Davido in N7m concert fee controversy

Hip hop singer, Davido, who was advertised to be among the artistes to perform at the Festival of India, which took in Lagos on Saturday, was conspicuously absent. This did not go down well with some guests who obviously wanted to see him in action. Indeed, such people think that the inclusion of his name was a fluke, to the extent that some have expressed the opinion online. But our correspondent spoke with the organisers who stressed that Davido was indeed invited. The chief organiser, Rosiji, also confirmed this. Although he said it was premature to say much on the development, other vital sources noted that the contract between the Festival of India and the artiste could run into N7m It was gathered that Davido informed them on Friday night, a day to the event, that he was indisposed. It was further gathered on Thursday (yesterday) night that the organisers have accordingly communicated Davido’s lawyers, as they hope to get a refund of the fee said to have been paid. Efforts by our correspondent to speak with the artiste or his manager did not yield fruits. A call to his manager’s phone number and a subsequent text message had not been replied as of 8pm production time on Thursday.

EX PRESIDENT: Enemies jealous of my rising profile –Jonathan

EX-President Goodluck Jonathan has again denied allegations that he is sponsoring the Niger Delta Avengers. He added that the allegation was being sponsored by those who were intimidated by his rising profile in Nigeria and abroad. The former President said this in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, on Thursday. There had been publications that the Muhammadu Buhari- led Federal Government had begun probing Jonathan over alleged link to the Niger Delta Avengers. The statement, however, said, “It is sad that the publications wore the cloak of deceit from the same misguided characters that are hell-bent on pulling down the former President despite his clear record of diligent service to his country and long-standing commitment to the good of the society. “There is no doubt that there exists such people who may have scores to settle with the former President, but are now feeling frustrated by the fact that his national and international profiles have continued to rise despite their recourse to endless muck-raking character assassination. Such people will stop at nothing to continue to throw obstacles, albeit futilely, on his path. “We are aware that the same people approached other well-meaning newspapers with the same false information, but they were wise to turn it down on account of its absurdity.” Jonathan advised the media to be professional and do more of investigative reporting instead of making reference to allegations of aggrieved militants. He said no responsible security agency would release such falsehood to the press. The statement added, “From what we know about intelligence gathering, there is no responsible government agency that would rush, as claimed in the newspaper stories, to adopt the accusations of a questionable rebellious organisation as its own findings, without applying the professional processes of rigour and due diligence. “Our media houses should be careful not to make the country a laughing stock by being hoodwinked into passing off the perverted voices of irritant groups as that of our well-respected official and security authorities.” The ex-President said newspapers promoting spurious allegations against him were toying with libel and destroying the image of Nigeria. “Apart from toying with the serious issue of libel, those newspapers lending themselves to be cheaply used by miscreants are also doing gross disservice to our collective good and the image of the country,” he said.

Devaluation: Did President Buhari get it?

Last week, my gate keeper suddenly packed his luggage with the intention of quitting his job. The reason he decided to withdraw his services and return to his country is the weakening exchange rate between the CFA franc, the currency of the Francophone countries and the naira. If you have not guessed already, my security man, Honoree, is from the Republic of Benin and after receiving his salary every month, he changes a portion of it into CFA franc and remits the same to his folks back home. Owing to the fact that the naira was stronger than the CFA franc, he migrated to Nigeria to work and earn income to be remitted home. But with the current devaluation of the naira, less CFA franc is now being exchanged for the naira, so working in Nigeria which was attractive in the past has now become unviable for Honoree, necessitating his decision to return to his home country. My gate keeper’s sudden decision has put me on notice with my chef, Michael, who is from Togo. Only a couple of weeks ago, Michael requested salary advance which l obliged him. On hindsight, he might have done so because the portion of his salary that he usually retained in Nigeria after remitting the other portion to Togo was probably inadequate to cover his local expenses due to the inflation arising from naira devaluation. My gateman and chef are just examples of millions of Africans who owing to the fact that the naira was overvalued, have been coming in droves to earn their living in Nigeria. Before the infamous Ghana-Must-Go episode of 1985, expulsion of over 700, 000 aliens from Nigerians, up till now, the high value of the naira has been encouraging the steady influx of artisans from neighbouring countries like the Republic of Togo, Niger Republic, Chad, Ghana, eking out their living in Nigeria. These foreigners fill up job vacancies as masons, tailors, mechanics, electricians, plumbers and marble tilers etc in Nigeria simply because of the oil boom that is now fast turning into a burst which made our currency stronger than those of their home countries. But with the naira now significantly devalued, as international oil prices plummet in the past couple of months, as they say in street lingo, levels have changed, and the foreign nationals who had been working in Nigeria and denying Nigerians of artisan jobs, are now vacating the jobs and in the process creating vacancies for Nigerians. Unbeknown to me, and l believe most Nigerians, my two domestic staff who are foreigners from neighbouring African countries constitute a drain on Nigeria’s forex because when we pay them salaries and as foreign nationals, they convert a portion of their salaries into remittances back home and that represents an import cost which has a negative bearing on our forex resources. Now, this is contrary to the notion created by some anti- devaluation crusaders on the side of President Buhari who have argued that Nigeria does not export finished products like iPhones or other high tech items like computer chips from Silicon Valley in the USA, neither is Nigeria like South Korea that has Samsung TVs or Kia cars to export which could have justified devaluing the naira. Conversely, devaluation advocates had fired back by validating their position with the fact that a strong naira encourages higher propensity to import “cheap” stuff like high end champagne or low end toothpicks into Nigeria including employment of foreigners to engage in jobs that Nigerians could have easily taken up as illustrated by my personal experience. They conclude that it is such indulgence that has been leading to the unwarranted depletion of our foreign exchange reserves. This is a classical case of the argument on whether the glass is half-full or half-empty. As a member of the Economic Community of West African States, where an economic treaty for free movement of people and goods has been signed, foreign nationals have easy migration access to Nigeria and as the country with the largest economy in Africa, boasting of an estimated GDP in excess of $530bn, nationals of less endowed countries have been making a beeline for Nigeria. Considering that the recent referendum in the United Kingdom, tagged BRExit that led to her exit from European Union was influenced by job losses by British citizens to foreign nationals, (would your white hotel guests preferred white chamber maids from Eastern Europe to non-white Britons?) Nigerian authorities should have been studying the pattern of immigration into our country with a view to determining the implications on the economy in terms of employment and security/safety of Nigerians. This is more so because it is free movement of people within the ECOWAS borders similar to what obtains in the EU which the UK just exited via a referendum that has been aiding terrorists in their recent bombing expeditions in France and Belgium. In a similar fashion, it is believed that the Boko Haram religious fundamentalists might have been migrating into Nigeria from neighbouring countries like Chad and Niger Republic. The assertion above is buttressed by the fact that both countries that are our neighbours have been experiencing schisms related to religious fundamentalism for a very long period of time and of which Nigeria has been intervening over the years. This is probably the reason authorities had cause, about 31 years ago, to shut down Nigerian borders to stem violent crimes and smuggling during the estimated 20 months reign of General Muhammadu Buhari on the saddle of leadership in Nigeria (1983-85) as head of state and Commander-in-Chief. Writing in New York Times of May 12, 1985, Sheila Rule reported in a news item titled, “Ghanaians expelled by Nigeria return to start over”, that “On May 3, the Nigerian government told 700,000 illegal aliens that they had a week to leave and that the borders previously closed to prevent smuggling would be open for their departure.” In addition to the 300,000 migrant workers from Ghana, “there are about 100,000 from Niger; most of the rest were from Chad and Cameroon”, she reported. Continuing, the NYT reporter noted that, “It was Nigeria’s second mass expulsion of aliens, who had been attracted to African oil giant in hopes of gaining a foothold or fleeing drought.” Rule finally observed that “falling oil prices have slowed Nigeria’s economy, and foreigners viewed as depriving citizens of jobs are being expelled”. When I came upon the foregoing excerpts in the course of my research for this article, I felt a sense of déjà vu as I wondered how Nigeria has turned back 360 degrees to where she was 31 one years ago with the economy in doldrums, politics in the shambles and the same personality–Buhari–back at the helm of affairs.

Police arrest Rep’s abductors, recover N.25M

The police have arrested three herdsmen, who allegedly abducted a member of the House of Representatives, Sani Bello, and collected N10m ransom. The names of the suspects were given as Haruna Adamu, 25; Shuaibu Adamu, 18; and Abubakar Saidu, 30. PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects had on August 2, abducted Bello and taken him hostage for three days before he was released. The police said the gang was responsible for kidnapping and other crimes on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway and its environs. Parading the suspects at the force headquarters, Abuja, on Thursday, the police spokesman, Donald Awunah, explained that N250,000 was recovered from them. He added that Haruna, the ringleader, led police operatives to the location where he buried the ransom. He said, “These gangsters were responsible for the kidnap of Sani Bello, a member of the House of Representatives, on August 2, 2016,on his farm along the Kaduna–Abuja Road. The kidnap of other persons was traced to them. “The suspects were trailed and rounded up at Ungwan Kawu village in the Dan Dumi Local Government Area, Katsina State, by the Intelligence Response Team of the police. “During interrogation, the suspects voluntarily confessed to the crime and also admitted the various roles they played individually and collectively in their criminal enterprise.” Haruna told PUNCH Metro that he got N3m out of the N10m ransom, but had to part with N1.5m to a hoodlum in the area, who threatened his gang for operating in his jurisdiction without his consent. It was learnt that the gang members used the proceeds of crime to purchase cattle.cattle to enlarge their herd. SOURCE: PUNCH

FUNAAB students protest robbery attacks, burn vehicles

Scores of students of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, went on the rampage, on Thursday, over alleged incessant robbery attacks on school hostels within and outside the campus. Two policemen and a student were injured while several vehicles were burnt during the protest, which lasted for about six hours. A student was allegedly cut with a machete on the head during the protest. Our correspondent, who visited the scene, saw no fewer than seven vehicles that were set ablaze. A police post at Osiele and another vehicle parked on the premises, as well as six other vehicles along the Abeokuta- Ibadan Road were set ablaze. Also, the church, allegedly headed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, Divine Heights Bible Church, Kotopo, along the Abeokuta-Ibadan Road, was also vandalised by the students while the windshields and wing mirrors of four vehicles on the premises were shattered. PUNCH Metro learnt the students’ protest followed an attack by armed robbers on Adejoke Hostel in Isolu community in the early hours of Wednesday. The hostel is some distance away from the school. It was gathered that the incident infuriated the students who claimed they had been left to their fate by the institution’s management. The protest, which started as early as 6am, paralysed academic and administrative activities in the institution, causing gridlock along the Abeokuta-Ibadan Road. Many students and workers of the institution were stranded at different bus stops. Our correspondent learnt that the protest had been peaceful until a police team arrived at the scene. The students allegedly confronted the cops, leading to the riot. A 100-level student of Forestry and Wildlife, identified as Taiwo Abisoye, was hit by a tear gas canister allegedly fired by a policeman. The Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students, Ogun State chapter, Dotun Opaleye, said Abisoye was responding to treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta. The Ogun State acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the policemen drafted to the scene of the incident addressed the students for almost three hours. He said the policemen had to fire tear gas canisters to disperse the protesting students and hoodlums who had joined them, adding that 34 suspects had been arrested. “We never shot at any student. We only fired tear gas canisters to disperse the hoodlums who had hijacked the peaceful protest. We have arrested 34 suspects, many of them were artisans. “Nobody was killed. Some were injured. One student and two policemen were injured. The student was hit on his head by a stone thrown by his colleagues. The same students injured the two policemen.” Tension gripped residents of the school’s environs but the deployment of riot policemen, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, brought the situation under control. Men of the Ogun State Fire Service were also on the ground to put out the fire in the cars set ablaze by the students. Meanwhile, the institution’s management has directed that all the students of the institution should embark on a seven-day break to enable it to put in place proper security arrangement for staff and students. A statement issued by the institution’s Head, Directorate of Public Relations, Mrs. Emi Alawode, said the break was with immediate effect. The statement read in part, “This is to enable the university to put additional welfare and security arrangements in place in order to further support the initiatives of the federal and state governments, towards the protection of lives and property of citizens, particularly, the members of staff and students of the university.”of lives and properties of its citizens, particularly, members of staff and students of the university.” SOURCE: PUNCH

EFCC arrests man for duping ‘wife’ of N6.7m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has arrested one Chike Nnaemeka, for allegedly tricking an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps into marrying him and paying for the wedding. Nnaemeka, aka Dr. Justified, was said to have duped his victim, Nkechi Ani, of N6.7m. The EFCC, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Nnaemeka, who claimed to be a gynaecologist, allegedly collected the sum under different requests. The victim was reportedly introduced to him by one of her classmates at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State. The suspect was also said to have tricked Ani into marrying him and they were joined in a traditional wedding on June 6, 2015, without informing her that he was married with three children. In her petition, the complainant said, ‘‘During the wedding preparation, Justified brought up so many stories bordering on cultural issues that I or anyone from my family is not supposed to visit his home town until after my marriage. He also said that the tradition of his place as a lone prince demanded that I sponsored every financial aspect of the traditional marriage, but that he would refund me to the last one naira I spent.” According to the commission, the suspect continued to deceive his victim and even claimed to have property that both Zenith Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc were purportedly interested in buying. The suspect was said to have shown the complainant some documents of the property, and requested her to raise some money to enable him to complete the process. The complainant allegedly transferred some amounts to the suspect, after being assured that he would refund her. But on December 23, 2015, the suspect allegedly left the house on the pretext that he was going to sign the agreement papers with the banks to finalise the transaction. Ani also alleged that the suspect stole the sum of $3000 belonging to her boss. “Meanwhile, investigation has revealed that the suspect, who is married to another woman who had three children for him, also lied that his mother passed on some years back. The suspect will soon be charged to court, after investigation is concluded,” the statement added.

Naira sinks to all-time low of 365.25/dollar

The naira traded at an all-time low of 365.25 to the dollar on Thursday in a single interbank market trade of $1m, Thomson Reuters data showed. Interbank trading started two hours after the market opened and offered the currency sharply lower against the dollar. A total of $13m had been traded by 1235 GMT. The naira plunged to a record low and forwards rose, suggesting traders expect further depreciation, as the economy struggles amid a dearth of dollars. Three-month non-deliverable forward contracts climbed by 4.1 per cent to 364.5 against the greenback, Bloomberg reported. Contracts maturing in a year rose by 3.5 per cent to 403, also a record. The local currency has slumped by 38 per cent since the Central Bank of Nigeria ended a 16-month peg of 197-199 per dollar on June 20. The capital controls needed to defend the fix sent foreign investors fleeing and took the economy to the brink of recession. The International Monetary Fund forecasts a 1.8 per cent contraction of the economy this year. “There’s still a lot of demand for dollars,” Craig Thompson of Nyon, Switzerland-based brokerage Continental Capital Partners SA, said in a telephone interview. “The central bank has been supplying them. They sold some at 309 on Wednesday to keep the rate down. They’ve been selling dollars most days to keep it going above 320 and have done their best to try and keep it closing around 310. Managing the exchange rate is difficult because there’s pent-up demand,” he added. Local banks are unable to meet much of the demand for dollars, forcing their customers to the black market. The naira trades at 394 per dollar at the parallel market, around 11 per cent weaker than the official rate. “There is no liquidity” in the interbank foreign-exchange market, an analyst at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Kunle Ezun, said. He said the CBN sold dollars on August 15 and 16 and would continue intervening. “They won’t want to see this jump,” Ezun said. “They will come in, maybe tomorrow, to bring it down to 320 or 330.”

Fraudsters impersonate three ministers, dupe foreigners of N30m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an internet fraud syndicate which specialises in stealing the identities of influential Nigerians and duping foreigners. The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, that seven suspects including a serving corps member were arrested in Port Harcourt for duping foreigners of over N30m. The suspects were accused of impersonating the immediate past Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde; the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Bello Adoke (SAN); and the current AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN). The EFCC said one of the suspects, Promise Nwalozie, allegedly posed as Lamorde using the former EFCC chairman’s identity card to send scam mails to foreigners, mostly Europeans and Americans and in the process extorted sizeable amount of foreign currencies from them. The statement read in part, “Besides, he also posed as Barrister Peter Jackson, a spurious lawyer working with the National Judicial Council. As a ‘lawyer’, he was allegedly defrauding his victims by assuring them that he would help in the recovery of money lost to different Nigerian cyber fraudsters. To do this, Jackson was collecting various sums of money as service charges from his victims. Some of his victims are: Betty. G. E, an American and Georgina M, an Australian. “In addition to all these, Nwalozie had multifarious electronic scam documents in various folders in his email box, ostensibly for the payment of a spurious N12,500,000 to one Robert Giese, an American, by the ‘Office of the Presidency, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja.’ “To further deceive Giese, he swore to a fictitious ‘Affidavit of claim of Federal High Court of Nigeria’ deposed to by a fake Justice Ibrahim Auta, OFR, on behalf of Giese. The ‘affidavit’ was signed by a former AGF, Bello Adoke. To achieve his fraudulent schemes, he had several e-mail addresses such as:sirpeterjackson@gmail.com, promisenwalozie@gmail.com, bigenoughforcare@gmail.com among others.” The anti-graft agency also arrested one Prosper Onukagba who is a youth corps member serving in the Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State. Onukagba was allegedly involved in online dating scam, also known as romance scam. According to the EFCC, he defrauded unsuspecting foreign widows, mostly from Europe and America.

I was under house arrest, prevented from attending PDP convention – Fayose

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has claimed that he was stopped from attending the national convention of his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by security operatives.

He disclosed that he was placed under “house arrest” by the security operatives who used an armoured personnel carrier, APC, to block the gate to the old Presidential Lodge in Rivers state Government House, Port Harcourt, where he lodged.

 Fayose, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Social Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said, “I was under ‘house arrest’ in PH,” stressing that all appeals to the security personnel at the gate to allow him go out to attend the convention were ignored.

He expressed sadness over the development, regretting that the action of the security personnel stopped him from attending the national convention of the party.

 Reacting to the claim, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Francis Odesanya, averred that such an issue had not come to his knowledge.

“That can’t be true; it is not to my knowledge. How did other excellencies (governors) move out of the place?” he asked.

Avengers split over planned dialogue with FG

The Niger Delta Avengers on Wednesday appeared divided over whether or not to engage in a dialogue with the Federal Government over the crisis in the geopolitical zone. While a self-acclaimed spokesperson for the Avengers, Mr. Ballantyne Agiri, said in a statement on Wednesday that the NDA was ready to enter into dialogue with the Federal Government for a possible ceasefire in the region, the Avengers in a counter-statement by Mudoch Agbinibo, denied the claim. Agiri had in a statement mailed to one of our correspondents in Jos, the Plateau State capital on Wednesday, said that it had constituted a contact and dialogue group to engage the Federal Government in meaningful dialogue as part of the initiatives to resolve the crisis. Agiri said that the group was determined to come out with results that would yield a lasting peace, equity, justice and harmony among all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. While urging Nigerians and the international community to follow developments on the issue closely and watch out for which side would violate the terms, rules and spirit of the dialogue, Agiri said, “The body has collectively and willingly agreed to heed the clarion call of eminent Nigerians and international community to hold dialogue with the Federal Government.” The statement added, “The Federal Government should from the inception of the dialogue rule out from the agenda any monthly monetary inducement or stipend for the NDA. “The Federal Government should be ready for structural changes that should be human and development-oriented. “Members of the Avengers’ group (who will participate in the dialogue) have already been selected, each based on his integrity, forthrightness, honesty and life track records.” The group said that the names of members of the group for now would not be made public for personal reasons, until they begin functioning in few days ahead. But the spokesman for the NDA, Agbinibo, while replying an enquiry by one of our correspondents, dismissed the idea, saying there was no iota of truth in Agiri’s claim. It stressed that, “We are not going into any peace or dialogue talk.” It added, “That report is not from us. We are not in any form of dialogue agreement with anybody. It’s like the government wants to dialogue with themselves.” The group later went on to their twitter handle, operated by the spokesperson, Agbinibo, to also deny the purported agreement for talks. The NDA also denied knowing Agiri, saying, “Who is Mr. Ballantyne Agiri, the claimed dialogue group spokesman? We don’t know you. And please, stop fooling the general public. “We are not ready for any negotiation or dialogue with the Federal Government.” The militant group has claimed responsibility for major attacks on oil facilities in the region in recent times. Agiri had in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja claimed that the group had agreed to enter into a dialogue with the Federal Government. Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the Presidency, on Wednesday said dialogue had always been an option by the Federal Government in its efforts aimed at resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta. “Dialogue had always been an option in resolving the Niger Delta issue,” the Presidential spokesman said.

No Kanu, no talk with Buhari, says IPOB

The Indigenous People of Biafra on Wednesday said it would not enter into any dialogue with the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari in the absence of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. It stated that nothing short of unconditional release of its leader would be acceptable. The group described the continued detention of Kanu as an impunity and disrespect for the constitution of the country. It said, “For Buhari to continue to keep Kanu in custody after a court of competent jurisdiction had granted him (Kanu) bail is enough corruption.” The group said it was a waste of time for the Federal Government to think that they would enter into dialogue with IPOB without first releasing Kanu. It maintained that no pressure would make Kanu betray his supporters and the Biafra cause. “They don’t know this man called Nnamdi Kanu. They can’t intimidate Kanu by dumping him in prison. He can’t beg anybody for his freedom.” A release by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, made available to newsmen in Awka, Anambra State, read in part, “Instead of our leader to renounce Biafra, he would renounce Nigeria publicly, mark our words. “We are not after securing bail for our leader; we are after his freedom and freedom for the people of Biafra. “Even a child born today knows that any attempt to tamper with Nnamdi Kanu’s life will bring about catastrophic consequences.” “Should anything happen to Kanu, Somalia will be a paradise, compared to what will happen in Nigeria. “We are not asking for anything short of his immediate and unconditional release, as ordered by an Abuja Federal High Court.”

SHAMEFUL: Drug scarcity hits Aso Rock clinic despite N3.87bn budget

Despite the N3.87bn allocated to it in the 2016 Appropriation Act, lack of drugs and other essential medical items have crippled operations at the State House Medical Centre, The PUNCH has learnt. The centre provides medical services to the President, Vice-President and their families, aides, members of staff of the State House and other entitled public servants. It is also a training facility for house officers and other medical personnel. Investigations by our correspondent showed that the centre located in Asokoro, a highbrow area of the Federal Capital Territory, is gradually becoming a shadow of its old self. A cross-section of the centre’s patients told The PUNCH that patients were now being asked to go and buy drugs from outside as they were no longer available in the centre. Most hit, it was further learnt, are patients with kidney problems who are currently undergoing dialysis in the facility. Although, some of them are expected to be undergoing the dialysis at least twice a week, the centre’s management has been cancelling such exercise lately, therefore putting the lives of the patients at risk. In some instances when they attend to them, the patients are made to come with some of the items the doctors will use for the exercise. Our correspondent learnt that the centre’s management had resorted to sending text messages to patients on items they should bring for their treatment. In one of such messages sent to a patient which is in The PUNCH’s possession, the management wrote, “Mr. XXX (names withheld), when u (sic) are coming for dialysis on Monday, buy IVF Normal Saline to be used for ur (sic) dialysis. The office doesn’t have it. Buy like four pieces.” Normal Saline IVF solution is used in the treatment, control, prevention and improvement of conditions such as low sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium levels as well as blood and fluid loss. It improves the patients’ condition by maintaining proper fluid balance and keeping the tissues hydrated. Another patient who spoke with our correspondent said he had a crisis recently because the centre cancelled his routine dialysis. He said the centre’s management cancelled the session because of non-availability of bloodline. He showed our correspondent a message sent to him on the cancellation. The message read, “Gudevening (sic), we can’t dialize (sic) you tomorrow because we don’t have bloodline. When it is available, I will get back to you. Pls (sic) dialyse (sic) somewhere else. Thanks.” The patient said the first time the session was cancelled, he was referred to a private hospital in Garki where he paid N20,000. He added that when he could not afford the cost the second time, he was directed to another hospital in Wuse. “As a result of the stress I passed through, by the time I returned home, I was very weak. My health situation deteriorated midnight and my people rushed me to the hospital. I was discharged about three days after,” he said. Many other patients who spoke with our correspondent said the medical centre could no longer boast of “ordinary malaria drugs.” “The clinic does not even have ordinary paracetamol. Paracetamol was included in the list of drugs they asked me to go and buy recently. Before now, they were giving us drugs.” another patient said. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, did not pick his calls when our correspondent attempted to get his reaction on Tuesday. He also did not respond to a text message sent to him on the issue. The Permanent Secretary, State House, Alhaji Jalal Arabi, had while defending the State House’s budget before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter- governmental Affairs, and members of the House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties disclosed that N3.2bn of the budget was earmarked for the upgrade of State House Clinic to a Centre of Excellence. Arabi had said, “The budget for the State House Medical Centre included N3.219bn proposed for the completion of ongoing work as well as procurement of drugs and other medical equipment. “The Medical Centre provides health care treatment for the President and Vice-President, their families as well as numerous civil servants working in the State House and across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government and of course, with due respect, including parliamentarians and members of the legislature in addition to other notable dignitaries. “Interestingly, Mr. Chairman, on a lighter note, not only those that have been captured here attend (the Medical Centre) there are poor of the poorest that attend because we receive reference from Gwagwalada, Garki, Wuse hospitals. “So, if they come, we attend to them and interestingly too at no fee at all, we don’t charge. “The anticipated improvement of the Medical Centre will propel it to serve as a Centre of Excellence and also reduce medical tourism. “May I also add that the State House Medical Centre, unlike other medical centres does not charge any fees for its services and hence does not generate any revenue for itself. SOURCE: PUNCH-Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

Buhari’s bodyguards, police set to clash in Abuja

The Police have deployed mobile policemen to the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Office in Abuja, venue of the planned protest by former bodyguards to President Muhammadu Buhari who participated during the 2015 presidential campaigns. The Spokesperson of the group, Badiru Olabiyi Balogun, told THE PUNCH on Thursday, that his group will go ahead with the protest. He said, “Two truck loads of mobile policemen have been deployed to our campaign office. They said the instruction was that they should not allow us access to the office and that people inside should not be allowed to go out. So, we are meeting there by 9:00am this morning.” THE PUNCH had last week, reported that the same group had protested against their “exclusion” by those they described ” as cabals in the government.” They alleged that apart from the N20,000 they got on two occasions in January and February 2015, “we had never and were never given anything.” While some of them wept profusely because “some cabals have hijacked the President”, they said many of the key actors in Buhari’s government, who did not work for him “are now reaping where they did not sow” and have denied them access to him. Details later. SOURCE: PUNCH

Woman commits suicide in Ogun

A 35-year-old woman, Omolola Atejioye, on Tuesday, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in the house in Ilisan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. The deceased was found dead around 5.30pm when her husband, Ayodele Atejioye, returned from work to their apartment along the Ago Iwoye Road. Omolola’s husband reported the incident to the policemen in the Ilisan division. The acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident. Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the deceased’s corpse had been deposited in Babcock University’s mortuary, adding that a post mortem would be carried out on her remains. He said, “A member of staff of the Babcock University reported to our men in Ilisan-Remo that he returned from work around 5.30pm and met the body of his wife dangling from the ceiling of their apartment, after the door was forced open. “The policemen later brought the body down and deposited it in the mortuary of the Babcock University in the same town. The deceased did not leave any suicide note. “A post-mortem would be carried out on the corpse to determine the cause of her death.” The deceased left behind a three-year-old boy and she had a shop in Ilisan, where she sold animal feeds. However, some of her neighbours, who spoke with PUNCH Metro, expressed surprise at the incident. One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The woman was an easy-going person. We were surprised when we heard that she hanged herself.” Another neighbour said the victim had been facing health challenge which was giving her concern. Some others said she had allegedly incurred some debts, which she was struggling to pay back. When contacted, Omolola’s husband, however, said she had some challenges, which he did not disclose. He said, “My wife did not incur any debt. We were both working together before she was laid off during the last downsizing by the management. “We opened a shop in town where she sold animal feeds, and the business thrived. But when she got pregnant, she took ill. Even after she gave birth, the sickness assumed a frightening dimension. “So, I took her to Babcock University Teaching Hospital, but her condition did not improve. I informed her mother about it, and she later took her to Iloro-Ekiti. “She was under medical attention at Iloro-Ekiti for about six months, and her condition improved greatly. I had to go and bring her back to Ilisan. But before she returned, the salesgirl I got for her to handle the shop in her absence made away with over N200,000 from the sales of the feeds. “I had got an additional N300,0000 loan from the cooperative to boost the business again, and I was even planning to plough more money into it. “Even on the day of the incident, she went to the bank in the morning to deposit some money from the previous day’s sales. So, I don’t really know the reason for this action she took.”.

Fake soldiers abduct, rape 15-year-old in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspects who posed as soldiers and abducted a 15-year- old girl in the Oworonshoki area of the state. Our correspondent learnt that the suspects – Damilola Balogun and Joseph Agbo – allegedly raped the teenager overnight and left her by the roadside. PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred last Friday on Akerele Street around 10pm. It was learnt that the victim, Funke (pseudonym) was sent on an errand by her parents when the two men waylaid her with a motorcycle. The suspects, who put on a military camouflage, ordered her to climb their motorcycle and rode away to a hideout around Murtala bus stop in the Bariga area. Our correspondent gathered that 20-year-old Balogun and Agbo, 26, allegedly raped the teenager till daybreak. It was learnt that the matter was reported at the Oworonshoki Police Division, after which police operatives trailed and arrested the duo. A police source said, “The victim came to report the matter at the station. She was on an errand along Akerele Street in Oworonshoki when the men, who wore army camouflage, accosted her. “Before she could cry for help, they had forcefully whisked her away on a motorcycle to Muritala bus stop where she was raped till daybreak. They threatened to kill her if she shouted. They later released her in the early hours of the second day.” The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said four Automated Teller Machine cards and 17 identity cards were recovered from the suspects. She said, “The police recovered items which included military camouflage, two berets, two mobile phones, four ATM cards from different banks, and 17 ID cards bearing different names. After interrogation, it was discovered that the suspects were impersonators. “They are also suspected to be hoodlums terrorising the area. The suspects will be transferred to the Special Anti- Robbery Squad for further investigation and prosecution.” SOURCE: PUNCH

Nasarawa releases N60m for pension, gratuity payment

The Nasarawa State Government has released over N60 million for the payment of backlog of pensions and gratuities to pensioners in the state.

 Mr Muazu Adamu-Gosho, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Budget and Planning, on Thursday said that the money was for payment to retired workers in the state and local governments.

Adamu-Gosho said that data to ascertain the accurate number of pensioners in the state had been taken to facilitate monthly payment of pensions, while gratuities would be paid in arrears in view of paucity of funds.


According to him, over 120 pensioners, who retired before 2011, have been captured for payment of their gratuities.

Alhaji Adokwe Ladan, the Chairman of the pensioners in the state, commended the state government for the release of money for the payment of their gratuities.

Ladan, however, appealed to the state government to sustain the tempo as most pensioners had suffered untold hardship due to non-payment of their gratuities. (NAN)

Governor Ikpeazu wins first appeal

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has won the first appeal delivered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja with respect to the judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja June 27 removing him from office. Ikpeazu’s appeal was with respect to the ruling delivered by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 8 in which the judge insisted that he had jurisdiction to hear a motion for stay of execution of his earlier judgments delivered on June 27 even after the appeals against the judgments had been entered. The Justice Helen Ogunwumiju-led five-man bench unanimously agreed in their judgment that Justice Abang erroneously assumed jurisdiction to hear the motion and adjourned it till a later date. Justice Philomina Ekpe, who read the lead judgment, held that what Justice Abang ought to have done in line with time-honoured doctrine of “stari decisis” was to have transferred the motion to the Court of Appeal for determination. She also held that the Justice Abang wrongly interpreted the provisions of Order 4(10) and (11) of the Court of Appeal rules when he held that the said provisions were only applicable to an interlocutory ruling of the lower court and when a final judgment in a suit had been delivered. She also held that Justice Abang lacked jurisdictions to interpret the provisions of the Court of Appeal being the rules of a superior court. In her contribution, Justice Ogunwumiju, held that the trial judge “deliberately stood the law on its head” by justifying his jurisdiction to hear the motion when appeal has been entered.

I am ready to spend – Arsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hit back Thursday at suggestions he is afraid to spend in the transfer market amid concerns the Gunners are losing ground to other leading Premier League clubs. The north London club, who were last crowned Premier League champions back in 2004, are estimated to have cash reserves in the region of £200 million ($263 million, 232 million euros). But their only signing this summer has been that of Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka for a reported £30 million from Borussia Moenchengladbach. That is in stark contrast to the transfer activity elsewhere, including Manchester United’s world-record £89 million move to bring the French midfielder Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford from Juventus amid several signings. With centre-backs Gabriel and Per Mertesacker injured, veteran French manager Wenger decided against recalling defender Laurent Koscielny, as well as Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil, for Sunday’s Premier League opener against Liverpool after they were all involved at Euro 2016.

– Buying not the only way –

As a result, the fledgling partnership of Calum Chambers and Rob Holding started in a 4-3 defeat — a result that raised fresh questions about the strength of Arsenal’s defence and the scope of their ambition amid accusations they’ve ‘settled’ for finishing in the top four and a place in the Champions League But Wenger, speaking ahead of Arsenal’s trip to champions Leicester City on Saturday, said: “You (the media) are absolutely convinced that I do not want to spend the money, but I reassure you we are ready to spend the money. “Buying calms the fans, of course, but we have to make sure…it is important to spend money but we have to spend it the right way,” the 66-year-old, in charge of Arsenal since 1996, added. “What I fight against is to think that the only way in football to deal, is to buy. “It is right when you need the players and you identify the players and we are not scared to spend money, but to buy in itself is not a quality but to buy the good players is a quality, and I think this club has been built on that. “We had great success in the last 20 years in improving our structures and the main thing is based on a transfer policy.” Wenger did try to sign striker Jamie Vardy from Leicester, only for the England forward to decide to sign a new contract with the Midlands club. “You have to respect the decisions of people and that’s part of it and I think on every transfer market you have one or two who have decisions to make and you have to respect them,” he said. “I don’t think he has something special against us, I don’t see why he would.” Arsenal beat Leicester home and away last season but still finished 10 points behind the shock champions. Leicester started the defence of their Premier League crown with a surprise 2-1 loss away to Hull City last weekend and Wenger said: “The challenge for them is to do well again and to show that their last year was not a one-off. “They need to be capable of challenging and will need to be to show if they can be considered as one of the top teams in England.”

Five reasons you should sleep naked

*-It encourages greater intimacy-*
Apart from making sleeping next to a loved one exciting, our naked body releases oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone.” A 2009 study published by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden, says “Oxytocin reduces blood pressure, cortisol levels and helps to reduce stress. This hormone does not only help relationship, but also your health!

*-It can keep you cool-*
 One way to be cool during sleep is to abandon cloths.

*-It may help relieve insomnia-*
According to Dr. Cameron Van den Heuvel of University of South Australia’s Centre for Sleep Research, regulating sleep temperature may bring some relief to sufferers of insomnia. “Studies of sleep onset insomniacs show that they consistently have a warmer core body temperature immediately before initiating sleep, when compared with normal healthy adults. This results in a state of heightened arousal that prevents them from falling asleep when they go to bed, probably because they have to wait for their bodies to lose the heat that’s keeping them awake. We’re only talking about a half to one degree but that small temperature change can result in significant differences in arousal between insomniacs and people without sleeping problems.” The implication is that sleeping naked relieves insomia.

 *-It can help relieve stress-*
 Sleeping naked can relieve stress because it lowers cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone commonly referred to as the “stress hormone,” and when levels are chronically spiked, health problems can arise, such as a propensity towards high blood pressure, weight gain, and a compromised immune system. *-It can make you look and feel young-* During sleep a variety of growth hormones, as well as anti- aging hormones such as melatonin, are released. These hormones serve to keep us looking and feeling young. To encourage the optimal release of these growth hormones, we need to get those seven to eight hours of sleep.

Police arrest housewife for breaking arm, leg of stepson

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a housewife, Fatimoh Olanrewaju, for allegedly breaking arms and legs of her 5-year-old stepson, Iyanu. SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the toddler is currently on admission at Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta. Also the suspect is in custody of the Anti-Human Trafficking Department of the Command. Olanrewaju had allegedly committed the crime at Onihale village along the old Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway. The biological mother of the victim was said to have divorced the father about two years ago,and the victim had been living with his stepmother and his father. The stepmother was said to be in the habit of maltreating Iyanu. The last straw was the recent attack on the Iyanu, which resulted in fracture of the arm and leg, which made the neighbours to invite the police. The victim was said to have been on admission at the FMC, Abeokuta since Thursday, August 11. The acting state Police Public Relations, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident,as well as the arrest of the suspect. SOURCE: PUNCH

Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking not our members — MFM

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Church, popularly called MFM, has denied that eight Nigerians arrested by Cambodian authorities for alleged drug trafficking are its members. Eight Nigerians were on Tuesday arraigned in Cambodia for allegedly using the MFM premises to deal in illicit drugs. The accused were: Nnamezie Victor, 30; Francis Nnamdi, 30; Sunday Nwabuisi, 31; Tony Mmaduka Chukwuonye, 34; Okorom Kizito, 35; Favour Nnabuife Okorom, 36; Maduka Simon Ukandu, 37; and Izuchukwu Chukwuma, 40. Also charged along with them is a Cambodian, Mon Vinyong, 25. They may face life imprisonment if found guilty by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, in a case that began in January last year. A verdict is expected in September following a final trial last week. Reacting to the claim that the Cambodian branch of the church was used to trade in drugs, Chairman of MFM Media Committee Worldwide, Oladele Bank-Olemoh, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the accused were not members of the church. He said linking the accused to the church was an attempt to drag the name of the church through the mud. “The MFM church is not shut down. Our pastor is there and he’s busy in the ministry. Those arrested are not members of the church. They are neither our missionaries nor workers in the church. The MFM church is the only African church in Cambodia that many black people attend. “You know the country is a Muslim country. This could be a vendetta against the church. This case (of alleged drug trafficking) happened in 2014. The church was searched and nothing was found, though arrests were made outside the church. We employed a lawyer to prove the church’s innocence,” Bank-Olemoh said. According to The Cambodia Daily, during the hearing, Vinyong claimed that she received mobile phone boxes from Chukwuonye in 2014 but did not know the boxes were filled with drugs. The Cambodian publication noted that the eight Nigerians “operated out of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Church in Meanchey district in 2014 and early 2015.” The court heard that the pair became friends after meeting at the church. “At the end of October and early November, I delivered the goods two or three times, and in December I delivered them one more time,” she said, adding that she was paid $100 per day for acting as a courier. PUNCH:

Kogi APC chief, four others kidnapped

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Kogi State, Idris Ozi Shaibu, and four others have been kidnapped at Osara along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Highway in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State. According to a source, the party leader was on his way from Abuja on Friday night when seven gunmen stopped his vehicle and kidnapped him. His driver who was also said to have been kidnapped and later released after his phone was taken. The source told our correspondent that another vehicle riding behind the APC chieftain was stopped and all three passengers were also kidnapped. Close relatives of the APC chieftain told SUNDAY PUNCH on condition of anonymity that they were in contact with the kidnappers but that they had refused to comply with demands for a ransom to secure his release. Efforts to confirm the abduction by the Police Public Relation Officer, Mr. William Ayah, proved abortive as he could not be reached when calls were made to him.

EFCC should probe Obasanjo’s third term bribery allegations — Shittu

A legal practitioner, Mr. Wahab Shittu, in this interview with TOBI AWORINDE, argues that former President Olusegun Obasanjo should be investigated for allegations of bribery levelled against him while trying to push his third-term agenda through at the N’Assembly

*-Do you think the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should investigate the third-term bribery allegations against former President Olusegun Obasanjo?-*

 I want to preface my comments by emphasising the need for us to maintain an open mind and to also recognise the presumption of innocence on the part of those who are to be investigated, particularly on the part of former President Obasanjo. The rationale is that he remains an elder statesman, a national and iconic figure who has made some significant contributions to nation-building and who was also very instrumental to the quelling of the Civil War. He has consistently been praised for his crusade for unity and cohesiveness in the country. Although he remains controversial, he is perceived as a cat with nine lives. But that does not mean he is above the law. So, my take would be yes, the EFCC should reopen investigations into that allegations. But they should not be limited to the third- term allegation alone. It should cover other bribery allegations against that administration and subsequent administrations. For instance, it should cover the murders and other alleged atrocities of the Obasanjo era, including alleged atrocities of the (Goodluck) Jonathan years, like the allegations raised by (former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido) Sanusi on the money that was not remitted to the Federation Account, the Halliburton scandal, the Siemens scandal and other scandals of that nature, in order to put the past into proper perspective so that we can draw useful lessons. But beyond the allegations, what I would emphasise is that in undertaking such, a premium should be placed on effective and efficient investigation. *-What should such an investigation entail?-* A fair criminal justice system is an integral part of crime investigation. It is built on public confidence and encourages respect for law and order. In essence, crime investigation is the process by which the perpetrators of a crime are identified through the gathering of facts and evidences. It may involve an assessment of whether a crime has been committed in the first place. Investigations can be reactive, i.e. applies to crimes that have already taken place, or proactive, that is, targeting a particular criminal or forestalling a criminal atrocity. Whatever is the motive, what I would emphasise is that investigators, who are going to be involved in such investigations, are aware of the need to conduct an efficient and effective investigation; they must recognise the fact that the presumption of those involved must be guaranteed. The investigators need to be certain that their suspicions are based on an objective evaluation of facts and that they have not twisted the facts to suit their suspicions. If we can conduct these investigations effectively and efficiently, investigators will need to be given considerable powers. So, what I am saying in essence is that I am in favour of reopening such an investigation, provided we deploy effective and efficient measures. But that should not be limited to the third-term agenda alone, because there are allegations of similar reports. *-What is your response to those that think that a probe would be demeaning for the ex-President, given his contributions to nation-building?-* We should acknowledge the fact that certain positive roles were carried out by certain individuals and for playing such roles, their respective names should be on the positive side of history. But without prejudice to such roles, it is also important for the state to ensure a crime- free society and to also make the point that when allegations are made, they are not swept under the carpet, no matter the persons involved. There is also the perspective in the public space; Obasanjo and those who believe in him would say that there was no third-term (agenda), whereas there are others who would say the third-term agenda was in place and that it was heavily funded. You will recall that Bala Na’Allah, a member of the Senate, came out recently (to say) he was offered N50m and that he rejected it. Someone like that should be summoned to establish the veracity of the allegation because reputation, character and credibility are involved here. Where such are involved, whatever positive achievements may be ascribed to these people may be rubbished on the pages of history, if these allegations are not cleared. It is even in the interest of those who are accused, no matter their standing. Let prior investigation be carried out and their names cleared, if necessary, so that whatever legacy they want to leave behind will not be rubbished. I think what is important is for us to find out whether they are indeed innocent or guilty. Then it is also important to find out if such actions were actually carried out. Also, we need to know what the motivation is. Was it carried out in spite of the motivation? We have to find out why it (the third term agenda) was not successful and whether some people derived any benefit from those actions. *-Why do you think Na’Allah should be quizzed over the issue?-* For instance, if Na’Allah is saying he was offered N50m and, according to him, he rejected it, we need to find out whether some people benefited from the process and the identities of those involved. Former President (Obasanjo) has allegations against the National Assembly. We need to know what happened during the era. We need to know what proof the former President has by searching the archives. What is important in both processes is the quality of investigation. We must ensure that we have adequate information; we have to ensure that sufficient response is deployed in evidence and to identify those who are involved. We need to know if there are victims or witnesses who need to be interrogated to form his particulars.

Reps speaker says no money was misappropriated in 2016 budget

The statement insisted that there was no act of corruption by the speaker during and after the preparation of the 2016 budget.


 The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Saturday restated that no money was misappropriated, stolen or lost in the 2016 budget. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan. It quoted Dogara as urging Nigerians to be vigilant with respect to the execution of the budget ``to ensure that they are not short-changed’’. It said that the speaker had denied the allegations against him by Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin, describing them as false and baseless. ``They are fictional and scandalous, untruths and falsehoods which will be dealt with at the appropriate time. ``I wish to appeal to the public for patience as the truth which will vindicate the innocent in this unfortunate saga will unfold sooner than later,’’ the statement further quoted him as saying. The statement insisted that there was no act of corruption by the speaker during and after the preparation of the 2016 budget.

I don’t know what Buhari should do, I’ve stopped advising people –Pat Utomi

Professor of Political Economy and Management expert, Pat Utomi, shares his thoughts on the state of the country’s economy, politics and other issues in this interview with JESUSEGUN ALAGBE

*-There were speculations that you were going to be a Minister or at least be on the economic team of President Muhammadu Buhari. Were you not reached out to or you were simply uninterested?-*

 First of all, I think there is too much emphasis on form rather than content in our context as a people. I think what is always important is our ability to work together as a people to change the society. There are different roles we can play as a people and it doesn’t matter when other people tend to criticise you as long as the right things are done. I was very uncomfortable with the whole rush of speculations leading up to that whole thing. What we wanted to do was change the direction of our country. We saw our country going in a set of wrong direction. Many of us said, ‘No, we can’t continue like this. This has great consequences.’ So we made our time, energy and every other thing available for the push. However, the only thing I can say is that the party (All Progressives Congress) did a terrible job at transition. They didn’t manage it well. Now we don’t see where the country is going; this is very obvious to me. But it is not a matter of who is where or not; that is not important. *-Now, with the current situation of things, several Nigerians have been bashing this administration for not having a tight economic team. Do you share a similar view?-* I think what matters is do we have a set of cohesive ideas that are implemented by people who are very passionate about what they are doing, people who are trusted by those they are trying to lead? That is very important for any turnaround, because why you need a turnaround is because of loss of faith in the system. To get the system to run in a particular way, you need to have people who people have faith in. You could even have geniuses in the system who people don’t have faith in. They won’t get you anywhere. In that sense, therefore, I think we could have done a better job of trying to find passionate people who people have faith in and who also have clear faith in something. Perhaps because the communication programme is also very poor, we don’t get a sense of where things are supposed to be heading, which may be there, but somehow it’s poorly communicated. So in that sense, there is a general loss of confidence in whether we as a party know where we are going or where the party is leading Nigeria to. Anybody who is sincere will tell you that. This feeling is pervasive to the extent that people like us who put everything on the line talking about change and all of that have been at the receiving end. People now ask us, ‘Where is that your change?’ I deal with this question every day. I can’t pretend that the change is there. So there’s no change anywhere… Well, there are some important things being done. There is a tendency to be a bit bashful about things in our context. Unless you have made a deep effort to understand why Nigeria’s circumstances are flawed, you won’t realise how terrible corruption is. In this country, aren’t you shocked when you hear all these revelations every day? I think no country should survive this level of graft. That this aspect is being focussed on is an important achievement on its own and nobody should take it away. I don’t even think we have gone as far as we should go. The style should be different. I have been singing this song of how corruption has crippled Nigeria for decades. Suddenly, Nigerians are beginning to ask, ‘Is it that bad?’ Yes, it’s that bad; it’s even worse than has been revealed. It’s much worse because there is a total lack of how much corruption has plagued the system. I mean some people are so bifurcated of their dispositions that they don’t realise what they are doing and the consequences for everybody. That’s why the guy in the National Assembly would say to himself, ‘What’s padding? Is it not just to put small things here and there and add everything up?’ To them in their conscience, what’s the big deal? For me, my argument for a long time has been that part of our problem is the structure. We don’t need this National Assembly at all as it is. I have been saying this since 1999. Nigeria does not need a full- time National Assembly. We need a citizen legislature, a unicameral citizen legislature. For instance, if you are busy on your farm at Ile-Oluji (Ondo State) and you just go to the National Assembly for a few days to make laws, you won’t be padding. You won’t be looking for Ministers to blackmail to get money and all of that. So the structure of the country is wrong, the structure of the government is wrong. It assumes we are a rich country, which is not the case because of the way “oil thinking” damaged us. We are running a system that is way out of line with our resources. This is a major problem. Another issue about where and the way things are that I think people don’t give enough credit to is that just a change of government was a huge achievement. About a year and a half ago, a foreign journalist was asking me about my disposition. I said, ‘Look, I have consistently spoken on the subject of institutions and human development.’ One of the biggest reasons Nigeria is not reaching its potential is because there is a community both within and outside the country that believes that the democratic ethos has not settled in Nigeria. If you look at how Nigeria and Ghana were being compared globally two years ago, if you looked at the Index of Economic Freedom, if you looked at the so-called Failed State Index, you would see Ghana way ahead of Nigeria. The gap has been wide. The question is why is Ghana so far ahead of Nigeria in the perception of people? Of course, everything is about perception. It is because Ghana had a change of government from an incumbent regime to another and then to another, in two cycles. Ghana is now seen as a more serious democracy. So for me, changing the government was an end in itself. It didn’t matter if we got a worse government. Just achieving that change was critical to institutional building in Nigeria. In the work that I did to ensure that change took place, that was, in fact, my top priority, before other issues that we’ve been battling with. Let us not feel as a people that because things are not going well right now, we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. I think we’ve achieved a significant thing by having a change of government. I think we are doing well by making people see how terrible corruption really is. But there is still a lot more to be done in that area. Then we can look at other areas which are not working down the line. But could there be a real change when a government is changed but the people inside it and the system are not changed? Are we not stuck in the same cycle of having people with same old ideologies and principles just changing parties? You know things are progressive. At least people now know that if they do certain things which are wrong, they will be caught, if not today, but tomorrow. So they will be more careful. If you took everybody out, then you would get what we got at the beginning of the budget process. They took out the people who used to make budget and then they didn’t have anybody who has the capacity to make it, so the budget was a mess. Change is not about taking everybody out like that. In fact, part of my worry was that the people that we needed to retain were removed so fast. Look, this is part of the damage that the military did to Nigeria. A consistent unchanging public service that will change direction with some political leadership change is always better for the system because we need institutional memory. No organisation, whether it’s a business or government, can fare well if it lacks institutional memory — what the Germans call “veta shuuen.” We need that. So I even think we changed people much faster. Yes, many people argue that many of the politicians in the APC came from the Peoples Democratic Party, but let me tell you why that is not the end of the world. If the core leaders of the APC have been able to firmly establish their ideologies of what the APC stands for, those people coming in, wherever they come from, will have to re-orientate themselves. In human history, in the history of political parties, people have always changed their orientations, parties have always changed their orientations. Now, would you believe that the Republican Party in the United States used to be the party of the Black people? Abraham Lincoln, who fought the civil war to emancipate the Blacks from slavery, was a Republican. But at a point in time, the nature of the leadership of the party changed; they changed their ideological dispositions and so the Blacks shifted over. So, saying people came from the PDP to APC is not really the issue. The question is that is the core leadership of the APC able to define its ideologies, the way it governs, thereby affecting the newcomers? My biggest concern in this regard was the electoral and the political party process. As a strong member of the APC, I think the political process has not been effective as it should be and I have never hidden this. I have said this to the Chairman of the party (Chief John Odie-Oyegun). Every time I see him, I ask him, ‘What’s the party doing?’ because the party should be the foundation. However, there is this tendency in Nigeria, and Africa as a whole, for political parties to be just about power. Once power is grabbed, everybody abandons the party and runs into government. Before the last elections, I was talking with the Director of the International Republican Institute in Abuja (Robina Namusisi) and she raised this point about one of the problems in many African countries. She gave the example of an African country that after the party won the election, almost everybody from the party became government official — from Ministers, to advisers, and so on — until there was nobody in the party again. Then when another election was approaching, they discovered they didn’t have a party direction. I think the same thing happened to the APC. We had a number of strong people at the party secretariat, but everybody focussed on the government and forgot the party and so we have a problem because of it. I have been raising this issue. Anytime I run into Chief Oyegun, I ask him, ‘Where is the party? Where are the policies? Where is your orientation?’ Anybody who runs into the APC must be schooled in what the party believes in so that nobody will just come and use the party as an electoral machine to get power. How do you expect them to behave in a particular manner? They cannot because they’ve not been told what the party represents and believes in. Maybe I should run for the chairmanship of the party. *-Are you considering doing that?-* Well, I don’t know, but it is a very important subject that we need to deal with. It has been part of the failure in Africa. In July, President Buhari said he was averse to including the private sector players in his economic team because they were used to exploiting government policies for their selfish interests. What’s your view on the President’s statement? I agree completely with the President. You cannot have a former government’s economic team making policies that are going to affect your play. That is not proper. It almost amounted to insider trading. It’s wrong both morally and in terms of decision processing for the former economic team to include private sector actors. It’s like an actor making policies for and regulating himself. I think that’s what the President meant in that sense. But that doesn’t mean there should not be structures in place for consulting with the private sector. Their input is important. I keep reverting to one of Africa’s best examples. It’s a country called Mauritius. The discussions at their Chamber of Commerce are even more important than the discussions at their Parliament because once the Chamber of Commerce takes a position on something; the government almost automatically takes a position with them. That is why Mauritius is prospering. Consulting with the private sector is important, but having economic players in the economic team is like self-regulation and that is not proper. However, I think the conversation is missing the real point. The whole thing that (former President Goodluck) Jonathan did with some private sector players like Aliko Dangote and others; that was unacceptable, that was wrong. However, we need people with private sector knowledge (but who are no longer in the private sector) to be in the policy team. For instance, the US Treasurer is usually somebody who once worked in Wall Street and then goes back to Wall Street after spending about two years in the position because their time is so valuable. I think we are not getting the proper conversation going on in Nigeria. Due to high interest rate, inflation, scarcity of forex and other factors, many Small and Medium Enterprises have been pushed out of the system. Do you think the present administration is getting its economic policies right? But you see, if SMEs are really SMEs, their transactions should not be dollar-based. Why many of them are out is because we don’t have an economy that produces and so what we have is a chain of rent-seeking behaviour. This guy seeks rent from doing government’s contracts and then sets up a supply company to extract the rent from him; that is the kind of economy we have. Our model, sadly, is exactly like that of Venezuela. …which is in deep economic crisis now Venezuela has always been in crisis. This is the country that has the biggest deposit of crude oil in the world but cannot provide basic services and Nigeria has been imitating Venezuela continuously. I have been saying this for years. Let’s look at other countries with bigger problems that have struggled better. Look at Indonesia, an oil-producing country like us. Let me tell two stories about Indonesia, hoping we can learn lessons. Some years ago, Peter Lewis, a friend of mine who is a professor at the School of Advanced International Studies at John Hopkins University, U.S. (where I also have a permanent seat), wrote an interesting book called “Growing Apart.” The book is a comparison of Nigeria and Indonesia. In the early 60s, people used to say to Indonesia, ‘We wish you could be like Nigeria.’ But in the early 90s, people used to say to Nigeria, ‘We wish you could be like Indonesia.’ These two countries have always been referred to as “development twins.” I used to talk about these things such that when Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi was appointed by the Abdulsalami Abubakar regime as the Minister of National Planning and Development, he was the head of the Nigerian delegation to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. He once went to an OPEC meeting in 1998 and when he came back, he couldn’t wait to get hold of me. He said, ‘Pat, now I understand what you’ve been talking about.’ I asked him what that was all about. He said when they got to the meeting (it was during one of those periods of economic crisis when oil price was low like we have now, but much worse, around $9 per barrel), every member country was talking and shouting that their quota must increase. He told me that as the meeting was going on and everybody was shouting, he noticed that the Indonesian oil minister was just quiet and feeling like, ‘Why are these people shouting and disturbing me? Can we get to more serious conversations?’ Chief Gbadamosi said the Indonesian minister just wasn’t engaging in the conversation. He then went to the man and asked, ‘Are you people not bothered? Don’t you want better quota?’ He said the man just laughed at him and said, ‘It’s you Nigerians who don’t know what you are doing. We don’t depend on oil money. We are making more money from gas than from crude oil and you Nigerians started before us in that direction.’ Another story I want to tell about Indonesia is from one of my visits to the country in 1997. It is a country that is said to have a terrible history of corruption. My host was a former oil minister of the country, Prof. Mohammed Sadli. He’s dead now. This man was living in a bungalow without air-conditioner; meanwhile, Jakarta, their capital, is hotter than Lagos. As we sat in his living room and fans were blowing, this man’s favourite subject matter was ethics. I thought to myself, ‘Imagine a former oil minister of Nigeria living in a bungalow without air-conditioner, just imagine what people will be saying about him.’ But you see, in the middle of the big corruption in Indonesia, President (Mohammad) Suharto was able to put together a team of PhDs in Economics, who were mainly graduates of the University of California, Berkeley, U.S. — who were widely known as “The Berkeley Mafia.” Many of the people in the team offered themselves selflessly to redeem their country, which is why now a country that was used to be asked, ‘Can’t you be like Nigeria?’ has done far better than Nigeria. Nigeria is now being asked, ‘Can’t you be like Indonesia?’ There is a pool of such talented Nigerians who are given to selfless service, knowing that just out of the quality of their mind and education, there are more important things in life than the size of their bank accounts. It’s not because they are stupid or anything, but they just want to see things become better. If we are sensible enough, we should have seen it by now. Look at all the guys splashing money like 10 years ago, I know where many of them are now. The failure of leadership in Nigeria is the failure to do what Indonesia did. We should find the kind of people that Indonesia found and let them redeem this country. Even though President Suharto was busy making money for himself, he knew where his country had to go and he found the people who took his country there. *-And that’s what President Buhari should do right now?-* I don’t know what he should do. I have given up on advising people. I just want to become a farmer and see if I can produce something. Recently, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said Nigeria was technically in recession. As an entrepreneur, how do we navigate through this period As they say, when you look at a cup, it can either be half- full or half-empty. A recession is an opportunity. I have a favourite story in this regard of the Great Depression in the U.S. (1929-39). During the course of that depression, there was a gentleman called (John Richard) Simplot. He observed that when things were bad — when people who had skyscrapers were jumping to their death — most people wouldn’t be eating what they used to eat because they wouldn’t be able to afford it any longer. Instead of eating expensive meals, they would probably be looking for cheaper food. So he asked himself, ‘What is the inferior food that can now be turned into an attractive one?’ Back then, many people hated potatoes, they considered it a poor people’s food. They used to say it was a trashy food. Meanwhile, potatoes were growing in the wild in the Idaho area of the country. Literally, you could buy a truckload of potatoes for just $1. So Simplot said to himself that potatoes would be the kind of food many would come to embrace because they didn’t have money again. But then, potatoes had such a bad reputation for being cheap that people were ashamed of being seen eating them. What did he do? The first thing he did was to think that if he was going to start marketing potatoes to people, he needed to find out how to store them because they were just rotten everywhere, just like in Nigeria where many farm produce end up in the trash. He then made some researches on how to preserve potatoes and he found out that they were one of the easiest foods to preserve. All he had to do was remove the water from them — that is, dehydrate them — and they would still retain their properties. If six months later you want to fry them, just put them back in water, and they will come up again. Simplot then began to slice them up and since potatoes had such a bad image, he wanted to change the image. He then fried all the slices and didn’t call them potatoes. He called them “French fries.” People fell in love with the French fries instantly. Afterward, fortunes smiled on him because he ran into a guy called Ray Kroc who founded a company called McDonald’s. They came into partnership and every time customers bought hamburgers, they would also buy French fries and Simplot became a billionaire in the process (worth $3.6bn before his death in 2008) — in the middle of a recession. So we shouldn’t see our recession as a frightening moment, but as an opportunity to get Nigeria to begin to produce again. That is why I’m passionate about agriculture now because that is the future. There are other areas we can begin to look into to sell. We can sell culture, which is one area we have been excelling. Our films and music are selling. We can sell our culture much better than we sell crude oil. We have talked a lot about our agricultural value chain. My favourite example always is rubber. Why would you manufacture a car in Nigeria where you won’t be competitive? Take rubber for example where Nigeria once had the best yield per hectare. This was a presentation I made at the Nigeria Economic Summit in 1993. Take the rubber and become its best producer in the world and export it, knowing that it is one of the most important components of manufacturing a car. We will probably be making more money from it than from crude oil. *-As an entrepreneur, how many books do you read in a year?-* I don’t count them on an annual basis, but I read as many as I can. On average, I read a book per week. Anytime I’m in the car, I pick up a book and read. I could read two books simultaneously. *-You were once a presidential candidate. Have you given up on your ambition?-* I’ve never had an ambition. In fact, I dislike the word. Ambition is like you are pursuing something by all means. I have no interest in any ambition. But I am a citizen and I have a duty to my children and to my fellow citizens to be part of showing a direction. If that involves having to run for office, fine. If being a farmer makes me deliver better, it’s also good. If being a teacher makes me deliver better, that’s also good. Whatever works, I will do.SOURCE: PUNCH.

PDP convention: Governors, BoT, others beg Sheriff

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party and members of its Board of Trustees on Friday in Abuja, renewed their appeal to the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to allow the PDP hold its national convention without legal bottlenecks. Three governors, Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti), Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), met with Sheriff at Gombe Governor’s Lodge in Abuja on Friday, pleading with him to withdraw all his cases against the party. However, sources at the meeting said Sheriff remained adamant, insisting that his conditions be met before he could yield to their demand. At the meeting with the governors, it was gathered that Sheriff insisted that Wike must not head the party’s National Convention Planning Committee, the convention be brought to Abuja and that he must be allowed to head the party that would midwife the convention. Besides, Sheriff also insisted that the National Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi be disbanded immediately and people be appointed into the National Working Committee. Before meeting with the governors, Sheriff and his team had met with the Reconciliatory Panel of the BoT led by a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana. Among those who accompanied Gana to the meeting were Senator Ibrahim Ida, former governors of Jigawa and Niger States, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Abdulkadiri Kure respectively, Senator Stella Omu, Senator Olujimi, Chief Shuiabu Oladokun, Mrs. Ina Ciroma, Senator Buruji Kashamu and many others. Among those in the team of Sheriff were his faction’s National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; Mrs. Mariam Ali, Ahmed Gulak, Bernard Mikko, E. J. Agbonhinyima, Chief Chris Uba, Okay Nnadozie, Dennis Alonge, Dr. Patrick Okomiso, Ibrahim Shehu and Shettima Dhabi etc. However, it was gathered that when the governors told him that his conditions would be difficult to meet because the party was already planning the convention for Wednesday, August 17 in Port Harcourt, Sheriff replied that there was nothing he could do about it. “Sheriff is not ready for peace with the conditions he set. We may have to move on and leave him with his conditions because we have to continue with our preparations for the convention. We can’t be dragged out again,” one of the governors told our correspondent on condition of anonymity. The governors were said to have expressed frustrations at Sheriff’s rigid stance on his demand. At the meeting he had with the Gana-led BoT panel, it was gathered that a seven point undisclosed recommendations in response to the conditions given by Sheriff were presented again to Sheriff’s committee. Details of the recommendations were not known as of press time, but it was gathered that the Sheriff camp would meet on Saturday to respond to the recommendations by the Gana-led reconciliation committee. While presenting the recommendations, Gana said his committee “is here to present a set of recommendations that we believe if well considered and accepted and effectively implemented will promote reconciliation in our party. “We presented the recommendations and of course being weighty recommendations. Sheriff and his team have accepted to receive this document, study it and then we will resume our study tomorrow (today) to get the responses to these recommendations and then by the grace of God reach a concussion that will give a new lease of life to the PDP. “ In his response, Sheriff said the “BoT sat and made this set of recommendations that in their views are way forward to have a resolution of the impasse that is going on in our party. “Having seen and received the recommendations, it is natural that myself and the members of the working committee will study and also we will make the recommendations that we feel will be the way forward. “At last, we have started talking. After due consultations with the members of the working committee, I will get back to them (the committee) so that we will continue from where we stopped. He, however, told the members of the committee that any building without sound foundation would collapse. In another development, Sheriff has blamed former President Goodluck Jonathan for the inability of the PDP to win the last governorship elections in both Yobe and Borno States. He spoke when he received some members of the party from the two states at his office in Abuja on Friday. He said if the former President had listened to him, the party would not have lost the two states. Sheriff said, “If the then president had listened properly and did what we had intended him to do, by now we would have had the two states of Borno and Yobe but unfortunately whatever God decides, we will accept and we cannot do otherwise.” He said that in all the meetings he had, he would not “agree on anything that will affect our integrity, followership and our political interests. “As some of you rightly said, some of them were ashamed to identify with the party. Now the PDP has become a strong party, everybody is looking up to PDP and we will not be distracted. “This party, as I rightly said, must be returned to the owners. Anything short of that is a non-starter. What are our problems; how do we improve our standing? Now is the time to put the party in proper shape ahead of the election period.”

N17bn fraud charges: Jibrin in fresh trouble

There were indications on Friday that former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, was already seeking cover from possible arrest by the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a fresh twist to his budget ‘padding’ allegations against the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers of the House of Representatives. The other three are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun; the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor. Saturday PUNCH investigation showed that contrary to claims by Jibrin that he was invited by the EFCC to shed light on his petitions on budget padding against Dogara and three others, he was actually being grilled by the anti- graft agency over his past financial transactions and several petitions against him. It was further learnt that the lawmaker might be arrested and charged to court by the anti-graft commission anytime from now. In 2012, the EFCC was said to have investigated and charged Jibrin to court over money laundering allegations and contract abuses in his Bebeji/Kiru Federal Constituency in Kano State. There was also a money laundering charge of N15bn against him and a former Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Aliyu Akwe-Doma, wherein the two were arraigned by the EFCC. Another case involved N2bn, which he reportedly laundered in the name of Green Forest Investment Limited, a firm he owned. However, the charges were later abandoned. Saturday PUNCH learnt that when Jibrin appeared before the police and the EFCC over the budget padding allegations, his money laundering charges were revisited, as he was reportedly asked more questions on his 2012 case. On leaving the premises of the agencies, Jibrin proceeded to an Abuja Federal High Court to seek injunctions against possible arrest. He filed two suits, one against the Inspector-General of Police, and the second, against Dogara and 13 other respondents. In the suit he filed against the IGP, he also joined Dogara; the House of Representatives; the Federal Capital Territory Police Commissioner; Lasun; Ado-Doguwa; Ogor and 10 other lawmakers. The suit had reference number, FHC/ABJ/CS/539 and was filed on August 9. A source told Saturday PUNCH that, “Upon receiving signals that he (Jibrin) may soon be charged to court by the EFCC, he rushed to court on Thursday August 9, 2016, seeking injunction restraining the police and other anti- graft agencies from arresting or charging him to court.” Findings also showed that, while before the public, Jibrin stepped up campaigns for the reconvening of the House so that Dogara and others would be probed, behind the scenes, he filed a second suit seeking to stop his likely suspension, should the House reconvene. In the said suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/539, Jibrin prayed the court not to allow a plan by Dogara and 13 other members of the House to “suspend” him. He claimed that the 14 members met on August 3, following which they agreed to reconvene the House with the plan to suspend him. But, in the open, Jibrin stepped up campaigns, saying that Dogara and the 13 others were not ready to reconvene the House over the fear of the allegations he levelled against them. In his sworn affidavit, Jibrin actually expressed concern that Dogara and the 16 others were not stopped, he (Jibrin) “would be suspended as a member of the House and this will greatly prejudice him and thousands of his constituents who rely on him to afford them their due representations in the Federal legislature.” Saturday PUNCH made efforts to get Jibrin’s reactions but he could not be reached as of 8.30pm on Friday. He also did not reply to a text message one of our correspondents sent to his mobile phone. Jibrin had alleged that Dogara and three other principal officers requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in the 2016 budget, besides sundry projects in sums ranging from N20bn to N30bn. He claimed that his refusal to oblige the four principal officers and his opposition to several financial infractions, were responsible for his sacking by Dogara on July 20. Jibrin later said he petitioned the EFCC, ICPC, the police and the Department of State Services. In his reaction to the development, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Robert Clarke, said the appropriate thing any lawmaker facing investigation should do is to resign from his office. He said, “Any lawmaker, including the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, only enjoys immunity within the Chamber, but does not enjoy such outside of the Chamber. The immunity they enjoy is different from the one governors enjoy. “Therefore, if any lawmaker has committed an offence outside of the Chamber, they can be grilled by the EFCC and if found guilty, should be charged to court. “So, there is nothing wrong for the EFCC to investigate Jibrin and Dogara for any financial-related offences committed outside of the Chamber. They should be investigated.” The Coordinator of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, asked Jibrin to resign his seat following the alleged money laundering offence and probe by the EFCC. He said, “He should face investigation. That is how it should be. Any public office holder under investigation should step down. It is only in Nigeria that public office holders want to cling to their office even when investigated for an offence. “Let Jibrin resign from the House and face the corruption charges by either the EFCC or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.” Also, the Executive Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said Jibrin deserves to be punished if the allegations against him are found to be true. He accused Jibrin of using the budget padding allegations against Dogara as a distraction. He said, “If indeed Jibrin was accused of N17bn fraud, the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission have the rights to investigate the veracity of the allegation and if he is found culpable, then he should be thoroughly punished. “It is like he wants to cover up the crime he had committed and remain the chairman of the appropriation committee at all cost. The reason why he is orchestrating the padding shenanigan is because he has something to hide. “If the allegation that Jibrin is involved in N17bn fraud is correct, he should be diligently investigated to establish the authenticity or otherwise of the allegation.” On the move by Jibrin to stop his planned suspension, Adeniran said, “Jibrin is just wasting his time. I have said it before that Jibrin did not have any good ground to raise any allegation because he raised it at a wrong time. He raised it when the appropriation bill had already become a law. Jibrin is an opportunistic whistle blower who is not supposed to be supported.” SOURCE: PUNCH

10 illegal oil wells discovered in Lagos

There was pandemonium on Ibadan and Abeokuta streets in the Ilasamaja area of Lagos State on Friday after the police discovered about 10 houses which dug wells linked to oil pipelines through which diesel was siphoned. Our correspondent learnt that residents and police operatives, including the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, stormed the houses and saw jerrycans filled with diesel extracted from the wells. When our correspondent got to the area, occupants of the houses were asked to evacuate to prevent fire disaster. Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and policemen from the Ilasamaja division were observed trying to cordon off the houses. A policeman told our correspondent that operatives discovered the illegal oil wells after going undercover to buy diesel. He said, “The Divisional Police Officer and her men were patrolling the area about 4am and saw some residents coming out with jerrycans of diesel from those houses. The policemen pretended they also wanted to buy diesel and that was how the suspects were arrested. “So far, four landlords have been arrested. Others are on the run but the tenants in those houses are being quizzed to show their level of complicity.” Some of the suspects arrested are identified as Moji Adesina, 45, Chinyere Nnaji, 27, and Tayo Agboola, 40. Nnaji said she had not been fetching from the well since diesel was diverted there, adding that she was just a tenant.

I've your best interest at heart,' President tells Nigerian youths

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration's commitment to improve the quality of life and create opportunities for Nigerian youths.


In his message on Friday, August 12, to mark the 2016 International Youth Day, Buhari said he will not forget the roles played by the Nigerian youths in his election as President. "Those young people are immensely energetic and talented, consistently blazing the trail in the arts, sports, business and technology," he said. "We are proud of what you have done and what you are able to do.’’ According to the president, his administration belongs to the Nigerian youths. He stated that it was in view of this that the Federal Government launched a number of initiatives, targeted at expanding the economic opportunities available to young Nigerians. Buhari said: "N-Power, our job creation scheme, for which applications are ongoing, will employ 500,000 of you in agriculture, education, healthcare and technology. "The Aso Villa Demo Day will soon bring 30 of the most innovative young Nigerians to the State House to showcase their talent in providing technology-based solutions to some of our most challenging problems. "The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), part of our N500 billion Social Investment Programme, will provide soft loans to thousands of young entrepreneurs across the country.’’ The president added that these are just some of the many initiatives his administration has designed and being implemented for the youths across the country. He assured that his administration will create an enabling environment for them to realise their potentials.

Budget Padding Scandal: Why APC won’t sanction Dogara, Jibrin

Earlier reports had it that the APC would sanction Jibrin for embarrassing the party with his accusations against Dogara. Both men are members of the ruling party.

 The All Progressives Congress (APC) will not sanction House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara over the budget padding scandal » or the verbal war between him and former Appropriations Committee Chairman, Abdulmuminin Jibrin, a chieftain of the party has said. Earlier reports had it that the APC would sanction Jibrin for embarrassing the party with his accusations against Dogara. Both men are members of the ruling party. However, according to the APC’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, the party will not intervene in the matter because it doesn’t want to tamper with the functions of law enforcement agencies. “Article 7 (5) of the APC constitution gives us the power to do certain things. So, you see, what we are doing is the right thing. But only we don’t want that in the public gallery,” Shuaibu said. “What is padding? What is of concern to us is where any member contravenes the party constitution in his conduct. That is why I referred you to Article 7 (5) of our party constitution. We are not a law enforcement organisation. We don’t enforce law. We only ensure that the constitution is complied with. All members of the party are answerable to the party and answerable to their constituencies. “The two members that are subjected to this are elected or appointed members of the party including those that are holding public office. So, you expect the party to sit down and watch. No. We have to do our work. So, the question of sweeping anything under the carpet does not arise at all. But we don’t want to do it in the market place, in the party secretariat,” he added. The APC had earlier warned both Dogara and Jibrin to stop making statements to the press in order to salvage the situation. The silence however didn’t last long due to Dogara saying that budget padding is not an offence.