₦airaland Forum

There is no doubt that the present administration, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, came into power at a time when the country was bedevilled with a lot of crisis, including economic hardships, security threats of Boko Haram insurgents and other challenges obstructing the smooth running of the country. That’s to the extent that, at the time, many recognised national and international agencies predicted that if not for President Buhari, Nigeria would have plunged into a serious crisis.

The situation had put the elites and the masses of the majority states of the country, if not all, into serious economic backwardness, with some giving up on paying salaries. Many state governors resorted to borrowing money despite the federal allocations to pay salaries and run other governmental responsibilities.

To some extent, some state governors resorted to hiding behind the hardships as reasons to abscond from running contracts, infrastructural development, and capital expenditures, among many other developmental activities. They indeed lost hope in providing assistance to the masses and their states.

However, with the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, as a true democrat, who always put the masses first, the president introduced many interventions to the state governors, irrespective of their parties or region, mainly to bail them out and rescue them from collapsing. As such, several states are now afloat because of the financial reliefs the Buhari administration provided for them.

The Bailout Funds

From the start, N477 billion in bailout funds were released at the instance of the President through which most states sustained themselves. Additionally, no fewer than 24 states, across party lines, had demanded and received refunds from the federal government for works done on federal roads and bridges, and records show that the refunds were to the tune of about N500 billion. Those claims certainly were not based on works done during the Buhari administration only, but also in previous administrations. This is a little of what the federal government has done between 2015 and today to ensure that states stay afloat. Honestly, without the federal government bailout, most states would have gone under.

Apart from these refunds that were made, when President Buhari came in, 27 states could not pay salaries, and the federal government had to bail those 27 states out. Not only did he give them money to pay salaries, but he also gave them a bailout to pay arrears.

The Paris Club Funds

Consequently, upon seeing the reality and the fact that the states were in difficulties and could not start any new projects, in terms of infrastructure, the federal government also gave each of them N10 billion. When the price of oil again, collapsed, and states were in trouble, the federal government gave out a bailout of a billion naira per month to each state for eight months and N800 million per month, per state, for over eight months.

Nigerians can also recall that when the states complained that they did not benefit from the Paris debt refund, the federal government gave the states their own share of the Paris Fund. I know of a northern state, where the governor, if not for Buhari will not go anywhere, received N40 billion of this Paris Club Refund.

Again, when states complained to the federal government for deducting what they owed the federal government, Mr. President also said they should be refunded because times were hard even though there were so many corruption allegations against the governors, as to whether they used the money judiciously or were diverted for something else.

Covid-19 interventions

During the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected the economy of the whole world, particularly developing countries, President Buhari supported the governors with a series of interventions targeted at saving them from doing nothing while the masses were suffering.

Although some states could not appropriately use the intervention as some of them diverted them to their personal gains, the gesture cut across the country and made a significant impact. Some governors were alleged to have kept them to use during campaign periods. The availability of the Covid-19 interventions is to the extent that some states failed to utilize them and carelessly dumped them where they were affected by rain and other adverse weather conditions.

The political angle

Apart from saving the governors through such interventions, I believe Nigerians will remember how almost all the governors, especially under the platform of APC, benefitted from the popularity, patriotism, trust, and respect Nigerians have for President Buhari to win elections in their various states.

Many of them are ignorant of the fact that without him, by now, they would have been in prison. He was there for them when the masses doubted trusting them. He encouraged the masses and urged them to vote for them with the assurance that they also were like him and only wanted to get to the position to serve them. In 2019 he had to visit all the 36 states, some twice to encourage people to vote for some of these governors.

Recall that President Buhari went around the states in previous campaigns raising hands of these same APC governors, encouraging people to vote for them. A lot of them wouldn’t have been elected without that support from the president.

It is shocking, to say the least, that these people whom president Buhari helped are now turning their back against him because of a government policy whose aim is to address issues of corruption, insecurity as well as improve the economy. What we expect of them is to rally around the president, educating the people to bear with the unintended pains for bigger gains.

What Nigerians should know:

The new Naira redesign policy is not intended to cause hardship to any Nigerian. Government has taken every step to address and alleviate any unintended hardship associated with the policy. The cashless policy of the CBN is in line with global best practices for sustainability and economic prosperity.

I want Nigerians to know that President Buhari means well for all us. He does not take the trust Nigerians gave him lightly. He will continue to uphold the constitution and adhere to the oath of office he took. No government policy is without hitches in implementation. These hitches are temporary and are being addressed. Nigerians will certainly celebrate the numerous gains and benefits of these policies.

Posers…

Why is it that a selected group of politicians is suddenly allergic to this policy? Why is the loudest noice against the policy coming from this quota? What happened to their voices when policies that affected the masses were being implemented? Are they really for the masses or for their political goals? I wonder!

Ahmad is the special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on digital communications.

PORT HARCOURT — Explosions have rocked the homes of supporters of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with the Police confirming it has commenced investigations in the incidents.

Bombed with dynamites were the homes of former Managing Director of Rivers State Microfinance Agency, Dr. Ipalibo Sogules, and a gas plant in Port Harcourt, yesterday night, while DC Lounge, a hospitality hub owned by Ikechi Chinda, former PDP Chairman in the state, suffered same fate and Christian Ikiroma, whose home was also bombed.

Accusing the chairman of one of the local governments in the state as being responsible for his ordeal, Sogules said: “Yesterday, about past 11p.m., I received a call from my brother that there was an explosion in my house, a detonated dynamite. Later in the night, I got another call that there was another explosion at the (his) gas plant.

“That three boys came and threw dynamite into the place and as they ran away, the thing exploded and destroyed my generator house and other property. I’m suspecting the council chairman, who had threatened that if he throws dynamite in my house and my plant, won’t I run away?

“All these are because I support Atiku Abubakar. They can’t stop me, I will keep supporting him. Nobody can impose a candidate on me.

“I’ve alerted the state Commissioner of Police to come and check the place. Violence is not acceptable to us. They should play the game by the rules, it should be free and fair.”

He urged the Police to up their game by ensuring that culprits were caught and punished to discourage further acts of violence in the electoral process, adding: “Also one of my friends, Christian Ikiroma, also a supporter of Atiku was affected. His house was bombed. They did this thing simultaneously.”

Police spokesperson, Rivers State Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the development said the Police had commenced investigations into the attacks.

The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said the naira redesign and swap policy was targeted at truncating Saturday’s presidential election and national assembly elections.

He added that the policy was also targeted at the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to ensure he lost the election.

The governor stated this at the state broadcast aired on electronic media outfits in the state on Thursday morning, barely 48 hours to the election.

According to him, the cash swap policy of the APC-led government and the alleged artificial scarcity of fuel “are both lethal injections deliberately administered to de-market the APC government, create an uncontrollable crisis in the nation and finally frustrate the 2023 general elections.”


He said, “The goal is to truncate the election and deny the country the service of a true patriot, an endowed visionary with a proven record of character, knowledge, leadership and performance.

“It is also an attempt to abuse the principle of the rotational presidency by denying a section of this country its legitimate right thereby fuelling ethnic disaffection and creating a grave constitutional crisis in the country.

”Recall that in the course of these circumstances, I have offered clear and unequivocal statements as our stand on this dangerous and unfortunate adventure.


“To say the least, it is a dagger drawn at the heart of the ruling APC on the eve of the elections in order to destroy it and the governments it controls at the federal and state levels. As the nation trudges on, our resolve to deepen democracy and good governance must remain unflinching and abiding.

“Despite the desperate efforts by selfish and subversive elements within the government, to destroy the multiparty politics in Nigeria, the dividends of good governance brought to the people by the APC remain indelible in the recent history of our state in particular and the nation in general.

“The central purpose (of the naira swap policy) is to frustrate his ( Tinubu’) popularity and renowned acceptability across all tribes and religions in this country. The goal is to truncate the election and deny the country the service of a true patriot, an endowed visionary with a proven record of character, knowledge, leadership and performance.

“It is also an attempt to abuse the principle of the rotational presidency by denying a section of this country its legitimate right thereby fuelling ethnic disaffection and creating a grave constitutional crisis in the country.”

While calling on the people of the state to vote for the presidential and other candidates of the APC in Saturday’s election, Akeredolu assured that Tinubu, if elected, would tackle many challenges facing the country and the state in particular.

“As your governor, my duty to you at this time of great confusion and frustration is therefore to provide you with a clear vision of the path of redemption and hope. It is to charge you all to shake off the artificial frustration and the temporary barriers on your way to choosing a president who represents hope and assured brighter days ahead.

“My message to you is that despite all the well-planned intrigues to deny you of your democratic rights and the future and prosperity of your offsprings, which Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu represents, I urge you to troop out massively and vote for the APC on Saturday.


“This is the time to separate the past from the future. For us in Ondo State, this is our time to vote for a president who identifies with our challenges and who would help us to actualize our ongoing plan for the establishment of Ondo Deep Sea Port and massive industrial revolution, tackle youth unemployment, achieve our dream of state police to solve our insecurity problem and ensure human capacity development. It is time to set a new flag and make Nigeria great,” the governor added.

Neckpresser101:
Look at APC scorecard below 👇 if you're still voting APC again you're the very problem of Nigeria

iSense247:
Thiefnubuu will surely be absent. Emilokan my foot.

Presidential candidates from 18 political parties on Wednesday, signed a peace accord ahead of this Saturday’s presidential election.

President Muhammadu Buhari was present at the event along with members of the National Peace Committee.

Some of the leading candidates in attendance include Bola Tinubu (All Progressives Congress, APC), Peter Obi (Labour Party, LP), Omoyele Sowore (African Action Congress, AAC), Atiku Abubakar (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP).

wayforward2grea:
A new opinion poll conducted by the Nigerian Human Rights Community has indicated that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed…

A new opinion poll conducted by the Nigerian Human Rights Community has indicated that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will win the February 25, poll.

The group, consisting of 134 organisations, at a press conference addressed by its Secretary General, Taiwo Adeleye, in Lagos yesterday, projected that Tinubu would win based on the analysis of the preferences of 19,365 persons that its researchers surveyed in January.

It said, “The Nigerian Human Rights Community poll revealed that the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, holds a magnificent lead and is on course to win the 2023 general elections.”

The group explained that the poll also confirmed a two-horse race for the second position between Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP came a distant fourth.

According to it, 7,940 (41 per cent) of those interviewed across the 774 LGAs in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja said they preferred Tinubu; 5,035 (26 per cent) preferred Atiku; 4,067 (21 per cent) supported Obi; while 1,743 (nine per cent) was in support of Kwankwaso; and the other parties’ candidates collectively got 1,162 (six per cent).

https://dailytrust.com/new-opinion-poll-indicates-tinubu-will-win-presidency/

Danburuwa:
Source- https://punchng.com/just-in-court-orders-forfeiture-of-14-properties-linked-to-kogi-govt/

An employee of the Lagos State University, Ojo, Mr. Johnson Ademola, died Monday afternoon in a bank queue in the institution while trying to withdraw cash.

Reports of Ademola’s demise had emerged online as some news outlets (not PUNCH) said the deceased was one of the deputy bursars of the institution.

It was gathered that the incident happened at a branch of Wema Bank in the university where the deceased went to withdraw some money.

According to reports, the bank was allegedly allowing customers to withdraw a maximum of N5,000, fuelling the online reports that Ademola had died while in the queue to withdraw N5,000.

Ademola, who until his death was the Financial Officer of the Faculty of Law and an Executive Officer in the Accounts Department of the institution, was said to have slumped while waiting in the queue for his turn to withdraw cash. Efforts to revive him reportedly proved abortive.

It was gathered that the deceased was subsequently rushed to the University Health Centre where he was certified dead.

An employee of the university, who did not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, confirmed the incident to our correspondent Tuesday afternoon.


He said, “It is true. We were all shocked when we heard about it yesterday. The story is that he was at the bank to withdraw some cash and he slumped while in the queue and died immediately.”

The member of LASU community blamed Ademola’s death on the crisis that resulted from the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

When contacted on Tuesday afternoon, the acting Coordinator for the Centre for Information and Public Relations, LASU, Mr. Olaniyi Jeariogbe, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH. He, however, clarified that the deceased was not one of the institution’s deputy bursars as reported by some media outlets.

He said, “LASU does not have only one deputy bursar. And as I speak, all our deputy bursars and the bursar are alive, hale and hearty. I needed to clarify that.”

He continued, “The man who died was the CEO Accounts and was until his death the Financial Officer of the Faculty of Law.”

Asked about the circumstances surrounding Ademola’s death, Jeariogbe said he (Ademola) left the office for the bank to carry out “some personal transactions” at around past 11am.

“Anything can happen to anybody,” he said, adding that, “he (Ademola) left the office to go for some personal transactions at the bank between 11am and 12pm, and he had not even been away for up to 30 minutes when we heard that he had died.”


Ademola who, according to the LASU spokesperson, joined the institution as a Typist in January 1986, was born on November 13, 1959.

On October 26, 2022, the Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, announced the apex bank’s plan to redesign the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes of the naira.

The CBN boss also said the old notes of the redesigned denominations would lose their legal tender status from January 31, 2023, adding that new notes would be released on December 15, 2022.

He, therefore, advised Nigerians to start to deposit their old notes to their accounts through commercial banks before the January 31 deadline.

Justifying the need for the naira redesigned policy, Emefiele said 85 per cent of the currency in circulation was outside of the banking sector and was being hoarded by Nigerians.

He added that redesigning naira notes would help to curb counterfeit notes, as well as hamper ransom payments to terrorists and kidnappers.

The January 31 deadline was later extended to February 10 after a meeting between the CBN governor and the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).


This has resulted in the scarcity of the naira across the country with its attendant hardships on Nigerians.

Violent protests leading to burning of banks and other properties with some lives lost have erupted in multiple places in Nigeria as the citizens groan under the pain that the scarcity of the naira has brought upon them.

Queues have continued to mount in banks and Automated Teller Machine points across the country, and Point of Sale merchants have resorted to selling naira notes at exorbitant prices to Nigerians.

Governors of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states, Nasir el-Rufai, Yahaya Bello and Bello Matawalle respectively, had dragged the Federal Government to the Supreme Court over the naira redesign policy. The apex court had granted an interim injunction restraining the apex bank and the FG from implementing the February 10 for the expiration of the legal tender status of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes pending the hearing and determination of the suit before it.

The apex court has adjourned the hearing till Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

However, the CBN and the FG have insisted that the February 10 deadline remained. The CBN governor said the apex bank was not joined in the suit, hence it would not be affected by the Supreme Court ruling.

Also, the President in a nationwide broadcast on Thursday, February 16, barely 24 hours after the apex court adjourned the hearing of the pending suit to February 22, announced that the old N500 and N1,000 notes had ceased to be legal tender, while extending the validity of the old N200 note by 60 days from February 10 to April 10 before it will also lose its legal tender status, contrary to the apex court ruling.

madridguy:
The election is here already.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign council in Rivers says Atiku Abubakar, the party’s standard-bearer, will win the poll in the state.

Lee Maeba, chairman of the Rivers PDP presidential campaign council, spoke on Sunday at a town hall meeting with Abubakar in Abuja.

The Rivers state chapter of the PDP held the meeting in Abuja following the cancellation of the party’s presidential campaign rally in the state due to alleged attacks on council members.

Maeba said Abubakar would win the poll in Rivers despite the “antics” of Nyesom Wike, governor of the state.



Wike, who was defeated by Abubakar at the PDP presidential primary in May 2022, has not publicly declared support for the former vice-president.

Maeba said Rivers residents have always supported Abubakar and the 2023 poll won’t be an exception.

“The toxic atmosphere created by the actions and utterances of the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, resulted in the decision of our leaders to shelf the Port Harcourt rally to avoid the loss of human lives,” he said.


“It was a painful decision for us, especially the great masses of Rivers state, all of whom had been eagerly waiting for months to come face-to-face with the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is our prayer that after your election and swearing-in, Rivers state would be your first presidential visit.

“We want to assure you, Mr president-in-waiting, that the people of Rivers state support you and will overwhelmingly cast their votes for you because you have been a benefactor of the state. One port is what it has become for our people because of your foresight.

“Numerous other investments all over Rivers State and the south-south are evidence of your love for our people even before you entered politics.



“Our President-in-waiting, be reassured that as one of us, despite the antics of those who are still suffering from ‘post-election loss traumatic syndrome’, the ordinary people of Rivers State will continue to have your back, as you have had theirs all these years.”

Maeba asked Abubakar to prioritise the construction of the outer Port Harcourt ring road, complete the Onne port rail line to join the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri line, improve the functionality of the Onne and Port Harcourt ports, actualise the Bonny deep seaport, dredge inland waterways, establish a dedicated petrochemical industrial park, and modernise and upgrade the Oyorokoto fishing port if elected.

Lithiumite:
Shouldn't you be rather worried they are trying to mend fences in due time......the cognisant unity between the governor's and that of the APC presidential candidate is unprecedented in the history of this 4th republic......and that should be a greater source of worry to tinubu's opponent....... their strength in unity is really intimidating to opponents.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, has invited the APC State Governors to an emergency meeting on Sunday.

The development is coming in the wake of the growing friction and cold war between the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and some aggrieved governors over the naira redesign policy that has subjected a number of Nigerians to untold hardship in the last three weeks.

The PUNCH also reported how a pocket of violent protests, bank vandalisation and killings took place in several states, notably in Lagos, Rivers, Ogun and Edo states.

The lingering cash squeeze policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria was further worsened following the declaration by the president that the CBN should allow only the old N200 to co-exist with the new naira notes.


Hours after the president’s broadcast, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State had addressed Kaduna residents, saying the former military Head of State was wrong on his directive to recirculate only the old N200 banknotes as part of measures to curb the cash crunch in the country.

El-Rufai, who said the old N1,000 and N500 were still legal tender in his state, did not mince words when he stated that the aim of the naira redesign was to scuttle the general election and give room for an interim government.

The PUNCH also reported that El Rufai and two other APC governors from Kogi and Zamfara states sued the Federal Government seeking a restraining order to stop the full implementation of the naira redesign policy of the CBN.


The friction between the governors and the president reached an unprecedented height on Friday when the APC Presidential Campaign Council was compelled to release a statement to debunk claim that its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, asked some APC governors to disregard the directive of the president.

While stating that it is fake news being peddled by an online platform, the Director of Media and Publicity for the APC PCC, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the alleged information did not emanate from the PCC Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr Dele Alake, as being alleged.

Hours after the PCC statement, the ruling party through its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, announced that the APC national chairman would meet officially with all the APC governors.

Although Morka did not state the agenda for the meeting, sources noted that it had a lot to do with the division and cold war going in the ruling party.

The statement read, “The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), His Excellency, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, invites State Governors of the Party to an emergency meeting to be held on Sunday, February 19, 2023 by 2pm at the National Secretariat, Abuja.”

HenryThegreat1:
https://punchng.com/south-west-pdp-backs-atiku-after-g5-defiance/?utm_term=

iwaeda:
https://dailytrust.com/exposed-how-cbn-reversed-itself-on-old-notes-but-accused-media-of-fake-news/

mr1759:
Yesterday morning alot of resident in Benin rush down to deposit their old naira note in their banks but those money were rejected this spark up anger which lead to violence later became uncontrolled, three life were lost 90 percent of commercial bank in Benin were destroy. In swift reaction from Edo state government instead of blaming CBN decided to turn it into political argument by blaming oshiomhole and APC.

https://dailytrust.com/just-in-obaseki-calls-for-oshiomholes-arrest-over-naira-scarcity-violence-in-edo/

Emekaonline:
If you condemned Buhari for disobeying lower court order on Kanu but you are happy when he disobeyed Supreme court on Naira policy, you are not only a fool but most wretched and most miserable of all creatures

The President of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday, said he had met with the leadership of at least 15 commercial banks since the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), announced his latest directive on the new Naira policy.

Emefiele’s visit comes hours after the President, in a televised message, announced that only the old N200 note will remain a legal tender until April 10, 2023.

The CBN Governor was at the State House, Abuja, for a separate assignment (not with the President).

He said the meeting with the bank executives earlier on Thursday was to ensure an ample supply of the old N200 notes to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has described the announcement by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), that only the old N200 banknote remains legal tender while the old N500 and N1,000 notes are not as a contempt of court.

According to the lawyer-cum-activist, the president cannot overrule the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The PUNCH reports that 10 state governors — Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Katsina, Lagos, Cross River, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and Sokoto —have dragged the Federal Government to the Supreme Court over the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, which introduced new N200, N500 and N1,000 banknotes and directed the old notes ceased to be legal tender from February 10, 2023.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court adjourned the suit to February 22, 2023.

Buhari in a nationwide address on Thursday morning announced that the old N200 note remains legal tender till April 10 but the old N500 and N1,000 notes are not.

Reacting, Adegoruwa, in a statement on Thursday morning, faulted the president, saying he flouted the principle of the separation of powers.

He said, “There is separation of powers in a democracy.

“Under section 235 of the 1999 Constitution, the Supreme Court is the final authority in legal pronouncements in Nigeria.

“Under section 287(1) of the Constitution, the President is statutorily obliged to obey, enforce and give effect to the decision of the Supreme Court.

“Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution:

“(1) The decisions of the Supreme court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the supreme Court.”

Adegoruwa added that the president’s broadcast is “sad for our democracy.”

He added, “Since he already admitted that the matter is subjudice, the President should not have proceeded to vary the order of the Supreme Court.

“The president and indeed the executive should not give the impression that citizens can brazenly disregard lawful orders of any court, as that will only encourage anarchy and lawlessness.


“It amounts to executive rascality and brazen disregard and contempt of the Supreme Court, for the President to separate the denomination of the old notes for legality. It is not open to the President to choose which portion of the order of the Supreme Court that will be obeyed.

“The President should reverse his directive and add the N500 and N1000 old notes, failing which the Supreme Court should overrule the directive of the President in on February 22 when the case comes up.”

Think9ja:
These people can Sha quote figures.

165 million what?