BBC Hausa
An kai hari kan Hausawa mazauna birnin Benin a jihar Edo dake kudancin Najeriya. Kuma mutane kimanin goma sun jikkata a sanadiyyar harin, yayin da aka lalata wani masallaci. A halin yanzu Hausawa da dama ne ke zaman gudun hijira a barikokin 'yan sanda da na soji a Benin.

Authority stealing!

You be thief (I no be thief)
You be rogue (I no be rogue)
You dey steal (I no dey steal)
You be robber (I no be robber)
You be armed robber (No be armed robber)

I no be thief (You be thief)
I no be rogue (You be rogue)
I no dey steal (You dey steal)
I no be robber (You be robber)
I no be armed robber (You be armed robber

Authority people them go dey steal
Public contribute plenty money
Na authority people dey steal
Authority man no dey pickpocket
Na petty cash him go dey pick
Armed robber him need gun
Authority man him need pen
Authority man in charge of money
Him no need gun, him need pen
Pen got power gun no get
If gun steal eighty thousand naira
Pen go steal two billion naira

Every day my people dey inside bus
Every day my people dey inside bus
Forty-nine sitting, ninety-nine standing
Them go pack themselves in like sardine
Them dey faint, them dey wake like cock
Them go reach house, water no dey
Them go reach bed, power no dey
Them go reach road, go-slow go come
Them go reach road, police go slap
Them go reach road, army go whip
Them go look pocket, money no dey
Them go reach work, query ready

It was when I was in a police cell at the C.I.D. (Central Intelligence Division) headquarters in Lagos; the cell I was in named "The Kalakuta Republic" by the prisoners. I found out when I went to East Africa that "Kalakuta" is a Swahili word that means "rascal." So if rascality is going to get us what we want, we will use it; because we are dealing with corrupt people, we have to be rascally with them.”
― Fela Anikulapo Kuti

“In Nigeria they convict by law, not by the truth”
Fela Kuti

Zombie lyrics by Fela Kuti
Zombie-o, zombie (Zombie-o, zombie)Zombie-o, zombie (Zombie-o, zombie)
Zombie no go go, unless you tell am to go (Zombie)
Zombie no go stop, unless you tell am to stop (Zombie)
Zombie no go turn, unless you tell am to turn (Zombie)
Zombie no go think, unless you tell am to think (Zombie)
Tell am to go straight
A joro, jara, joro
No break, no job, no sense
A joro, jara, joro
Tell am to go kill
A joro, jara, joro
No break, no job, no sense
A joro, jara, joro
Tell am to go quench

President Goodluck Jonathan is causing ripples in the Police Force as he pencils down his kinsman as the next Inpector-General of Police.


LIKE a warrior standing alone in a forest surrounded by ferocious animals, President Goodluck Jonathan appears undaunted but even determined to stir up more controversies.

This time, he is drawing the ire of senior police officers. Most senior police officers are feeling demoralised and have reportedly started drawing the battle-line following strong hints that Jonathan has finally settled for his kinsman, a junior officer, to succeed the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Hafiz Ringim, who started retirement leave last Tuesday and is expected to bow out on March 1.

This is coming at a time of heightening insecurity in the country caused by the campaign of violence launched by the Boko Haram Islamic sect and the widespread protests that have greeted the sudden removal of oil subsidy, which is almost crippling his government.

Investigations by The Moment On Sunday reveal that the officer, a Commissioner of Police (CP) who hails from the Niger Delta region of the country, has been endorsed by Jonathan to become the next IGP.

The National Security Adviser (NSA) is also the President’s kinsman. He is Andrew Azazi, a retired army general, who succeeded a northerner (Mohammed Aliyu Gusau) in October 2010.

Already, many senior police officers of the rank of Assistant Inspectors-General (AIG) of Police and Deputy Inspectors-General (DIG), who are eying the plum position of IGP are said to be battling the president through his political associates. Jonathan is an Ijaw man from the Niger Delta region.

Some of the aggrieved senior officers are said to be lobbying influential ministers and senators to prevail on the President to shelve the idea.

Those who spoke with The Moment On Sunday under strict anonymity to avoid being victimised, argued that if a CP is eventually appointed IG, all the AIGs and DIGs as well as some CPs will be forced to retire, thereby cutting short their careers.

A senior officer reasoned that ‘if a CP is appointed, there will be mass promotion, because apart from the DIGs and AIGs, some CPs who are far senior to that CP will be forced to retire.

But that is not healthy for the system.’ According to the officer, those to benefit from such promotion will not put in their best because they will feel insecure that their careers could also be cut short any moment.

Another senior officer argued that elevating a CP to the position of IGP ‘could also breed corruption, as those to be promoted do not know when they could be forced to retire.

Some of those who may be compulsorily retired still have three to five years more in service and have not planned for retirement, and suddenly you ask them to go without any offence, you are indirectly telling those still in service to enrich themselves because they could also be asked to go abruptly any day.’

A senior officer from the north noted that ‘it will send wrong signal of openly exhibiting tribal sentiments in running his administration.

‘This is not good for him, especially with the crisis of the fuel subsidy removal that is already making his administration unpopular.’

However, some young officers who spoke in favour of appointing a CP as IGP believe that such an action will bring massive promotion and ‘inject new blood into the system,’ pointing out that ‘some of some us are supposed to be CPs and AIGs by now, but quota system kept us where we are now.’

But another senior officer countered their argument, saying: ‘They don’t know what they are talking about. Some of them don’t have the experience to tackle crisis if they are posted to head sensitive positions.’

Rather than yield to pressures from the senior officers, Jonathan is said to be more concerned about how to avoid bad blood and low morale among senior officers when he gives the apex job to the favoured kinsman.

The Moment On Sunday learnt that he is contemplating directing Ringim to recommend the CP to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for promotion to the rank of an AIG.

There are 20 AIGs in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and if that clever arrangement scales through, Jonathan would have calmed the nerves of the AIGs who would have been forced to retire, should his kinsman appoint and IGP from the rank of a CP.

Already, there is no AIG representing the South-South geo-political zone – the only AIG who represented that zone, Felix Ogbaudu, having retired last August after reaching the compulsory retirement age or service.

In the circumstances, promoting the CP to the rank of an AIG and subsequently appoint him IGP might as well be a masterstroke.

Some of those itching to clinch the exalted post of IGP are believing that the CP would not be appointed and have continued lobbying kitchen cabinet members of President Jonathan. Some are said to be consulting spiritualists to get the President’s favour.

If Jonathan eventually bows to pressure and follows due process, he will appoint one of the DIGs to replace Ringim. The most senior DIGs are Azubuko Udah in charge of Administration from Abia State and Mrs. Ivy Okoronkwo in charge of Force Headquarters (FHQ), also from Abia State.

The only DIG from the South-South is a Muslim from Edo State, Mohammed Yusuf.

Sources at FHQ hinted that Mrs. Okoronkwo is selling her credentials as a top female cop who can do better what her male colleagues can do.

She is said to be convincing Aso Rock through her contacts, that she was the first female cop to head a state police command during which her performance was excellent. She is also said to be arguing that she performed well when she was a zonal AIG, following which she was promoted DIG in 2010 along with DIG Udah and others.

Commenting on her chances, a source in Aso Rock told The Moment On Sunday during the week that ‘the country is experiencing serious security challenges and this is not the best time to consider a female officer for IG position.’

Further investigations by The Moment On Sunday reveal that Udah stands a better chance of clinching the IGP position.

Records reveal that Udah knows most of the northern parts of the country like his palm.

For one, he spent over 10 years of his police career in various parts of the north as an operational officer. Also in the Southwest, he worked in Zone 2 police command comprising Lagos and Ogun states, as a senior investigating officer.

Before his elevation to DIG rank, he was AIG in charge of Zone 2 command. He was also AIG in charge of Zone 5 Benin, Edo State.

Interestingly, Udah, as AIG in charge of Zone 6, Calabar, Cross River State, conceptualised the Amnesty programme, which has brought peace to the Niger Delta. He submitted the proposal through then IGP Mike Okiro, who was said to have successfully convinced the late President Musa Yar’Adua, using Jonathan, who was Vice President at the time, to do so.

Apart from the two frontrunners, some AIGs and CPs who are believed to be in the race are said to be lobbying Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clarke, an Ijaw leader, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as influential religious and traditional rulers.

Among the AIGs, two are said to be from the North, one each from the South-West and South-East. Among the CPs in the race, two are from the North and one from the South-west, two each from the South-East and the South-South.

Apart from Ringim, two DIGs in charge of Works and Operations and four assistant inspectors-general of Police (AIGs) with about 20 commissioners of Police (CPs), have begun their retirement leave last January 3.

The four AIGs are those in Zone 1 Kano, Zone 4, Makurdi, Zone 5 Benin, Zone 8 Lokoja and Zone 10 Sokoto.

Of the 180 CPs in the NPF, 20 are retiring in March. Among them are those in charge of Ondo, Katstina, Kebbi and Ogun states as well as the CP in charge of Ports Authority Police and ‘F’ Department.

Investigations by The Moment On Sunday reveal that the IGP and most of the officers are expected to bow out from the Force on March 1, having reached the mandatory retirement age or having completed 35 years in service.

Dependable sources at Force Headquarters told The Moment On Sunday that most of the officers have forwarded their retirement letters to the Police Service Commission for approval since last November.

It was further gathered that the PSC has equally approved the retirement of the officers. But a senior official of PSC (names withheld) who was contacted on phone yesterday confirmed the retirement of the IGP but, said ‘I am not aware if any DIG or AIG or CP is retiring with him.’

Meanwhile, DIG Ganiyu Dawodu who died recently in a hotel in Ikorodu, Lagos State and who represented the South-west geo-political zone, would be replaced next week with the new AIG in charge of Zone 2, Mr. Chris Ola believed to be the most senior AIG.

As Nigerians from all walks of life gear up for the beginning of the “mother of all protests” on Monday, January 9, 2012, over increase in fuel price, journalist and author of Time to Reclaim Nigeria, Chido Onumah, interviewed Isaac Osuoka, director of Social Action and one of the leaders of civil society in Nigeria. Osuoka has been active in the country’s pro-democracy and Niger Delta peoples movements. He was one of the founders of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and acted as its first spokesperson in the late 1990s. Osuoka who is currently a Vanier Scholar at York University, Toronto, Canada, speaks on the situation in Nigeria and why Nigerians must look beyond President Jonathan.

Excerpts:

CO: Whether we like it or not, you can’t deny the fact Goodluck Jonathan enjoyed a measure of support before the 2011 presidential election. What was responsible for this?

IO: Many Nigerians believed that Goodluck Jonathan was a different breed from the backward cabal that have held Nigeria hostage for the better part of the last 51 years. They thought that because he is a native of the Niger Delta with very minimal historical ties to what was referred to as the Hausa-Fulani oligarchy, that he represents a refreshing change from the past. They saw a meek looking and educated man and felt that maybe he is the change that Nigeria needs. Well, Goodluck Jonathan has proven to Nigeria that he is not the change the country needs. In fact, Jonathan is the worst President that the ruling class has ever foisted on Nigeria.

CO: Was it a case of misplaced optimism?

IO: Exactly! The man has shown that he is clueless. He has shown that he lacks the capacity to address the very serious challenges confronting the country. And what is even worse is that he does not care. He does not care for the people of Nigeria. He does not care for the progress of Nigeria. He has the mentality of a Local Government caretaker committee chairman. He has surrounded himself with similarly clueless characters who are only interested in how much they can loot while the booty lasts. This is a president that hates Nigerians whom he thinks forced him to be president and he seems determined to punish them.

CO: Let’s talk about the recent increase in fuel price which has precipitated massive demonstrations across Nigeria.

IO: The removal of fuel subsidy demonstrates again that the Jonathan presidency does not care a bit about the welfare of Nigerians. Can you imagine the puerile argument that fuel subsidy does not benefit the majority of the Nigerian people? Only those that see benefit in terms of how much you loot can make such a stupid argument. You see, since they know that the figures of how much the government is expending on subsidies is over bloated because of the corruption in the system, and they know the few individuals that have benefited from all the fraud, they have come to associate benefit with whose hands are in the lucre. That is all they see. The loot. That is all they are interested in. From their exalted position, they don’t see the mass of the Nigerian people who are mostly unemployed or have the lowest incomes anywhere in the world. That is why World Bank sponsored economists like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will ask during one of her meetings with the NLC why people were so worried over subsidy removal when about 70 per cent of Nigerians don’t own cars! That is why the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who behaves more like a politician will talk down to us and insist we must accept the fuel increase while he is comfortable spending almost N20 billion ($133million) of tax payers’ money on a piece of land to build a “world class international conference centre”. This has always been their modus operandi. Was it not David Mark, then a soldier-minister under General Ibrahim Babaginda (now senate president and a champion of democracy) who berated Nigerian students for protesting increase in fuel because not many students owned cars, as if many of us who went to universities outside our state of origin had to trek to school. Can a ruling elite be more insensitive!

CO: Many Nigerians are saying that rather than remove subsidy of petrol, the president should consider removing subsidy on government inefficacy.

IO: What can I say? We are all aware of the billions earmarked for feeding the president and the vice president in 2012. The vice president will spend N1.7 billion ($11.3 million) on trips in 2012 and N1.3 billion ($8.6 million) on office stationeries. This amount includes N12 million ($80,000) on books, N45 million ($300,000) on newspapers, and N9 million ($60,000) on magazines and periodicals. Does this show a government that is serious? Go back at the end of the year and see how many books were bought. We are in an emergency, but our rulers are busy frolicking. Our rulers don’t see that there is no effective mass transit system anywhere in the country and the people depend on petrol fuelled vans, motocycles, tricycles, and kabukabus to move from home to work. They don’t see that the public electricity system has all but collapsed and businesses and homes depend mostly on petrol generators to do business. They don’t see that the people of Nigeria are important. But why should they? They are used to rigging elections and subverting the will of the people. For someone like Goodluck Jonathan who has been the biggest beneficiary of the PDP rigging machine right from when he was summoned to go and become deputy governor in Bayelsa, the people don’t matter. Have you not seen how irritated he looks anytime he is on national television and he is asked about lack of positive result with his policies? The man does not understand why Nigerians should continue to complain. Over and over again he has given the story that Obama or some foreign head of state has praised him for what he is doing and he feels that is what Nigerians should also do. But Obama does not live in Benin City and has not experienced power failure in his life. So how should Obama be the one to decide whether Jonathan is performing or not.




CO: Are you saying Jonathan is a stooge of Western powers?
IO: It is worse than that. Jonathan is a stooge of backward Nigerian political elite who are generally stooges of Western powers. Though as a stooge of stooges, Jonathan has shown that he is particularly spineless and is most amenable to even the slightest of pressure from those he considers powerful. The man is so scared of those he considers powerful. Like the governors. Now let us look at how this backward ruling elite always attempts to selects its weakest elements to act as pawns in the name of president. As far back as the eve of Nigeria’s independence, the Sarduana, who was a powerful leader of the North, selected a weak Tafawa Balewa to be Prime Minister. So we then had a situation where the head of government of Nigeria, the largest state in black Africa, was a mere stooge of powerful northern politicians and contractors who expected the head of government to just represent their interests. We later had Gowon who was maybe the weakest among northern soldiers that took power at that time. Again, Gowon was a stooge for the main powers who remained behind the scenes to share their loot while Gowon was speaking English in public. The same thing with General Obasanjo who as military head of state was not the main power. The same with Shagari, Nigeria’s first really clueless head of government. Like Balewa the northern political establishment selected a weak Shagari who will not stop them from looting. Babangida, Abacha. Those had their different styles, but were really all continuations of a reprobate regime of waste.

CO: You agree then with Chinua Achebe that “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership”.

IO: I agree completely. Anytime someone strong and a bit independent minded emerges, they kill him. But sometimes the scheme of the dominant power blocs in the country backfires. For example, when they sponsored Obasanjo to return as civilian head of government in 1999 against the wish of even people in Obasanjo’s village. Obasanjo came and decided to play the game on his own terms. He had learnt how to play the game from the soldier-politicians. He made sure he handed over power to a weak politician. He carefully selected Yar’adua, a man he knew to be terminally ill. Someone who will be too sick to rule. Obasanjo also forced Jonathan - against Jonathan’s will, to become Vice President. Today Jonathan is Nigeria’s most unwilling president. Political jobbers around him, including those of them from the Niger Delta, asked him not to throw away the chance of the Niger Delta.

CO: If that is the case, is he representing the interest of the Niger Delta?

IO: President Jonathan is the worst thing to happen to the Niger Delta. Go and see the East-West road. The road from Warri to Port Harcourt and beyond. The condition of that federal road is worse than ever. This is an outrage! Every year there is a budget allocation for everything. At the end of the year nothing to show for all the billions. Why? This is because Jonathan is superintending over the biggest looting spree in this history of Nigeria. Governors see state funds as their private estate. Ministers see their office as reward for loyalty to governors and opportunity to chop. Local government chairmen. Those are the biggest rogues! The National Assembly is more or less a college of self-serving opportunists – most of whom cannot even get close to winning in free and fair elections. They say most of the big houses in Abuja have been built or bought by civil servants. Where did they get the money? These people, all these people that have continued to loot, are part of the political elite. They are happy that a clueless and spineless person like Jonathan is President. They are the people insisting that Jonathan remove fuel subsidy so that they will have more loot to share. Simple. But Jonathan can’t see it. He doesn’t have that kind of vision. He and those eating with him can’t see the groundswell of opposition to fuel increase. They can’t see that opposition to fuel increase will ultimately result in resistance to everything the ruling class represents in Nigeria. This is just the beginning. In that case, the increase in fuel price is good. For the first time in a long time Nigerians from different ethnic, religious and even class backgrounds are massing together to build a new movement for change. That is what excites me. Supporting the new movement should be the duty of every person who is keen to see Nigeria progress. Neither Jonathan nor his PDP can do anything good for Nigeria. What we need is not just a change of government, we need a system overhaul. This needs struggle and perseverance on the part of the people.

CO: What do you make of the economic policy direction of the Jonathan administration?

IO: He has none? We don’t see any direction. We have heard them talk about a transformation agenda, but what is that agenda? There is none! Corruption is on the increase. Have you asked yourself why the president has not made public his asset declaration? What is he hiding? The biggest challenge facing the Nigerian economy is electricity. The government has done nothing to show that it even appreciates the urgency. Statements, statements everyday, but nothing to show. What they want is to continue to drill and sell crude oil and share proceeds to the three tiers of government for onward looting. It is sad that the same thugs that have benefited from the looting of Nigeria are the same people that Jonathan has assembled to be part of his so called economic management team. These are people that Jonathan feels indebted to because they provided cash for his campaign. But is there no other way to reward political donors? Must you hand over the management of the national economy to them? The governors are well represented in that economic team. But what have they done in their states to demonstrate that they can manage any economy? The heads of private banks are also prominent. These people know how to make profit for themselves – mostly by conniving with politicians and civil servants to launder stolen money. Does that qualify them to manage Nigerian economy? Then you have Okonjo-Iweala - an agent of international finance capital.

CO: Talking about Okonjo-Iweala, civil society groups are asking President Jonathan to sack her. Do you share that view? She is serving at the instance of the president, shouldn’t the focus be on the president?

IO: I agree that the focus should be on President Jonathan, but Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala is dangerous. Her case is special. This is a person sent by the World Bank to continue economic policies that have failed everywhere in the world. Okonjo-Iweala wants to deregulate because deregulation is an essential ingredient of the neoliberal economic doctrine of the World Bank and IMF. She is too far away from the realities of Nigeria to understand that deregulating fuel price in Nigeria will have negative impacts on all aspects of productive life. But does she care? No. All her bosses in Washington DC expect is for Nigerian government to have as much cash as possible to service the debt profile that is sure to increase under Jonathan. Okonjo-Iweala’s greatest achievement in government has been the biggest single transfer of wealth from Nigeria to other parts of the world. The so called debt forgiveness meant that Nigeria gave money to Europe and North America - representing the biggest wealth transfer in human history. They said the savings from debt deal will be used to improve infrastructure. Where is the infrastructure? Okonjo-Iweala is now saying that the gain from oil subsidy will be used to improve infrastructure. Does this woman think that Nigerians are fools all the time? It is just sad the way these people protect their private interests and claim that they are trying to improve Nigerian economy. Recently, I read that the Federal Executive Council awarded contract in the billions for the importation of plastic trash cans from Europe. This is for use in Abuja. Can you imagine that? Is Jonathan and his cabinet saying that there are no plastic manufacturers in Nigeria who can do the job? There are plastic manufacturers all over the country. All the government needed to do was give specification to local producers and monitor and enforce compliance. Keeping the job at home would have meant creating or protecting jobs at home and all the benefits that come from local production. But this government does not care for any local production apart from the production of crude oil. That is why they can even think of increasing fuel price, the same action that could completely destroy the local artisanal sectors where the bulk of production in Nigeria takes place.

CO: The people in the Niger Delta must really be disappointed with President Jonathan.
IO: I can tell you that there was real excitement with the idea of a son of the Niger Delta becoming president of Nigeria. Our people had been treated like second-class citizens since Nigeria was created. So people were happy to see Jonathan as president and went out to vote – even though we know that state governors schemed to inflate the votes for their own purposes. But what has been the benefit of a Jonathan presidency? Symbolic. Only symbolic. Today, the traditional dress of the Niger Delta male, in particular, the Ijaw male, has become something of a national attire. People from the Delta now dress as such and can move in Abuja with a swagger. You did not have this before. Apart from the symbolism and cosmetic impact, there is nothing substantial for the people from the Jonathan presidency. Environmental pollution and destruction of livelihoods by the petroleum industry is worse now than ever before. Today, we have a major offshore oil spill by Shell and the Jonathan presidency is looking the other way. There is no serious attempt to call Shell to order. Compare that with the response of the Brazilian government to recent offshore spill by Chevron. But with Jonathan in Nigeria, there has not been any serious attempt to address the issue of lost livelihoods for the coastal communities as a result of the recent Shell spill. It is a shame because there are people in Jonathan’s system that had campaigned all their lives for environmental justice. Now that they have the rare opportunity to do something, they are looking the other way. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) produced a report on pollution in Ogoniland. The recommendations from UNEP should have provided the Jonathan presidency with an opening to address the historical environmental abuse of the Niger Delta. But all he did was set up a committee like he does on everything. Anytime Jonathan sets up a committee, you know the man is not serious. Or he just doesn’t care.
CO: It is a shame because President Jonathan is a major beneficiary of the struggle of the people in the Niger Delta.

IO: President Jonathan is a beneficiary of the struggles of the Niger Delta which he was never part of. Today, he is enjoying the goodwill of even ex-militants who have continued to support the amnesty programme because they feel their son is president. But Odi has not been rebuilt? Even Okerenkoko has not been rebuilt. I agree that the amnesty programme has been very successful in keeping militants off the creeks. The result has been restoration of oil production to optimal levels. The government people are the biggest beneficiaries. But the relative calm or peace as some people chose to call it has not been utilized by the government as an opportunity to improve social infrastructure in the Niger Delta or anywhere in Nigeria for that matter. Things are getting worse every day. A few months ago, people in a village next to Jonathan’s were protesting against Shell for abuses. People in the Niger Delta now recognize that Jonathan is a waste of time. Let me tell you that petrol is very expensive in the creeks of the Niger Delta.

Combined with the fact that the engines of boats consume a lot of petrol, it means that removal of subsidy will affect the Niger Delta the most.

C - Public Revenue
162. (1) T[b]he Federation shall maintain a special account to be called "the Federation Account" into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, except the proceeds from the personal income tax of the personnel of the armed forces of the Federation, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry or department of government charged with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.[/b]

(2) The President, upon the receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles especially those of population, equality of States, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density;

Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than thirteen per cent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources.

Judgement of the Court
Delivered by
Michael Ekundayo Ogundare. J.S.C


Section 162(1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (hereinafter is referred to as the Constitution or the 1999 Constitution) establishes the Federation Account into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, with a few exceptions not relevant to the case in hand.

Sub-section (2) of section 162 of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to determine the formula for the distribution of funds in the Federation Account. Sub section (2) provides:

"162(2)     The President, upon the receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles especially those of population, equality of States, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density;

               Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than thirteen per cent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources."

The proviso to the sub-section entrenches, with respect to natural resources, the principle of derivation in any formula the National Assembly may come up with. By this principle "not less than thirteen per cent" of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resource shall be payable to a State of the Federation from which such natural resources are derived. For a State to qualify for this allocation of funds from the Federation Account, the natural resources must have come from within the boundaries of the State, that is, the resources must be located within that State.

There arose a dispute between the Federal Government, on the one hand, and the eight littoral States of Akwa- Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers State on the other hand as to the Southern (or seaward) boundary of each of these States.

The Federal Government contends that the southern (or seaward) boundary of each of these States is the low-water mark of the land surface of such State or, the seaward limit of inland waters within the State, as the case so requires. The Federal government, therefore, maintains that natural resources located within the Continental Shelf of Nigeria are not derivable from any State of the Federation.

The eight littoral States do not agree with the Federal Government’s contentions. Each claims that its territory extends beyond the low-water mark onto the territorial water and even onto the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone. They maintain that natural resources derived from both onshore and offshore are derivable from their respective territory and in respect thereof each is entitled to the "not less than 13 per cent" allocation as provided in the proviso to subsection (2) of section 162 of the Constitution.

Beaf:

I have never heard anything so poorly thought through, if at all. When there are oil spills, whose shores are affected? Is it the FG that owns the cancers and respiratory problems that afflict ND people as a result of gas flaring, onshore and offshore? It just goes to show how id!otic paid judgements can be (yes, it was a judgement, not the constitution as you claimed).
If the country breaks up tomorrow, would you rush from Sokoto or wherever to talk about offshore oil? Comedy!

Dude, get your state manufacturing something or developing. It is really disgusting to hear Nigerians proudly making parasitic arguments as if we are disabled people (both mentally and physically).
I feel very deeply ashamed whenever I read such arguments.

Attorney General's legal opinion on Nigeria's constitution:

Section 162(1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (hereinafter is referred to as the Constitution or the 1999 Constitution) establishes the Federation Account into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, with a few exceptions not relevant to the case in hand.

Sub-section (2) of section 162 of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to determine the formula for the distribution of funds in the Federation Account. Sub section (2) provides:

"162(2)     The President, upon the receipt of advice from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, shall table before the National Assembly proposals for revenue allocation from the Federation Account, and in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account, the allocation principles especially those of population, equality of States, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density;

                Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than thirteen per cent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources."

The proviso to the sub-section entrenches, with respect to natural resources, the principle of derivation in any formula the National Assembly may come up with. By this principle "not less than thirteen per cent" of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resource shall be payable to a State of the Federation from which such natural resources are derived. For a State to qualify for this allocation of funds from the Federation Account, the natural resources must have come from within the boundaries of the State, that is, the resources must be located within that State.

There arose a dispute between the Federal Government, on the one hand, and the eight littoral States of Akwa- Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers State on the other hand as to the Southern (or seaward) boundary of each of these States.

The Federal Government contends that the southern (or seaward) boundary of each of these States is the low-water mark of the land surface of such State or, the seaward limit of inland waters within the State, as the case so requires. The Federal government, therefore, maintains that natural resources located within the Continental Shelf of Nigeria are not derivable from any State of the Federation.

k2kay:

The shameless Reno Omokri was already denying on twitter that the president did not travel, atleast a south african daily wouldn't lie. shame!!
http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-01-06-will-the-anc-learn-from-nigeria-or-just-party-on

doofanc:

What again was point #12 in his little per talk? O Yes, yes, reduction in foreign trips except those absolutely necessary. So what exactly is he doing in SA? Wooing investors to come invest in the country? SMH

I wonder how many aides he took along this time .