Nigeria Times – Page 487

Stop undue attacks on public office holders, group tells DSS

The Forum of Middle belt Youths Presidents have charged the Department of State Services, DSS to channel their powers towards solving the various security challenges facing the country rather than attacking public office holders working day and night to develop their states.

The group while speaking with newsmen in Abuja said they received with shock and utter disappointment a news report by the Department of State Services, DSS alleging that three serving Governors in the country are behind a plot to incite public violence across country.

Terrence Kuanum, the President of the Middle Belt Youth Presidents and Daniel Bichi, Secretary who spoke on behalf of the other members of the group said a cursory look at the accusation by a service, saddled with the responsibility of protecting Nigerians through viable intelligence gathering and proactive measures at very critical moments is worrisome.

He said, “Unfortunately, we find the tone and the real agenda behind such weighty allegations suspicious, particularly that the service has left the current precarious situation where terrorists have taken over a large chunk of the sovereignty of the country to satisfy some seeming political interests absurd.

“A few days ago, the convoy of the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State was ambushed and attacked by armed bandits. In the ensuing exchange of gun battle, the terrorists succeeded in killed 19 security operatives that were on that convoy. It took the grace of God for the Deputy Governor to escape from that attack.

“Within the same time in Kontagora, Niger State, a police station was attacked by assailants. They killed the DPO and six policemen who were on duty patriotically serving their father land.

“Just last week, the house of the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo was burnt down in Imo state with yet another police station bombed to ashes, leaving several police personnel dead in that attack orchestrated by arm bandits.

“Reports also came out from Nasarawa State where a youth group from the state openly came out to accuse the Fulani herdsmen for opening camps in the southern parts of the state where they have displaced the citizens and are using the camps as a base to attack the neighboring communities in Benue State. These unprovoked attacks have continued without any resistance from the security agencies for either lack of capacity or manpower.

“There has been wanton destruction of lives and properties in Zamfara, Sokoto, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states to mention just a few on a daily basis by Fulani herdsmen with millions of IDPs camps across the country. In Sokoto state for instance, these bandits severally turned communities into a killing field” they said

The group said if the DSS claims that some governors are instagating violence, then Nigerians need to know if it is the same Governors that have influenced the current fuel crises in the same country which is another knotty issue capable of sparking off crisis

“Can the DSS trace the ongoing ASUU strike to the doorsteps of state governors?

“We ask again, what is the role of governors in the current rise in food prices?

“It is an open secret that the management of the Nigeria at the moment is faulty and has left so many holes which we suspect that the current federal government is truly helpless and needs help. The growing indicators of poor economic and financial management skills of the present administration have shown in the high rise in unemployment rate and wide gulf between rich and poor. These are not good parameters for a healthy political environment.

“With these glaring scenarios, we are surprised and disappointed at the conclusion drawn by the DSS that it is serving Governors rather than the federal government that are instigating crisis in the northern part of the country. In case ths DSS has forgotten, the Northern region has not known peace for 12 years owing to activities of Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen. Definitely, this cannot be just dumped on the laps of state governors who are also critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project.

“We make bold to suspect that the Federal Government is using the DSS to set up some state governors who have refused to be silenced for persecution.These are governors who have continued to stand on the side of the people that elected them rather than take an unpopular stand.

“From all indications, it is obvious that the allegations against these unnamed governors across the geopolitical zones is to divert the attention of Nigerians from the pressure mounted by international community who are now asking that leaders of groups like the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore should be arrested and prosecuted and that the violent groups are declared as terrorist organizations” they said

The group further urged President Buhari to reject the report and sack the Director General of DSS without further delay for failing in his responsibilities and abating genocide in the country.

“We also demand the immediate deployment of more military personnel into the Operation Whirl Stroke to beef up security in the Benue Valley to stop the killings of innocent persons as it has become apparent that the security forces on the Benue/Nasarawa border lack the sophistication of the weaponry of the Fulani herdsmen who have set up camps in the southern part of Nasarawa State.

“Furthermore, proactive steps should be taken to address the demands put forward by ASUU in a bid to end the raging strike action by the academic union to avoid further provocation that might lead to break down of law and order in our country.

“The Federal Government should take urgent steps to remedy the hike in the cost of living in our country. These are the time bombs we are all sitting on hence every step must be taken to ensure it doesn’t explode.

“We stand solidly with State Governors who have demonstrated courage at all times even in the face of stiff opposition from the federal might. We commend them all for always remaining resolute and steadfast.

:The Forum of Middle Belt Youth Presidents urges the President to come down from his high ego horse and listen to critical stakeholders now. We give our backing to the calls that the President convoke a national security summit of all ethnic nationalities to address this nagging insecurity threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria. That way, there may be viable solutions to fixing security, economy and other critical sectors so that this country can move forward without all the bagges we are seeing now.

“Lastly, we urge the Buhari administration and its agents to focus on their mandate of providing leadership to alleviate the suffering of the people and desist from vilifying and castigating true nationalists and patriots who have been in the vanguard of ensuring that the incompetent and ineffective leadership at the centre does not destroy what is left of the country’s dwindling values” he said.

NYSC Trust Fund: An Important Tool for National Unity, Job Creation, Increased Productivity and Economic Stability

By Solomon Semaka

At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, the African continent was gripped with the horrors of the slave trade. The only commodity for this trade was human beings. Care was also taken to make sure these human beings were young and without any physical challenge. The destination was the plantations in North and South America and the West Indies. What that trade did to the African continent is that it uprooted the youth, the lifeblood of any society and transferred them to another continent most brutally and inhumanly anyone can think of. These youths were not just migrants that were to be labourers that would wages and send back remittances. No! They were a lost generation who mostly didn’t come back home and didn’t contribute anything to their society. It is the position of this article that actions like these, taken against the youth to a large extent contributed to drawing Africa back in terms of development. However, not just the slave trade, but so many other social, economic and political policies as well as actions taken by governments around the world have a profound impact on the youth. The centrality of youth in the area of sport, military, agriculture, commerce and trade is such that any country that neglects its youth is doomed to fail. Selling African youth into slavery by fellow Africans was one of the greatest undoings of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Nigerians have a youthful or growing population that has faced more challenges in recent times than any other country on the planet. With an educational system that has failed to accommodate every youth, to rising unemployment and the twin evil of underemployment and exploitation that has characterized Nigeria’s private sector workplace, it is difficult to say when the Nigerian youth will be free. The rise in insecurity all over the country is linked to the inability of the government to adequately address the challenges of the youth and gainfully engage them. Ritual killings have skyrocketed in recent times in a quest to make quick money. So many lives have been wasted by ritualist and body part merchants who believe they can actually make money through occultic sacrifices. The rise of internet scams and criminal impersonations in Nigeria is also alarming. The perpetrators are sadly youth who choose to misdirect their intellectual know-how to swindle others. We cannot isolate kidnappings and ransom demands as well as terrorism from the list of crimes committed by and against Nigerian youths. While we lament on our failure to accommodate the youth and or put up measures to counter these vices and crimes, there is one government agency worthy of commendation and praise for being the flagship for youth-friendly and proactive institution. That agency is the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), headed by one of Nigeria’s most decorated army officers in the person of Major General Ibrahim Shuaibu.

The NYSC has come to be the hope of Nigerian youths in terms of mentorship, leadership training and self- actualization.It is is the largest employer of labour with over 300,000 corps members passing through the scheme annually. Since its inception five decades ago as a post-war reconstruction effort, it has employed more than 60 million Nigerians and has the capacity to do more. There is no family in Nigeria that does not have either an ex corps member, a serving corps member or a prospective corps member. It is an achievement and the highest honour for Nigerian youths to be adorned in NYSC kits.

Perhaps the greatest achievement of Major General Ibrahim Shuaibu as the DG of NYSC is the conception and initiation of the NYSC Trust Fund, the equivalent of what Tetfund is doing in the educational sector.With the bill for the establishment of the Trust Fund already in the National Assembly for deliberation and passage, it is only normal to call on all Nigerians especially members of the national assembly who are all beneficiaries of this noble scheme to expedite action on the passage of the bill. Civil society organisations must solidly support this bill and make the needed inputs that will make the bill effective and relevant in addressing the challenges of the NYSC.

The NYSC Trust Fund is important in addressing the myriad of challenges facing corps members and the scheme generally. While the DG has so far done marvellously well with the limited resources at his disposal, it is important to add that there is still so much to be done. For instance, most states of the federation do not have befitting orientation camps. There is also the need for the NYSC to build state of the art skills acquisition centres in all parts of the country where corps members are deployed. Health services rendered by corps members to indigent members of rural communities can also be another area the NYSC Trust Fund can be channeled into. The list is endless and we can only thank the DG for this laudable initiative. Nigerians must therefore support this noble idea to make this a reality as soon as possible.

One of the objectives of establishing the NYSC scheme was to encourage national unity after the Nigerian Civil War. NYSC has achieved this not only in the area of inter-tribal marriages but also through language skills acquisition and by extension, trade relations. Before the establishment of NYSC, intertribal marriages were minimal and frowned at because of tribal distrust. There were strange reasons why one group must not marry the other. Intertribal wars and age-long disputes formed the basis for such distrust. With the coming of NYSC, this became a thing of the past as the posting policy of the Scheme made it possible for people to interact, learn new languages, marry and do business effortlessly. Learning one’s language is always not easy but once you can attempt, you instantly become a friend. The NYSC keyed into this initiative and produced pamphlets in the major languages of Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa which helped corps members to learn basic communication skills. The number of corps members who have decided to settle down in their places of primary assignment, marry and start a business or get employment is enormous.

Due to the size and complexity of Nigeria, the conduct of elections was always stalled by a lack of qualified and patriotic Nigerians who could reach deep into the hinterlands and creeks. Conflict of interest also made people indigenous to a particular place unfit to deliver credible elections. Electronic voting also required youth who are technologically sound with knowledge of computer applications. Corps members came in handy and have since been conducting elections judged by even international observers as credible and fair. The success of Nigeria’s democracy story will not be complete without the mention of Corps members’ role in the conduct of the elections.

While appreciating Mr. President for his youth- friendly policies, we pray for quick response as the Trust Fund bill will soon be on his table for assent. It is also important to thank the minister of Youth and Sports for always supporting the scheme. Mention must be made of civil society groups, religious leaders and traditional institutions as well as other stakeholders. This support must be sustained especially now that the DG is working hard to make the Trust Fund a reality.

2023 Presidency: Groups Endorse Tinubu

As 2023 general elections draw near, about 200 groups from the North Central part of the country today gave reasons while they want Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari next year.

The group under the North Central Agenda for Tinubu, NCAT in a communique issued in Abuja after their meeting said Tinubu is their preferred choice from the array of aspirants that have indicated interest in leading Nigeria.

The groups said Tinubu remain their preferred person to pilot the affairs of the nation.

The meeting was attended by representatives and leaders of the over 200 support groups from the north-central part of the country.

The President of the NCAT, John Ali Oriri said at the meeting that participants have critically evaluated Tinubu’s aspiration and the implications of its success for the presidential bid.

He said, “Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu has declared his intention to contest the 2023 Presidential on the platform of the APC, other aspirants within the APC and other political parties have also indicated interest in the same position.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has embarked on a nationwide consultation with various stakeholders and interest groups during which he has continued to unveil his vision for placing Nigeria on the path to economic sustainability and assert the country’s pivotal place in world affairs.

“The former governor of Lagos state has proven that he is a great manager of resources, especially human resources, as he has mentored and groomed political leaders that have positively impacted Nigeria through the posts they have held or still holding.

” He has proven to be economically sound to get solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria.

“Tinubu has the wealth of experience and network that the country needs in its next President. These great attributes should not be diminished by persons that are interested only in their own personal agenda to the detriment of the entire nation” he added

Oriri said there is an ongoing debate about zoning, with a preponderance of opinion tilted in favour of the southern part of the country producing the next President.

“Tinubu is fortunately from the south, although he is eminently qualified to be the next president even if zoning is not applied.

“There have been some unwholesome activities by those that are afraid of the kind of reforms Tinubu would further implement in line with APC’s reform-oriented philosophy. These unwholesome activities include the deployment of fake news to tarnish Tinubu’s political standing like creating fake health scares and misrepresenting his age.

“Some of the campaigns to undermine Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are emanating from his own party, the APC. Incidentally, those linked to this campaign are of inferior value and are not qualified to be substituted to Tinubu even if it was possible for them to emerge as their party’s flagbearers.

“There are several political parties that are eager to give Tinubu an automatic ticket in the event that the APC fails to recognize his electoral worth.

“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been a perfect statesman even in the face of this negative propaganda and fake news deployed against him. He has focused on the task at hand, which is reassuring that he is the only one that can deliver governance to the expectation of Nigerians.

“The North-Central has the best chance of having their marginalization addressed when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu becomes president in 2023 and beyond. Among all the aspirants that have indicated an interest in the position, he is the only one that consistently proven that he detribalized and liberal-minded to fully embrace the diversity needed to preside over Nigeria” he said

The North Central group further resolved that it will formally inform Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu that the decision to run for President is no longer his to make as Nigerians have resolved that he is the one to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari and take Nigeria to the Promised Land.

“The relationships among the 200 groups that make up NCAT must be further cemented to present a united front in the quest to support Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to emerge as Nigeria’s next President.

“NCAT will activate a formidable media support team that will constantly the propaganda attack on Tinubu’s aspiration and respond to counter the intended negativity.

“NCAT would support all the APC delegates from the north-central to vote for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the Presidential primary election of their party.

“The support groups will identify and prepare five (5) alternate political parties that would give Tinubu automatic ticket as their presidential flagbearer if the APC fails to do the needful” he added.

Nnamdi Kanu: A criminal suspect and not a political prisioner

By Alex Ndubueze

With the deteriorating security condition in the South-East, one is inclined to call for a political solution to put an end to the burgeoning restiveness bedeviling the region. While bouts of criminal activities and bloodletting characterized the South East, the arrest and incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu have irrefutably aggravated insecurity in the zone with repercussions for socio-economic and political order. This has sparked desperation and entreaties by critical stakeholders and groups for workable resolutions to restore peace and stability in the region. Though these calls are intended for peace and greater good, the political solution being sought for is unfortunately not tenable and the reasons are not far-fetched.

Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and charged with crimes of terrorism and treasonable felony. These crimes qualify him as a criminal suspect and not a political prisoner. This is more so that the internationally accepted definition of political prisoner is at variance with crimes committed by the outlawed group leader. A political prisoner is anyone detained for exercising their human rights under international law. Such rights include peaceful assembly, freedoms of religion, association, expression and advocacy for peaceable social and political change as well as criticize government policy or government official. Kanu was none of that or could have been one if he remained non-violent. He turned his IPOB group to a bloodsucking violent pack. The modus operandi of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra is also not in line with peaceful procedures as defined. Kanu is commonly known to aggressively advocate for civil disobedience, bigotry and fanning the embers of war to provoke anarchy and public disorder. He has on several occasions openly incited members of his group to take laws into their hands.

Indisputably, the formation of IPOB’s military wing code named Eastern Security Network, exacerbated insecurity in the South East Zone. Attacks on police formations, correctional centres, homes of select personalities and other critical government facilities became widespread after the formation of ESN. IPOB is also suspected to have launched unprecedented attacks against security agents in the region leading to the death and maiming of innocent citizens. During the #EndSARS protest, Kanu was known to have incited the carnage and destruction of lives and property in Lagos State and some parts of the country. His broadcasts are filled with hate, bile, intolerance and propaganda against the State and its institutions.

Similarly, the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe noted that a person can only be recognized as a political prisoner if the suspect’s detention is imposed purely for political reasons without connection to any offence. The activities of the IPOB leader falls within the context of crimes against the state which prompted security and law enforcement agencies to effect his arrest. In furtherance to this, Nnamdi Kanu was never a member of a political party neither is he being tried for expressing political views. He has never contested for election under any party or independent platform. Why then should he be referred to as a political prisoner? His offences – treason and terrorism¬ – are purely criminal; for which he is being charged and tried by a competent court of law.

It is public knowledge that Nnamdi Kanu has been granted access to his lawyers, family members and medical doctors. He practices his religious beliefs unhindered despite the attempt by IPOB, subversive groups and individuals sympathetic to him to project otherwise. According to information in the public space, he is treated in accordance with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). His legal team can attest to the veracity of this assertion. Additionally, a political prisoner is someone who is detained for many years without trial or under house arrest. Nnamdi Kanu was never detained under an executive order. The State has not also failed to take him to court after his arrest. He was promptly charged. So the argument of being detained as a political prisoner has no foundation. Nnamdi Kanu was a fugitive who jumped bail after his initial arrest. The severity of his charges, unrepentant disposition and history of jumping bail has diminished the chances of a Judge granting him bail again. Therefore, a political solution may not be feasible given the fact that Nnamdi Kanu’s case contradict the basis for being termed as ‘political prisoner’. His actions contravene both the country’s Criminal Justice system and international laws, thus the law must be allowed to take its full course. Nnamdi Kanu must face the music.

Rather than seek a political solution, stakeholders and promoters of a political solution in the Kanu matter should resort to social reorientation of its citizens to shun violent and divisive acts responsible for crippling security and socio-economic activities. They should also join hands with government and security agencies in restoring normalcy in the zone. Campaign for political solution is a blackmail that should not be allowed to fester. The Igbo elite should come out of its inertia and selective amnesia. It should face the problem and speak out in one loud voice against evil. Those struggling to plant in public psychology that Nnamdi Kanu is a political prisoner should stop that. He is simply a criminal suspect and should be seen and treated so. This achieves common good. Allowing Kanu and IPOB with their splinter groups to bestride the region with pervading violence will rub the region of many things including economic development and the Presidency of Nigeria. The time to act is now.

Ndubueze is a public commentator

2023 Presidency: Katsina youths ask Buhari to support Bello

As President Muhammadu Buhari approaches the end of his two tenures, some youths from his state, Katsina, has fingered the best possible aspirant to succeed him.

According to the Katsina Youth Vanguard, Governor Yahaya Bello is the perfect man for the job, noting that he embodies everything ‘Baba Buhari’ represents.

In a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Suleiman Lado, the Katsina indigenes said Governor Bello, like Buhari, is brave and courageous, with a track record of quality leadership.

Lado said Bello is the only governor in the north that has consolidated on President Buhari’s efforts on security.

He said it is no surprise that Kogi State has enjoyed relative peace despite the rising spate of kidnapping, banditry and other criminal vices in neighbouring states.

In terms of education, health, agriculture and social welfare, Lado added that Governor Bello is unmatched.

“We, as indigenes of Katsina, believe Bello has the capacity to succeed President Buhari. Indeed, our father has done his best by building a solid foundation for the All Progressives Congress. Whoever takes over must consolidate and not drag the nation backwards.

“Bello is not from our part of the country yet we have found him worthy. In Bello, we see a young Buhari with the energy, charisma and foresight to make a positive difference.

“He ticks all the boxes. Bello has national appeal. He is loved by the Igbos, adored by the northerners and friends with the Yorubas and other tribes. He will play an integral role in uniting the nation at this period”.

The Katsina Youth Vanguard, however, urged President Buhari to give his total support to Bello.

According to the KYV, the governor will set the country on course for further growth and development and the President won’t have anything to worry about.

2023: Support Ayinke for President, Kaduna women urge Aisha Buhari

The Kaduna Women Vanguard (KWV) has challenged First Lady, Aisha Buhari to back her words with action by supporting the presidential ambition of renowned philanthropist, Amb Funmi Ayinke.

The group said as a known advocate of the girl child and gender equality, Mrs Buhari must throw her weight behind a frontline female aspirant at the next presidential polls.

The Kaduna-based group made this known in a statement on Monday signed by its coordinator, Zainab Ibrahim.

Through her foundation, Future Assured, the First Lady has serially advocated for the wellbeing of women, children and adolescents in the country.

Mrs Buhari recently took her advocacy to another level when she led the wife of the Vice-President and other top women in government to show support for female-related bills.

However, Ms Ibrahim believes all these will be an exercise in futility and a mere jamboree should the First Lady fail to support a female presidential aspirant, particularly Ayinke.

According to her, it is only when Mrs Buhari does that, all her buzz about the girl child can be taken seriously.

Ibrahim said the female youths in Kaduna singled out Ayinke owing to her philanthropy and track-record of excellence in service delivery.

She said as an internationally acclaimed engineer, Ayinke has set the path for young Nigerian women in a profession that is traditionally reserved for men.

Ibrahim said not only has Ayinke excelled, she has outclassed her male counterparts and would continue that trend if given the country’s leadership.

She also noted that over 100,000 vulnerable Nigerians have impacted by her own foundation, many of whom are women.

“Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari is role model for many young Nigerian women. She has distinguished herself and carried a cause that has affected everyone of us,” she said.

“However, we believe she can do more. We want our mother to support a female aspirant to succeed her husband. By our own assessment, that woman should be Engr Dr Ayinke.

“Ayinke epitomizes excellence. She is a mother of many, a builder and giver. We believe these qualities are rare in today’s society. Let’s all join hands to make this dream a reality”.

INEC charges political parties to respect court orders, electoral guidelines

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties and their stakeholders to obey court orders and statutory guidelines in their conduct ahead of 2023.

INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran Anthony said this while receiving a letter from the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of law who were on a solidarity rally to the commission over the recently signed 2022 electoral law.

The secretary who received the letter on behalf of the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu assured the activists that INEC as a law abiding Commission will continue to respect the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the judiciary in particular in all her undertakings.

She promised that all the contents of the letter will be strictly adhered to.

The Convener of the group, Chris Ukpai who presented the letter said events that culminated in the signing into law of the 2022 Electoral Act, signals a beautiful beginning for Nigerians towards entrenching and sustaining its nascent democracy.

He said the implication of the coming on board of the new electoral act signifies that moving forward, Nigeria’s democratic institutions would be strengthened, and elections would be credible, free and fair.

Ukpai said the peaceful march to INEC is intended to drive home the point that Nigeria and Nigerians are deserving of credible leadership, and this could only be achieved if the electoral umpire stays true to its name by ensuring that the votes of the people count in selecting leaders that would drive its quest towards sustainable growth and development.

He said, “at this point, we have realized that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is central to achieving this objective hence our peaceful march to its national headquarters to deliver a strong message about the implementation of the 2022 electoral act, which by all intent and purpose should not confer undue advantages to groups or individuals.

“We all know the tendencies of political parties in the country to want to bend the rules. We all know how in some instances, their first point of call is usually to INEC staff and officials. And we all know that once that is achieved, the rest becomes history as we would be subjected to the whims and caprices of selfish and greedy people who are bent on denying Nigerians the dividends of democracy.

“However, we are glad that with the coming of the 2022 electoral act, the message from INEC so far has been impressive and noteworthy. We are also pleased that INEC, under the chairmanship of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, has displayed an uncompromising stance in the conduct of elections across the country. We believe the 2023 general elections would follow the same pattern that would deliver one of the country’s best elections in our history.

“We are using this medium to support and encourage Professor Mahmud Yakubu to lead INEC for a job well done so far, as evident in the recently released electoral timetable. It is our firm belief that a free, fair and credible election starts with the implementation of the electoral act and how the various stakeholders subsequently react to it.

“We wish to say that INEC has displayed an unalloyed commitment towards implementing the 2022 electoral act to the latter, which remains a strong indication that the 2023 general elections shall be devoid of compromise on the part of the electoral umpire.

“However, this is not to say that INEC would not come under intense pressure. But we are assured that the staffers and officials of INEC would stand on the side of democracy and the interest of the generality of all Nigerians” he said

Ukpai further urged staff of INEC to feel assured that the civil society will continue to defend them and speak for them, hence the need for them not to entertain any form of fear or intimidation in the discharge of their duties.

21-day Notice: Group allege secret plans by ‘APC cabal’ to force backdated letter on INEC

The Coalition of Independent Observers says it has uncovered a plan by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to impose a backdated letter on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the group, the letter purportedly written by the National Secretray to INEC, will be doctored in such a way that it will meet up with the provisions for the 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention.

The observers, which made its stance known at a press conference in Abuja, also said the ultimate is to undermine the nation’s democracy.

In his address, Abdullahi Bilal, the group’s
Executive Director said INEC would be coerced into recognizing the said letter and would ultimately reverse its earlier stance that it had not been properly issued the statutory 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention

Bilal, in clear terms, said Governor Nasir El-Rufai is behind this fresh plot to destabilize the party and force Governor Mai Bala Buni out of office.

“Gentlemen of the press, because there has been no consequences for the criminal acts that these members of the cabal have been engaged in, they have moved to implementing an even more dangerous phase of the their evil plot. They have concluded plans to backdate a letter purportedly written by the National Secretray to INEC sometimes ago in order to meet up with the provisions for the 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention,” he said.

“INEC would then be coerced to into recognizing the forged letter and on the strength of that reverse its earlier stance that it has not been properly issued the statutory 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention. Certain staff of the Commission have been promised juicy postings for them to accept responsibility for not properly filing the letter when it purportedly arrived on time. It is on the strength of this ploy that the El-Rufai faction of the party is pushing ahead with the convention even though it has not met the conditions necessary to do so.

“In clear terms, a faction of the APC led by Nasir El-Rufai is about to commit forgery in addition to the serial violation of the Electoral Act that it has already committed.

“We are aware that they have also commissioned a media team to launch a campaign of calumny against INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, as part of a plot to remove him from the position for daring to assert INEC’s independence with the manner he rejected the change in CECPC leadership.

“With the spillover to attempting to manipulate INEC, Nigerians must now wake up and realize that the rampaging cabal is no longer the problem of APC alone. It will undermine the 2023 General Elections unless it is quickly brought under control. We are in critical times”.

The observers, therefore, urged Nigerians to “unite in resisting any attempt to make INEC act on a forged letter”.

Bilal further said “ we must also send a strong message that the INEC Chairman and Commissioners must not be victimized for doing the job they were appointed to do”.

Lekki deep seaport to begin commercial operations by September, Amaechi sets pace for expansion

The Lekki deep seaport will be completed and begin commercial activities in six months from now.

The project which will be commissioned by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration when completed and operational, would contribute $360 billion to the Nigerian economy over the course of 45 years.

This was disclosed Sunday in Lagos after the inspection of the project by the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. He expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, noting that the port was the first of its kind in Nigeria.

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Amaechi said the deep seaport was “a privately funded project, over time, they (contractors) will collect their revenue from the commercial activities before they hand over to the Federal Government.

“But obviously taxes will be collected here, even them (Contractors) will pay taxes, I am not sure there were any taxes mentioned in the agreement, but I doubt there is any tax exemption.

“So, we will collect taxes here, the confidence in giving them the project is because of the taxes that we will collect here that will help us in the construction of other projects.”

The Minister assured that the contractors will recover the money invested in the project and will contribute to the GDP of the nation annually.

He said the project will contribute over “$360 billion over the years. It sounds much, but we actually need more of that money to accomplish what we want to achieve.”

On the expansion of the seaport, the Minister complained that the port was not spacious enough to accommodate high-level economic activities in years to come.

“It also depends on how much the economy will grow before then. The growth of the economy will put pressure on the expansion. The argument we had in cabinet is that the need for a deep seaport at Lekki was a result of the fact that the demand for port activities in the country has exceeded the supply of tincan and Apapa around Lagos.

“This is the first seaport in Nigeria, what we had all these other ones are river ports. The tincan is a river port, the Apapa is a river port and Port Harcourt. Right here you have 16.5 meters drafts which is good for the country, but the country needs more than just one of these ports because of the increase in commercial activities in the future.

We need just more than Lagos deep seaport and for me, before I leave office I will emphasise on the construction of the Bonny deep seaport,” he stated.

Amaechi also lamented that he would have loved to connect the Lekki deep seaport to a rail line but funding of rail projects was currently a challenge for Nigeria.

As a Minister of Transportation, I imagine a lot of things that I could have implemented. I imagined that the Lagos-Calabar rail line would start from here, that was my imagination. But the Lagos-Calabar rail project needs $11.1 billion funding”, adding that there were no such funds at the moment for the project.

He advised the Port Contractors to invest in the rail sector too. “Another advise I could give is if they want to invest, they can invest in rail and then the government will either do tax reduction or do something to help them.

“If we get the 11.1billion as it is, we would probably have to divert the rail line, because Lagos-Calabar rail line actually goes into Lagos city, we can divert it to come to the seaport in Lekki,” he stated.

Amaechi revealed that the deep port will be completed in June and operational by September 2022.

Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise (LPLE) signed a 45-year concession agreement with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in April 2011, to develop, build, own, operate and transfer the Lekki deepsea port project under the Nigerian Ports Authority Act 2004.

LPLE is a joint venture of Tolaram Group (75%), Lagos State Government (20%), and the Nigerian Ports Authority (5%).

US-based company Louis Berger was contracted by Tolaram Group to serve as the project management consultant. The scope of the contract includes design, construction and commissioning of all marine and landside port facilities.

China Harbour Engineering LFTZ Enterprise (CHELE), a subsidiary of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), is responsible for the design and construction of the marine and landside infrastructure for the container terminal and utilities.

The CMA CGM Group signed a memorandum of agreement with LPLE in April 2018 to operate the Lekki port’s container terminal.

Lekki port project benefits
Lekki deepsea port will create approximately 170,000 direct and indirect jobs. It will also generate up to $201bn revenue to state and federal agencies through taxes, duties and royalties.

The port is expected to develop direct and induced business revenue of $158bn and contribute an aggregate of $361bn to the Nigerian economy.

Observers score APC’S leader low over failed attempt to remove leadership

The Coalition of Independent Observers have cried out over plans by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to desecrate the electoral acts.

The group also scored the APC Leadership low over attempts to remove the party leadership through unconstitutional means.

Convener of situation room, Abdullahi Bilal who spoke with newsmen in Abuja said there is a need for a shift in attitude and response to what is happening in the APC.

He said this is the time to move from treating the party’s crisis as a spectator event as the consequences of what is going on in APC would impact all citizens.

He said when those behind these problems are done with the APC they would invariably turn on Nigeria.

He said elections, whether general or party primaries, are important processes that differentiate democracy from autocracy and dictatorships.

“The APC has been placed on this trajectory in recent months and we fear that if nothing is done to reverse the situation, it would not matter what the electorate decide to do during the 2023 General Elections, those eradicating internal democracy in the APC would come out to ensure that votes do not count.

“We had a taste of how these people behave going by the way they insist on holding the APC elective national convention without meeting statutory conditions stipulated in the Electoral Act and the party’s own constitution.

“At the forefront of this rampaging autocrats is the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who incidentally was at the forefront of the death of internal democracy that killed the PDP. We will not be surprised if the desperation with which he is pursing an autocratic installation of the next government is derived by his desire to return to power at the federal level in order to continue the implementation of anti-people policies that can only thrive in a stifled democracy” he said.

Bilal said the fears of Independent Monitors about the prospects of Nigeria defending into full blown dictatorship is coalescing into reality owing to a return to an era where coups are now considered fashionable.

“We are witnesses to how El-Rufai, acting with a handful of other unrepentant dictators, purportedly claimed to have removed the Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni and replaced him with his Niger state counterpart, Abubakar Sani Bello.

“That illegal move was packaged to appear as having the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is now to all intent an hostage at the hands of El-Rufai and his cabal. This aspect is one that Nigerians must immediately revolt against since they did not elect the Kaduna state governor as president.

“Gentlemen of the press, while it is worrisome that a cabal came out to claim it has removed Buni from office without recourse to the law and processes, what should put the fear of God into all of us is the fact that El-Rufai and his co-travelers have the audacity to insist that what they want is what must happen irrespective of its illegality. It is their own way of reminding us that they have always lived above the law and they have no plan of ever being law abiding” he added

The Monitors commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which it said has so far stood its ground and insisted that it will not recognize any leadership of the CECPC that did not emerge through recognized processes.

“It affirmed that it is only the signatures of Buni as CECPC chairman and Senator John Akpanudoedehe it will recognize for correspondences with the APC. It has also insisted on being given the statutory notices, especially the 21 day-notice of intent to hold a national convention, for it to be able to monitor the event in accordance with the law.

This singular act of patriotism by INEC has given a lifeline to democracy in Nigeria but the threat to our freedom of choice as a people has not disappeared but only hibernating as El-Rufai and his associates returned to the drawing board to design fresh evils against democracy in Nigeria.

“We have reliably learnt that those in INEC that did not allow the cabal to have its way “would be dealt with to teach a lesson”. They are planning to drop as many INEC Commissioners that sided with the law against illegality. Their resolve is to find trump up charges to use as basis to replace these commissioners. They are also planning to force a massive internal reshuffle on the Commission so that stooges that are loyal to them will take over Political Parties Monitoring. These are being planned so that future illegalities they have in mind can sail through unchallenged.

The Coalition of Independent Observers is therefore urging and appealing to Nigerians to rally behind INEC in show of support so that the cabal will not take away that Commission’s resolve to stand on the side of truth.

“Even as the moves continue to undermine INEC and by consequence the Electoral Act, we want to place on record our disappointment with President Buhari, especially in view of the tepid statement issued by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, which failed to condemn the usurpation by El-Rufai and his group. We are also disappointed that the President joined the cabal in asserting that the leadership of the party and scheduling of convention date is not for party members to decide as this is the highest form of dictatorship. This arrogance may yet result in party members leaving the leaders to go vote at the polls so that we will see if they can have the number of votes that can only come from loyal party members.

“We are further disappointed that Mr. President did not 7use the statement issued on his behalf to distance himself from the attempted coup that made Bello to be parading himself as CECPC chairman. This nonchalant response to the issue has emboldened the cabal to go for broke as they interpreted the President’s silence on the matter as an endorsement of their irresponsible behavior that now threatens democracy in Nigeria.

“It is disheartening that the statement sort of confirmed that a sitting president is directing his party to violate the law by insisting that the convention would go ahead on March 26 when INEC has made it clear that it had no notice to that effect. This would be eroding confidence in INEC if the president can by fiat overrule the electoral body.

In our view, this intervention is pointless and should not have been made in the first place since it did not address the core issues of illegality and dictatorial behavior on the part of the members of the cabal.

“In clear terms, a faction of the APC led by Nasir El-Rufai is about to commit forgery in addition to the serial violation of the Electoral Act that it has already committed.

“We therefore urge Nigerians to unite in resisting any attempt to make INEC act on a forged letter. We must also send a strong message that the INEC Chairman and Commissioners must not be victimized for doing the job they were appointed to do” he said