.5 million he paid for the expression of interest and nomination forms.

Furthermore, he asked the court to grant a perpetual injunction to restrain Mr Uba from parading himself as the candidate of the APC in the (then) forthcoming election.

“An order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to delist the APC and Uba from the list of political parties and candidates for the election,” Moghalu added.

MC Oluomo's son, King West, has threatened people who post negative things about him.

In a post shared on his Instastories some hours ago, the son of the NURTW chieftain stated that such people should know they are at risk.

He shared a video of a police officer saluting him and opening the door of his car before posting the warning to his haters.

The Imo state immediate past commissioner for foreign affairs, Fabian Ihekweme, on Wednesday dumped the All Progressives Congress, APC, and joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The defection took place at the Kanu Nwankwo stadium in Owerri, during the reception organised by the PDP, to welcome home the National Secretary of the party, Senator Samdaddy Anyanwu, along with the National leadership led by the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Also received officially to the PDP, was another top stakeholder, and a former Chairman of the PDP, in the state, Charles Ezekwem, who abandoned the APC, and returned to the PDP, among other hundreds of supporters.

President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress(APC) Governor’s are in a closed-door meeting in the Executive Council Chamber of of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting, which started around 3pm, was rescheduled following postponement of the earlier one by President Buharinlast week just before he traveled to Belgium for the EU-African Summit.

The meeting has 18 members of the Progressives Governors Forum(PGF) are in attendance.

They are Governors of Yobe, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Lagos, Borno, Niger, Gombe, Osun, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kano, Imo, Kogi, Ogun and Plateau States.

Anambra Deputy Govenor is also in attendance.

A Federal High Court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, has sentenced a former Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, to three months imprisonment.

The court also sentenced a former Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Raymond Dabo, and Evangelist Leo Sunday Jitung to three months imprisonment.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Musa Kurna on Tuesday.

DAILYPOST recalls that the three had been standing trial for the past four years on charges bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.

However, the sentence has an option of a fine of N1 million.

The camps of Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma and his predecessor Senator Rochas Okorocha camps have disagreed over planned postponement of the All Progressives Congress(APC) National convention.

Uzodimma’s camp said there is good reason for postponement of the convention slated for February 26 because the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) would not be holding the Federal and State by-elections across the country on that day it will be organising a national convention for the party.

Reacting on the matter, Imo APC chairman loyal to Okorocha, Dan Nwafor, said nothing will stop the convention from holding as scheduled.

He added that the whole idea of calling for a shift was already allegedly preplanned by the Buni caretaker committee.

Nwafor lampooned the committee chairman for the hiccups in the party and accused him of attempting to be in charge of the primary elections of the party and at the same being the Governor of Yobe State.

“I do not subscribe to shifting the date for the APC convention but it is already preplanned that this convention will not hold ,Mai Mallam Buni is a total failure ,he has not done anything to improve the chances of the party going forward to 2023 ,he wants to be in charge and conduct the primary,that’s his problem .

“He is the Governor of Yobe State but he has abandoned his responsibility only to be running about as caretaker committee chairman,he can’t be caretaker forever ,but he and the people he is working with want him to be in power.There is nothing abinitio to show that he wants to conduct the election,he is a disappointment,’ Nwafor said.

However, State Publicity Secretary of the party, Cajetan Duke loyal to Uzodimma said the election would coincide with the bye election of the Federal and State constitutencies bye elections and called for its postponement.

He said: “Of course you know that there are four or six Federal and State constitencies and INEC will not be doing election on that day and at the same time be organising convention for the party. So, if you check it ,it is not right, we can not be doing convention and at the same time be doing by election.

“You know here in Imo, we are involved in the by-election. I am aware that the convention was slated on 26th February and on that date, there will be by-election for the Federal and State constitutencies in Nigeria. So, if there is any postponement it should be in that order,” he said.

etokhana:
No be expected names show nah....

We meuveeeeee

TILL VICTORY ALWAYS!!!

HOLD YOUR HEADS HIGH

On behalf of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, I will like to thank you most sincerely for heeding the call earlier this morning to participate in our party’s governorship primary and conduct yourselves most peacefully. You adopted a non-violent posture, even in the face of sore provocation.

You have demonstrated your loyalty to the party and democratic ideals. You have comported yourselves as Omoluabi in the true essence.
We have received and continue to receive the reports of the shenanigans of the officials who conducted the sham of an election. We have been inundated with reports state-wide of how your names were expunged from the party’s voters register, which was not made available until this morning, contrary to the convention of making the list available to the candidates before the election.

We have heard of how party registration cards were being hawked this morning to the supporters of the state governor.

We have also received reports of how accreditation was not done at all in many wards and how people without the party identification just participated and queued behind the governor in many polling units.
We have received the report from our members and independent observers, how government officials and notable supporters of the governor officiated in the election, how votes were farcically counted in favour of the governor and how the votes recorded for him were more than the number of voters accredited ab initio in many units.

We have heard of the absence of result sheets and other vital documents for recording results and vital data. We note also the absence of INEC officials in most wards, casting serious doubt on the credibility of the election.

We note with shame and much regret the consternation of local and international observers on what they regard as a travesty of an election.
I will urge you to maintain your cool and calm. Be not downcast, be not agitated. Hold your head high. We are still receiving and studying all these reports and will take a definitive position on them.

You are urged not to take laws into your hands. Please leave the rest to the Almighty God and let us explore all peaceful and legal means for addressing the matter in order to obtain justice.

Please remain committed to peace and the rule of law. Be unflinching in your commitment to the democratic ideals. Democracy is for the long haul. As you all know, we never tire and we never give up on the cause we believe in. Be rest assured that victory is ours.
I thank you all.

Sola Fasure
Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

For and on behalf of
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
Minister of Interior

Former Kano State Governor and Senator representing Kano Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, Ibrahim Shekarau, has decried Thursday’s ruling by the Appeal Court in Abuja recognising the the faction of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Reacting to the ruling, Shekarau, whose own faction lost out with the ruling, lamemted that the National Secretariat of the APC issued the Ganduje faction a certificate of return immediately the court judgement was pronounced despite his faction having two court rulings in its favour for over two months without the party recognizing their court order.

In an audio recording shortly after the pronouncement, Shekarau, the leader of the ‘Kano G7 Faction,’ lamented that despite the “faction always expressing readiness for true reconciliation and respect to the party national hierarchy, they were unjustly treated by the action of issuing the Ganduje-led factional Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, a certificate recognising him as authentic leader of the party executives in Kano.”

‘’For over two months, we have had two High Court rulings recognising the congresses conducted by our faction but the national headquarters of the party did not, in its wisdom, accord us the recognition to have issued our elected Chairman Ahmadu Haruna Zago certificate.

“But just few hours after the appeal court ruling of Thursday, the party issued Abdullahi Abbas certificate of return,’’ Shekarau said in the audio.

‘’It is disgusting that since we had the two court judgement of the High Court, we had never insulted anybody over the victory but surprisingly, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje himself was the person that descended so low to have described our group with words demeaning of an elder and a respected leader.

‘’We would not condescend to the level of gutter language as a well trained personalities,’’ he added, while appealing to the G-7 supporters of the group to remain calm and have faith believing that justice would be done.

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has summoned Abdulmumin Jibrin, a former federal lawmaker who is now an executive director at the agency, over allegations of misconduct.

In a letter dated February 15 issued by Zubairu Salihu, chairman of FHA’s investigative/disciplinary committee, the FHA said Mr Jibrin had failed to respond to a a query issued earlier.

Mr Jibrin was appointed executive director (Business Development) of FHA in August 2020 after the court annulled his election to the House of Representatives.

It is unclear what his alleged offence is. But Mr Jibrin has lately led the presidential election campaign of the former Lagos governor, Ahmed Tinubu, while still in office as a government worker.

In the letter seen by this newspaper, the FHA panel said Mr Jibrin is expected to appear before it on Friday, February 18, at FHA’s office in Abuja.

It said the committee’s work will not be invalidated if the former lawmaker does not show up to defend himself against allegations levelled against him.

“Please recall the query issued to you by the Managing Director/CEO over allegations of serious misconduct in the course of your official duties, and your deliberate refusal to respond to the query as required by the Rules of Public Service as applicable to public officers,” the letter said.

Mr Salihu said: “In furtherance of the above the governing board at its 3rd Regular meeting held on Tuesday 2nd February, 2022 had set up an Investigative/Disciplinary Panel to investigate all the alleged serious misconducts levelled against you.”

The panel warned Mr Jibrin of possibly being fired.

“On the specified date, the question of the disciplinary action against you including termination or dismissal (if necessary) will be brought forward and you are required to appear before the panel personally to defend yourself,” it said.

“You are also entitled to call witnesses, if need be. Please further note that your failure to appear will not invalidate the proceedings of the Panel,” the letter read.

It said: “This invitation is issued in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 8.2.0 of the Federal Housing Authority Revised Condition of Service, 2008 and Section 030307 of the Public Service Rules (2009).”

The forthcoming convention of Nigeria’s All Progressive Congress (APC) has split governors elected under the political party into three different groups.

THISDAY gathered that while the group of second term governors want the convention to hold as planned and are assiduously working towards settling for a candidate; the second group which is made up of mainly first term governors want the convention either postponed and a mechanism to return the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee designed so that Buni can continue. On the other hand, a third group of governors also want the convention to hold, and for Buni to continue or the convention postponed.

However, THISDAY learnt that President Muhammadu Buhari met with Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi before he travelled on the matter, and the decision they both arrived is yet to be disclosed.

Nevertheless, due to the development, there is palpable tension, apprehension, and misgivings in the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) over the choice of a consensus national chairman for the APC as there were also indications last night that the leadership of the party had begun to consider March for a possible new date for its national convention, earlier slated for Saturday, February 26.

But one of the frontrunners for the chairmanship position, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, told THISDAY on Wednesday that February 26 remained “sacrosanct”. Mustapha said with the kind of energy the caretaker committee was devoting to preparations for the convention he believed they knew what to do.

Mustapha told THISDAY, “I don’t want to dispute or argue over speculation, since they have not come out officially to say it will hold or it will not hold. For now, we will still retain earlier information that February 26 is sacrosanct. So, if anything is contrary to that, we will have to wait for the official channel of the party to report it to all of us.”

A few weeks ago, the interim national leadership of the party was forced to fix February 26 for the convention, after pressure from the APC governors and other aggrieved stakeholders, who had expressed their displeasures over foot-dragging on the matter.

A crucial meeting between Buhari and the APC governors to fine-tune the zoning of offices and other matters during the convention could not hold on Tuesday as the president met with only Fayemi on behalf of the governors.

The meeting with the APC governors to fine-tune zoning, was to enable the president disclose his preferred chairmanship aspirant to the governors and pave the way for the zoning of other National Working Committee (NWC) offices.

Explaining why the meeting did not hold as scheduled, a source in the presidency told THISDAY yesterday in Abuja that Buhari told some governors, who met with him individually that there was nothing on ground to suggest that the Buni committee was preparing for the national convention.

The president, who left for Brussels to attend an African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) summit, had met with some of the governors, who had arrived at the villa early for the botched meeting.

The governors included Ben Ayade (Cross River), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Simeon Lalong (Plateau), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti).

The inside source stated, “We are now looking at March for possible date for the national convention. Like the president said, there is nothing on ground to convince us that the caretaker committee is ready for the convention on February 26.

“First, the committee has not been able to come out with a zoning formula for the various positions in the party. And we cannot go into the convention without all these things well-spelt out.”

Both Uzodimma and Ayade also hinted on Tuesday that the convention date was not sacrosanct.

The insider explained further that the Buni committee might have deliberately been pussyfooting around the convention because they had all long planned to hold the national convention and the presidential primaries the same day.

A presidency source stated, “The committee wants to also be the one to conduct the presidential primary, but conducting the national convention on February 26 means that there will be a new national executive committee in place to conduct the presidential primaries.

“This appears to be the agenda of Mai Mala Buni-led committee. As I speak with you, the APC governors and other entrenched interest groups within the party are divided on the matter

“Some governors, who met with the president on Tuesday, asked him who was his preferred chairmanship candidate. But, as usual, the president refused to disclose his interest. He only requested for the list of the 12 aspirants. And their names have been forwarded to the relevant security agencies for scrutiny.

“However, the near consensus is that the national chairman of the party should go to the North-central zone.”

But speaking with THISDAY, Mustapha said he did not want to dispute or speculate on a new date for the convention, since the party had not come out with an official statement on the issue.

He said, “If you notice, the trend in the APC, even when the governors met the other time, is that none of them has the authority to pronounce certain things unless endorsed by the authorised organ, and that was why Governor Mai Mala Buni was the one that spoke and gave a specific date for the convention. He is the chairman of the caretaker committee.

“So, I will want to restrict myself to waiting for the official right channel to instruct or to indicate where we stand. As at today, I want to believe the convention is going to take place on February 26.”

Asked to rate his chances in the race, the APC national chairmanship hopeful said, “I believe my chances are very bright and the sky is the limit for me. It has been very positive. Among 11 or 12 of us, we do not see it as a do-or-die affair. We have always approached each other as brothers in this game.

“In fact, I just came across two of my fellow contestants now and the way we were laughing, hugging, playing, was amazing. For us, it is a family affair that can easily be resolved, because for us, we know what it is to have gotten to this point in our journey, and we would try to see that all hands are on deck so as to come out victorious and be able to continue from the gains already recorded by the present administration ably led by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Meanwhike, ahead of the planned convention, there appears to tension and cracks in different camps of the PGF over the choice of a consensus national chairman.

THISDAY gathered that the cracks followed a meeting between the governors of Kebbi State and Jigawa State, Atiku Bagudu and Mohammed Badaru, respectively, who were said to have secretly presented their choice of a consensus national chairman to Buhari, without the knowledge of the other governors.

It was learnt that the two governors met with the president last week, where they sold the idea of Senator Sani Musa as a consensus national chairman of the APC. But other APC governors on hearing of the meeting rejected the choice of Musa, and insisted it was not made with their consent.

Buhari was said to have clearly told Bagudu and Badaru that due process should be followed in picking the consensus chairman. The president, it was gathered, further told them to meet with Buni and other members to agree on the options that met his criteria.

But the crisis rocking APC, insiders said, was compounded by the inability of the convention committee to announce a zoning formula for the national convention.

Federal High Court adjourns till April 8th Nnamdi Kanu's application seeking to dismiss charges against him.

DSS said the clothes brought by Kanu's family had a lion's heart drawn on it and that it offends the operating procedures. When asked by the judge what type of cloth he prefers to wear, Kanu said, "I want to wear the clothes of my people,"Isi Agu". the court refused his request.

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, put off a meeting with Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ostensibly scheduled to discuss matters concerning the ruling party’s upcoming national convention.

Several of the state chief executives had arrived at the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday, only to learn that the meeting would no longer take place.

No official reason was given for the cancellation but the president’s activities for the day had been scheduled to end earlier than usual as he was meant to depart for Belgium later the same day for Europe-African Union Summit taking place in the country.

It is not clear whether the cancellation was for time constraints and when the meeting may be rescheduled.

The president is rescheduled to return from Europe on Saturday.

Some of the governors that were sighted in the villa include the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong (Plateau; Ben Ayade (Cross River), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Hope Uzodinma (Imo) and Yahaya Bello (Kogi).

Also sighted were Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase.

Despite the cancellation of the meeting, both Uzodinma and Bello were able to have separate private audiences with the president on matters concerning their individual states.

The two principal officers of the National Assembly also had a session with the president.

Fielding questions from correspondents after his meeting with the president, Uzodinma explained that there is nothing wrong if the APC decides to shift its national convention from the February 26 scheduled date.

Responding to queries about the fate of the conversation following the party’s inability to agree on offices zoning and setting up convention subcommittees with less than two weeks to the date, he explained: “Of course, that is the decision of the party and there is nothing wrong even if it doesn’t hold. What is important is that we must have our convention. We have said it is the 26th. If anything, for any reason tomorrow, it is not doable in the opinion of the party, we will move. But that does not mean that there is any intention to move.

“We shouldn’t worry about little issues. I think our focus and attention should be towards having a workable democracy in Nigeria, like we have shown, supporting government policies and programmes and then being patriotic. Our democracy will do better if supported with the right attitude. You may not like my face, but the federal government is the Federal Government, the state government is state government.

“We should be able to exhibit sense of nationalism and patriotism. We should be able to support government that is in power. Today, the President, even though produced by APC, is President of all the political parties in Nigeria and the government of all the political parties in Nigeria.

“This mentality of war, war, war, politics and democracy is not about war, it’s about ideology and the ability to sell your policy and the people will buy into it.

“So, I’m confident that our party, contrary to the expectations in some quarters, will be stronger and stronger as we make progress and of course, in the nearest future, I’m very confident that APC will still be in power because the programmes are the party, the manifesto of the party, the individuals in the party, majority of the political class in Nigeria understands that APC is the party to beat and that is why they are joining day by day.”

The Imo governor dismissed fears over the national convention as he affirmed that the APC being the ruling party has the wherewithal to deal with any issues that may arise.

He stated: “Don’t forget that the APC is not a mushroom party, APC is a giant, it’s the largest party today in Africa and that is the party that other small parties should copy. Because small parties come to do zoning and all that does not mean their internal mechanism must be the same with that of APC.

“APC is already the party on the ground that owns the federal government of Nigeria and up to 21 state governments. So, the discretion on how and when to do their convention should be an internal party affair and APC is the one wearing the shoe, with credible leadership, they know when to move and when not to move.

“So, I think we should just watch because, under the constitution of APC, buying form is one thing. We have three modes that we can adopt to elect our officers; either by direct primaries, by indirect primaries or by consensus. What if APC has adopted consensus and is not yet to the public knowledge? We don’t need again to begin to sell forms and do that zoning or not zoning.

“We are democratic enough to know when to shoot and when not to shoot. I think you should just bring your people who have not joined APC to join the party.”

Also answering questions from correspondents after his separate meeting with President Buhari. Governor Bello stressed the need for the north-central to produce the successor to President Buhari as he noted that the region is the most marginalised in the country.

While reacting to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, an Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation insistence that zoning the presidency to the South-East was necessary for national unity, Bello pointed out that the North Central has never produced the president or vice president of the country.

He argued that it is therefore proper for the region to be given the opportunity in 2023.

The Kogi governor stated: “Well, if you’re talking of Southeast, then you will equally talk of north-central, not only since 1999 but since 1960. So what do you say of north-central both the president and vice president?

“So, put the situation of the southeast and that of north-central side by side, then who is more disadvantaged in terms of the position of presidency both presidents and vice presidents?

“So, if you put both sides together, then let’s do justice. And whichever way you look at it, I’m eminently qualified.”

Bello, who is nursing presidential ambition said he did not need to announce whether he had informed President Buhari of his plans but noted that he will officially declare for the race in the next few weeks.

Also speaking on the qualities a potential successor of Buhari should possess, he said: “Mr President would want a vibrant, experienced, energetic, patriotic Nigerian to take over from him and in all of the qualities that Nigerians are yearning, or looking for today, I possess all of these qualities by the special grace of God.

“Nigerians are yearning and asking me to run for the President come 2023 and by the special grace of God I will not turn down that offer. Also, Mr President is one of the Nigerians like I said, who would want a qualified person to take over from him. Informing him is between myself and him, it is not what I should come to the public to tell the world that I have informed Mr President, that I want to run.

“But surely in days, and possibly weeks ahead we are going to come to the public to declare our intention by the special grace of God.”

When reminded that the presidency by 2023 would have stayed eight years in the north and going by the north, he said: “First I’m an advocate of capacity and ability to serve. In Nigeria today, we need somebody who have the capacity to serve the country. Today if you’re flying from one place to another, you don’t care who the pilot is, but who is that person who is experienced to fly from one point to another.

“Also coming from the angle of north and south divide then let us be very fair and equitable. Then you look into the number of years the north has held this position and the number of years the south has held this position. If you add eight years to what the South has had and then looking at the north, then you know that there’s injustice as far as that is concerned.

“So if we’re talking about justice, fairness and equity, we’re not just looking at the eight years by the grace of God of that of President Muhammadu Buhari, we should add them together to the number of years the north has had it since 1999 till date, and the number of years south have had it since 1999 till date. Whichever divide whichever argument that comes up I perfectly fit into the arguments.”

The Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi failed to mention the allegation of unremitted N165 billion levelled against the suspended Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director, Hadiza Usman, between 2016 and 2020, to the federal government, a document detailing the query and responses on the matter has shown.

The document obtained by THISDAY from Ministry of Transportation sources indicated that rather, Amaechi, in the 20-point query issued to Usman, accused her of granting waivers to billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, issuing exemptions to Neconde and bypassing him to communicate directly with the presidency.

But in a point-by-point response to the query, sent to the permanent secretary in the ministry of transport, copied the chairman, governing board, NPA, dated February 4, Bala-Usman explained that she remained innocent of all the accusations.

Several reports had alleged the non-remittance of N165.3 billion “operating surpluses” to the Federation Account by the NPA under Usman, a development that led to her suspension.

Amaechi, it was gathered, had thereafter written a memo to the president, recommending a ministerial investigation of the activities of the NPA under her. The administrative panel has since submitted its report.

But despite the much-talked-about N165 billion, the document mentioned waiver, rebates and tariffs granted by NPA without requisite approval in the query, accusing Bala-Usman of acting beyond her authority as MD/CEO of the NPA in taking and or approving the action.

“In 2019, you unilaterally granted a waiver to Dangote Cement Plc on applicable tariff for export of cement/clinker based on the company’s projections to export up to 5 million metric tons annually.

“The said waiver was discriminatory in nature as it was applicable to only one company operating in the sector and there was no justification as to why a selective approach was adopted,” the query read.

By virtue of another letter ref No: HQ/ED/M&OP/191 dated 23 March 2021, it stated that NPA clarified to Dangote Cement that the 2019, approval was actually meant to be applicable strictly to the export of clinker and not inclusive of cement.

By in another memo dated March, 31, 2021, the document had stated that the NPA decided to extend the waiver granted to Dangote to all companies in involved in the export of clinker, raising suspicion.

But in her response, Bala-Usman stated that the approval she granted for the reduction in applicable tariffs for the export of clinker was from the beginning granted to all exporters of clinker as contained in the directive noted in the memo dated June 18, 2019.

She added that she “minuted” the executive director, marine and operations to implement the recommendation for all clinker exports, stressing that based on the above, it was evident that there was no discrimination or selective approach in granting the waiver as all companies operating in the sector were granted the waiver.

Usman averred that the reason for the subsequent directive in March 2021 was because she noticed in a memo dated February 5, 2021, that the marine operations directorate had not acted in line with her directive which stated that the reduction in tariff was applicable to all the clinker export.

“ I therefore ‘minuted’ the following to the general manager, tariff and billing. The approval was for all clinker export to all companies,” she explained.

Another point of contention, according to the document, was that pursuant to a request by Neconde Energy Limited, Bala-Usman authorised vide letter dated February 28, 2019, granting an exemption to the company from the payment of cargo dues from vessels conveying waste waters derived from OML 42 to designated disposal zones.

But in her defence, Usman stated that the approval granted to Neconde Energy Ltd was based on a request made by the company stating that oil producing operations of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company(NPDC) in partnership with the company at the facility, produced wastewater which was required to discharge at offshore.

“This operation of the movement of vessels to dispose wastewater at the designated locations are non-revenue generating, hence the ship dues for these non-economic cargo being at par with economic revenue generating vessels movements was considered unjustified.

“Hence, I granted the approval for the waiver to enable them effectively discharge the wastewater in line with Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) guidelines,” she pointed out.

In addition, Amaechi accused Bala-Usman of unilaterally granting a waiver without recourse to the Executive Management Committee (EMC) and or board of the NPA to Messrs Port & Terminal Operators Nigeria (PTOL) in respect of its outstanding indebtedness to the NPA in the sum of $100,985,846.83 as at September 2019.

He stated that the suspended MD further granted a waiver to enable the company pay 25 per cent of its contractual lease fees to the NPA, thereby leading to the loss of significant revenues to the federal government.

However, Bala-Usman said she did not unilaterally grant a waiver/downward review of 25 per cent and the lease fee to PTOL, but only implemented the approval/no objection granted by the ministry on the waiver/downward review of the 25 per cent on the lease fee as conveyed via letter dated June 11, 2015 with ref. T.3999/5.39/C.12/T1/366.

“Hence, I have not committed an act of misappropriation but only approved the implementation of a directive given by the Federal Ministry of Transportation. I am not aware of approving any waiver of the debt of $100,985,846.83, as at September 2019 to PTOL. Hence, I did not commit any act of misappropriation,” she added.

The document stated that in granting the waivers and rebate to the commercial entities, which led to substantial loss of government revenue, Bala-Usman did not make any recourse to nor seek the approval of the minister of transportation as well as finance, budget and national planning respectively.

In her response, Bala-Usman noted that she did not grant any waivers that will constitute a substantial loss of revenue to the government.

She contended that all waivers granted was to support the export of solid minerals (export of clinker and disposal of wastewater arising from crude oil exploration) which will in turn improve the foreign exchange earnings for the country.

“ The waivers granted are within the purview of the managing director and do not require the approval of the honourable minister,” she wrote.

Other issues the minister sought responses to included willful refusal to comply with an order of the Federal High Court in Suit No FHC/L/CS/785/2020 which restrained the NPA from giving effect to the engagement of managing agent for service boats in respect of the management of the pilotage.

However, Bala-Usman in her defence, said the NPA engaged the services of an external Counsel, Messers Banwo & Ighodalo which provided a legal opinion stating that the order could not prevent the Authority from carrying out its statutory functions.

Amaechi further accused the suspended NPA boss of wrongfully approving the issuance of a letter to BUA to convey the decision of NPA to decommission the Jetty at a time when she was aware of the pendency of a court order.

In her response, Bala-Usman stated that she took the action out of safety concerns after BUA wrote that the jetty was in a state of total dilapidation and in urgent need of repair or reconstruction and might collapse at any moment.

“The NPA would be an irresponsible organisation if it had disregarded this counsel and endangered the lives of Nigerians, more so, when the company that operates the jetty conveyed this concern in a letter to the Authority,” she affirmed.

On the issue of disregard for presidential directives for the resolution of the LADOL/Samsung dispute conveyed, Bala-Usman argued that after receiving the directive, she told the legal department to issue a notice of termination to Samsung on the lease granted them.

She added that this was to give rise to reinstating the premise back to LADOL in line with the presidential directive, as the Authority needed to terminate the lease it granted Samsung before it could reinstate it to LADOL.

Palpable anxiety and panic, on Monday, pervaded the National secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the failure of the national leadership of the party to commence the sale of nomination forms to the aspirants contesting for the vacant positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) during the February 26 National Convention.

The Caretaker Committee had during its 19th regular meeting in January last month, fixed February 14 for the sales of nomination forms for the NWC positions and February 19, for the submission of completed forms.

But disappointment portrayed the mood of the supporters of the various aspirants and some of the aspirants that stormed the Secretariat to purchase the form for their principals or themselves, as none of the members of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) could attend to them.

The secretariat staff were even more confused as many of them confided on our Correspondent that the party is yet to take delivery of the printed forms, let alone fixing prices for the forms.

Speaking to our Correspondent over the development, a reliable source said: “We are as confused as the aspirants because we have waited endlessly to know if they will start the sale of the forms yet there is no sign of it at all. I am not even sure they have printed the forms. No fewer than 15 persons have called the Organising department to ask whether the forms are ready. I am not even sure whether the Organising Secretary is aware of what is happening because he takes orders from the Chairman and Secretary,” the source lamented.

However, another source claimed that the plots by the Caretaker Committee and some state governors to foist to a consensus arrangement on the Convention may have stalled the sales of forms slated for Monday.

Two national chairmanship aspirants had on Monday sent emissaries to make enquiries on the sales of forms, while four aspirants for National Youth Leader and one zonal organising Secretary from the South East region personally visited the Secretariat for the purchase of their forms and left disappointed.

Confirming g that the party was yet to print nomination forms or agree on the cost for the forms and the mode of payment, the source said: “the truth is that nobody is talking about the printing of any form here. Under normal circumstances the party would have advertised the sale of nomination forms, indicating the cost of each office before now but there was no such an advert.”

“Everybody is at a loss. Nobody but the Caretaker Committee members can tell you the position of things. All we know is that the National Convention must hold as scheduled,” the source assured amidst the confusion.

Another source attributed the delay in the sale of the forms to the decision to enable the Caretaker Committee and the governors to come up with a consensus arrangement acceptable to all the stakeholders and interest groups at the convention.

“The Caretaker Committee is being tactical. We cannot rush to sell forms for NWC positions when we are not done with the zoning arrangement. The Caretaker Committee is in contact with the progressive governors and other stakeholders. They are networking and in high-level negotiations to come up with a unity list or a consensus arrangement. I can tell you that it will be fine-tuned before the closing date for submission of forms,” the source noted.

Expressing disappointment, a supporter to one of the aspirants said: “I am here to make an enquiry regarding the sale of nomination form on behalf of my principal in line with the timetable released by the national leadership, but I have gotten any concrete information. A party official just told me to come back, but when, I don’t know. We are seriously at a complete loss.”

Although other aspirants that stormed the Secretariat kept sealed lips on the development, a chairmanship aspirant, Chief Sunny Sylvester Moniedafe, who spoke on phone expressed disappointment over the delay in the sale of forms, lamenting the silence of the party leadership.
“I have been on this issue for over 20 months now and in less than two weeks to the convention, we are still asking questions. We want to know what is happening. I have been in touch with the party headquarters since Thursday and even today Monday and they keep telling me no news. The party should tell us what is happening.

“There is no communication from the party. We have to be told of the zoning arrangement. Nothing is happening in less than two weeks to the convention. I don’t think that is fair to us,” he lamented.

On whether the development may lead to another postponement of the convention, he said; “this convention must hold. Nothing can stop it. Just that the delay and non-release of information are not expected. If they want consensus, let them come out and say so. There is nothing wrong with consensus, but call all the parties involved. The delay is uncalled for,” Moniedafe concluded.

A youth leader from the South East who also expressed anger in confidence said that his investigation from the party showed that the party was yet to print the form, wondering why the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee will like to toy with the ambition and applications of party members.

“From their body language, it seems the caretaker committee is out to sabotage the convention. I am here today keeping with the timetable on the convention to purchase the form only to be told that the forms are not available.

“I know of seven aspirants from south-east and south-south who are in Abuja today for the forms. This is demoralising and discouraging. Our leaders should stop toying with the future of this party,” he warned.

Former Governor of Zamfara state and National Chairmanship aspirant in the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari has dismissed reports to the effect that he is terribly ill and had to be urgently flown abroad for medical attention.

Yari was reacting to media inquiries concerning an online report which said he was taken to the airport on a wheelchair and that he was in a bad shape.

Part of the report had stated that, “Yari is flying to UK on British Airways flight for a medical trip. He was even brought in a wheelchair”.

However, Yari’s Chief of Staff, Engr. Abdullahi Abdulkarim Tsafe said the report is nothing but the “ranting of an enemy and a blatant attack to send wrong information to the general public as well as the teeming supporters of H.E Abdul’Aziz Abubakar Yari home and abroad”.

He said as is natural with humans to fall sick, there is no need over-blowing such incidents out of proportion.

“Let us make it abundantly clear that, H.E had a dislocation on his left leg when he missed steps on the staircase as a result of which he travelled to the United States for treatment; from where he came back last two weeks and has today left for medical checkup. That does not call for any media hype.

“Therefore, the general public and teeming supporters and his well wishers are hereby enjoined to ignore the ranting and evil machinations of some very few and selfish individuals who are bent on distracting former Governor Yari.

“As we pray for his safe trip, His Excellency, is expected back home after his medical checkup soon”, he stated.

Yari is one of the national chairmanship aspirants in the lead up to the February 26 national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.