President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, congratulated a business magnate, Chief Michael Adenuga, who turns 65 on Sunday.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President said he joined family, friends and the business community in congratulating Adenuga.

He noted that the philanthropist rose from a modest background, defied many odds, and realised his dream of setting up and grooming successful companies in the oil and gas, banking and telecom sectors.

The statement read, “The President commends the business mogul’s deep sense of loyalty and patriotism by investing in sectors that have created jobs for many Nigerians and added great value in the provision of effective services that make life easier and more comfortable for many in the country, and across the African continent.”

Justin Tyopuusu

Three ad hoc staff of the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, identified as Jatau Bwanu, Nyifwa Adamu and Success, were said to have been kidnapped in the Takum Local Government Area of the state by gunmen.

The staff, who were working with developmental partners, Geo-Reference Infrastructure and Demographics Data for Development and eHealth Africa, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, were said to have been kidnapped on Friday while on duty around Kashimbilla in the Takum LGA.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the staff were in the field collecting data for evidence-based planning for development across the 16 LGAs of the state when they were abducted.

When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the PHCDA, Mr. Aminu Hassan, confirmed the incident.

Hassan added that the kidnappers had yet to contact the families of their victims or the agency for ransom.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, David Misal, said the command had yet to ascertain if the staff were kidnapped or if it was a case of missing persons.

“The case looks like that of missing persons because no ransom has been demanded by those said to have abducted the workers.

“The command has embarked on a search operation. We have drafted our men to the area to search for them in all the bushes around,” he said.

In a related development, two workers of the Taraba State University and one other person driving in an official car, belonging to the university, were abducted by gunmen along Wukari-Takum Road last week.

The kidnappers were said to have demanded N25m for the release of the victims.

A member of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hosea Ibi, representing Takum I constituency, was kidnapped in Takum town in December 2017 and was subsequently killed by his abductor.

Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan-Abu, called on security agencies to intensify efforts in securing the state.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Gibson Achonu

A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has expressed concerns over the killings perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect and herdsmen.

Gowon says his heart bleeds when he hears about their activities which he described as “man’s inhumanity to man.”

He spoke on Saturday when he paid Governor Rochas Okorocha a visit at the Imo State Government House in Owerri.

The retired general said Nigeria needed peace so that all the people could live and work together in the overall interest of the country.

He said, “I am not happy with the way innocent citizens of this country are being killed.”

Gowon expressed optimism that with prayers, God would touch the hearts of those perpetrating killings in the same way He transformed the biblical Apostle Paul, who became an instrument of transformation instead of destruction.

He said, “After the civil war, from this town, Owerri, I visited Nsukka, Enugu, Abakaliki, Umuahia and Onitsha. We were impressed by with the way the children turned out to welcome us. They were saying, ‘You are our parent and leader.’ Please, do not allow any Nigerian child to experience what we suffered.

“We are in Imo for the Nigeria prayer rally. This is a prayer rally we have been holding in the geopolitical zones. This time, it is the turn of the South-East zone to host the prayer rally and Imo is hosting us. Your Excellency, we are grateful for your support. We are impressed by your zeal and passion for Christ in suing for peace, which is what the country needs now.”

In his remarks, Okorocha called for concerted efforts to end Boko Haram and other national problems.

The govenror said Nigerians, irrespective of their religious and political leanings, should come up with ideas on how best to overcome these challenges.

He said, “That acronym ‘Gowon’ means go-on with one Nigeria. If this leader (Gowon) had not ended the war the way it ended, giving room for ‘no victor, no vanquished’ postulations, we would not have a country called Nigeria today.

“His name is synonymous with peace; he is a man who ended the civil war without bad feelings. We will honour him in our state.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Olufemi Atoyebi

The self-acclaimed living perfect master, Sat Guru Mahraji, has said he was excited when he heard the rumour of his death, stressing that  he will live more that 500 years on Earth.

Some social media users had, on Friday, posted ‘report’ of Maharaji’s death but checks revealed that the report was false. Some of the online users later deleted the report while a few apologised for the post.

Speaking on a radio programme monitored in Ibadan on Saturday, Maharaji said only those who disobeyed the creator died, adding that his death rumour pointed to the fact that the world wanted to know more about him.

He said, “I am at the Maharaji village in Ibadan, the highest spiritual centre of the universe. I am alive and well. I am a perfect master. I got excited when I heard the news because physically, I am beyond death.

“I am not involved in what human beings are doing. When I heard about the rumour of my death, I said waoh!, the one who created man determines what happens to him. The world wants to know more about me; that is why people said I was dead.

“People have been calling me. I am a happy man. I am a traditionalist and king of culture. It is your behaviour and attitude that determine your death and success in life. If you are a good man, death does not exist. Anyone who dies must have done something wrong.

“People die out of ignorance and disobedience. When a human being wakes up in the morning, he should be grateful to his creator.”

The spokesperson for Maharaji, Ojo Peter, also said in a statement that the rumour of his principal’s death was a mischievous attempt concocted by disgruntled elements in the society, adding that the spiritualist was in perfect condition.

The statement read, “The rumour of the death of Maharaji was concocted by some people who have found it difficult to silence him from telling the truth about happenings in Nigeria and the world at large. The news of the death of Maharaji is not only false but one that was mischievously concocted by some disgruntled elements.

“They want to use the false news to cause disaffection among numerous members of the One Love Family in Nigeria and the world at large but Maharaj Ji has already exposed them for who they are. Such news will never stop Maharaj Ji from saying the truth he is known for.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

The Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdul’aziz Yari, has said state governors cannot enforce maximum security in their area because they are not in control of the security agencies.

Yari, who is the governor of Zamfara State, told journalists in Abuja at the end of an NGF meeting on Thursday that the governors were working hard with the Federal Government to tackle the lingering security challenges across the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the third edition of the NGF meeting this year was convened to address critical issues facing the governors in their states.

Yari said, “We are not in control of either the soldiers or the police or any other security men but what we can do is to support security agencies.

‘’In terms of logistics, we are doing our best and we will continue to support the Federal Government in this regard.”

The NGF chairman also explained that the security challenge facing the nation was a global phenomenon, which governments all over the world were striving to contain.

He said, “The security situation in the country is a global issue, and everywhere, people are dealing with the security problem.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Samuel Awoyinfa

No fewer than 12 persons lost their lives while eight others were injured when a Ford commercial bus collided with a Volvo truck along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Saturday.

The accident occurred around 12.25pm at the Fidiwo/Ogunmakin area, close to the Foursquare Church camp where traffic was diverted to a single lane due to the ongoing construction in the area.

An 18-seater commercial bus, with number plate AAA 886 XR, was travelling to Ibadan, while the Volvo truck (LSD 138 XQ) was on its way to Lagos.

According to the Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the accident was due to wrongful overtaking on the part of the driver of the commercial bus.

He said, “The driver of the commercial bus was reported by our men to have engaged in wrongful overtaking. He had pulled out from the lane in an attempt to overtake other vehicles ahead of him, and due to wrong calculation, his bus collided with the Volvo truck coming in its own lane from the opposite direction.”

Akinbiyi said the 12 passengers that died were inside the commercial bus.

“The accident led to the deaths of 12 persons while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Among the eight, who were injured, six were passengers on the ill-fated bus, while the remaining two were inside the Volvo truck,” he added.

He said the corpses of the victims had been deposited at a private mortuary at Ipara, while the injured were receiving treatment in a private hospital at Ogunmakin in Ogun State.

The Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Clement Oladele, also confirmed the accident and the number of the victims.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Olaleye Aluko

An Alpha Jet of the Nigerian Air Force has bombed a location in Tumbum Gini in the northern part of Borno State.

The area is believed to be the logistics base of the Boko Haram terrorists.

A number of the insurgents were killed while structures and vehicles were destroyed in the process.

Our correspondent learnt that the strike was conducted by troops of the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole on Friday.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement on Saturday, said an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft from the Niger Republic also took part in the operation.

He said the team conducted the damage assessment for the mission which enabled the jet strikes to degrade the terrorists.

He added that the air strikes killed “all the terrorists in the location”, while the base was engulfed in fire.

 Adesanya said, “The Air Task Force of Lafiya Dole in the early hours of Friday destroyed a Boko Haram terrorists’ logistics base at Tumbum Gini in the northern axis of Borno.

“The Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the first wave of the Alpha Jet aircraft strike on the location totally destroyed the vehicles and other logistics at the place thereby degrading the terrorists’ capabilities.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

John Alechenu, John Ameh, Adelani Adepegba, Leke Baiyewu, Olaleye Aluko and Alexander Okere

The All Progressives Congress members in the National Assembly and their Peoples Democratic Party counterparts have disagreed on the possible effect of the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters looking into the purchase of the $496m aircraft on President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Senate had, on Thursday, mandated the committee to investigate the controversial purchase of the $496m fighter jets from the United States by the President without approval of the National Assembly.

The committee will submit its report on Wednesday. The President reportedly withdrew $496m from the Excess Crude Account  to pay for the aircraft without the approval of the National Assembly.

The APC lawmakers, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday,  dared their PDP counterparts, saying the opposition members could not impeach Buhari even if the panel report indicts him.

Senator Mathew Uroghide (Edo, PDP) had, in a motion, on Thursday, urged Senate President Bukola Saraki to allow the Senate to invoke Section 143 of the Constitution against the President.

Section 143 of the Constitution deals with the process of the impeachment of the President and the vice-president.

Uroghide (Edo PDP), in the motion, had stated,  “There are serious consequences for the violation of our Constitution. As a consequence, the only thing that we can draw from on this is that we call on you (Saraki) to invoke Section 143 of the Constitution. What it means is that this matter does not need to be investigated; it is clear that this offence has been committed by Mr. President.

“I want the Senate to resolve that what the President has done is procedurally wrong and is a violation of our Constitution. It must be condemned and, of course, the consequences that are contained in the Constitution – in Section 143 – should be invoked.”

PDP won’t get two-thirds of votes to impeach Buhari –Senator Akanbi

But Senator Adesoji Akanbi (APC Oyo) has allayed fears that Buhari would be impeached.

Akanbi, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said no matter the outcome of the committee’s investigation, the opposition PDP senators would not get the required two-thirds of votes to impeach the President.

He urged those calling for Buhari’s impeachment to also consider the reason cited by the President for not waiting for legislative approval before approving withdrawal and payment for the aircraft.

Akanbi, who noted that there was a constitutional breach by the President, said Nigeria would have lost the opportunity to get the military equipment if the Federal Government had missed the deadline for the payment.

He said, “Sincerely, spending money without the approval of the National Assembly may not be justifiable but we should look at the circumstances in which it was done. Is the reason given to the National Assembly genuine enough? The National Assembly has to be convinced on why that was done.

“I am sure that with the outcome of the report of the committee set up to look into it, the National Assembly will be convinced. Yes, it (purchase) breached the constitution. The transaction did not follow the normal democratic process but there was a timeline that must be met for the benefit of the country.”

Akanbi also pointed out that the state governors, which jointly own the money with the Federal Government, approved that $1bn be withdrawn and spent on security, out of which the payment for the aircraft was made.

When asked what would happen if the panel indicts Buhari, the lawmaker stated that the PDP Caucus, from which the call for impeachment came, did not have the number to execute the impeachment process.

“This is a game of numbers. Two-thirds of lawmakers will be needed. I don’t believe, with our members (APC Caucus) in the chamber, they (the PDP) will get the two-thirds,” Akanbi stated.

Buhari has not violated any law, says Ndume

In his own reaction, Senator Ali Ndume (APC Borno), categorically stated that Buhari had not disobeyed any law. He said  the President acted in good faith.

He urged Nigerians to take note of those calling for the impeachment, noting that they were from the opposition PDP.

Ndume stated, “The issue of impeachment came up on the floor of the Senate and as I said before, impeachment is not just done like that. There must be a serious reason for it. I want to say that this impeachment move is dead on arrival.

“One, the President acted in good faith. You know that ever since the insurgency started, the Nigerian government had been struggling to get arms, ammunition and equipment to fight the insurgency. Under the previous administration, all efforts were made, but because of the alleged human rights abuses’ claim by the Amnesty International and other international organisations, the efforts were virtually frustrated.

“The coming of this President, because of his integrity, determination and international support, he was given the go-ahead to pay for those fighter aircraft. I don’t think that anybody, who is reasonable, will now say that once we have been given the go-ahead for something that we have been looking for, we should start wasting time again trying to get the National Assembly’s approval first before we pay.”

Ndume argued that several withdrawals from the ECA had been made by the previous administrations without seeking legislative approval, but Buhari, out of genuineness (of his intention) chose to write to the National Assembly.

“This one was done in good faith and because it was done in good faith, and for the fact that the National Executive Council, consisting of all the governors of the 36 states also approved it, I don’t see any big deal that should lead to raising the issue of impeachment,” he added.

The lawmaker pointed out that the impeachment process would fail.

“Let me say that we don’t have any fear on that. If the committee decides that the President has committed an infraction, there must be a procedure and that is why I said we believe that they will never get the required two-thirds to impeach Mr. President, especially in this case where the action of Mr. President was in good faith,” Ndume stated.

Wait till Wednesday, PDP senator tells APC counterparts

But a PDP senator Mao Ohuabunwa (Imo PDP) asked the APC senators to wait till Wednesday when the committee is expected to present its report. According to Ohuabunwa, whatever the lawmakers say remains their opinion until the Senate takes a decision on the matter.

He said, “That day we were prepared to debate it but since the Senate President, in his wisdom, ruled that we should have a legal opinion, we will wait until Wednesday to see what the committee will come up with. Anybody saying anything now is just on their own because they are senators. When the Senate takes a decision, whatever your opinions are will be consumed. Let us wait.”

I don’t regret my comment on $496m aircraft purchase –Urhoghide

But the Edo State senator, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said he did not call for the impeachment of the President.

He said the judiciary, human rights and legal matters committee, which the Senate mandated to investigate the purchase of the $496m aircraft, would determine the next move of the lawmakers on the allegation against Buhari.

Uroghide  stated  that the referral of the allegation against the President to the committee  was part of the impeachment process required by Section 143 of the constitution.

He stated, “The procedures are stated in Section 143. The referral to the committee is part of the process — to determine whether really an infraction has been committed. That is where Section 143 starts from. I am just a member of the Senate and one person cannot be bigger than the Senate.

“If you go through the section, it will tell you that what the Senate is doing now is like an investigation. Then, two-thirds of us — of the entire membership of the Senate and the House of Representatives — must sign and President of the Senate will take the correspondence. Then, the President will be asked to explain what happened. Then he will explain it. It is a process. There are about 10 steps. I can’t just say ‘let us impeach the President’.”

Also, Urhoghide said he had no regret moving the motion to invoke Section 143 of the Constitution against the President.

Urhoghide made this known during an interview with journalists in Benin, Edo State, less than 24 hours after he was allegedly attacked by some youths at the Benin Airport.

He stated that the right thing the President would have done was to present a supplementary budget to the National Assembly for the purchase of the aircraft, wondering why that was not done since the offer for the purchase was made in December, 2017, with an expiry date of February 21, 2018.

He said, “We could have said more aircraft should be bought. What they have done is mumbo-jumbo. The President has violated the Constitution, which is the truth. If anybody is pretending that nothing has been done, the person should go to a mental home. Section 80 has been violated.

 “I do not have any regret for what I said. I stand by it. Where did I embarrass the President? Because of selfish interest here, people want to show to the President that everybody is cowed in Edo.

“This is not a war I want to fight on partisan basis. I have immunity on what I said on the floor of the Senate. I am being crucified outside for what I said during plenary.

“I am going to report back to the Senate. All the security agencies must see the threat I am subjected to because I performed my duty as a Senator.”

Urhoghide, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, while narrating his ordeal at the airport, said he had the premonition that he would be attacked.

The federal lawmaker added, “They (critics) have promised to deal with me. If not for the Commissioner of Police yesterday (Friday), nobody knows what would have happened. I obeyed the police commissioner; I remained where I was until the governor came.

“We were side by side talking when a boy hit my head. The governor walked away. Before I left Abuja, I knew what was happening and the person responsible for it. I called him to tell him that it was unnecessary but he did not return my calls.

“Incidentally, it happened in the presence of the state governor. The Commissioner of Police was there and all other security agencies. When the boy hit my head and threw away my cap, they saw it.

“I still assumed that the governor did not see it. It is a shame on the state that an elected Senator of this state could be so humiliated in the presence of our own leaders in the state.”

Reps remain divided, await meeting with Buhari, panel’s report 

In the House of Representatives, members also remained divided on whether Buhari breached the constitution.

Investigations in Abuja showed that like it played out on the floor on Thursday, members remained divided on the way forward on the issue of the purchase of the aircraft.

Findings indicated that the division had taken political party lines with the majority of the APC members being largely hesitant in backing the impeachment calls.

“The APC members, who speak against the President’s action, do so with reservation and they are also doing so just to protect the independence of the legislature, not that they are for impeachment.

“You will notice that it is the opposition Peoples Democratic Party members who are shouting more about impeachment”, a senior parliamentary official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed one of our correspondents on Saturday.

The source stated that much of how the matter would be decided depended on the outcome of the anticipated meeting between Buhari and the lawmakers.

The source added, “For the House, you know there is no formal position yet on whether to invoke impeachment clause.

“Members still disagree and the decision last week was to refer the President’s matter to the Committee on Rules/Business to guide us appropriately.

“The President has also been invited to address a joint session of the Senate and the House, which will be in the days ahead.

“The committee is expected to sit next week and turn in a report. So, the committee’s report and the meeting with Buhari will set the tone for further actions.”

Key principal officers of the House and some members of the PDP caucus gave different views on the issue, further confirming the division among the legislators.

For instance, the Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, said while it would appear that Buhari committed an “infraction”, it was not weighty to warrant calls for impeachment.

He said, “Whilst I agree there may have been a constitutional infraction, I do not believe it rises to the level of impeachment or gross misconduct, which is the standard requirement by the constitution.

“All that is being alleged is procedural not substantive, and there is a difference. If this is the standard to be adopted, then, all past presidents of Nigeria should have been impeached for doing same thing, if not worse things.

“Impeachment is normally a political thing and we must be careful that we in the APC do not allow the tail to wag the dog.”

The Chief Whip of the House, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, spoke along the same line.

He said, “Agreed that by Section 80 (2) of the constitution, our consent is required to expend public  funds, but where a matter or of such nature is deemed by Mr. President to be of  national interest, the same section of the constitution under legitimate footnotes, allows the President to do what he did in this case.

“It only makes it obligatory for Mr. President to communicate to the National Assembly,  requesting for a post-action approval. That is exactly what has happened in the circumstances.

“I do not see any flagrant breach of our constitution that could warrant unnecessary calls for impeachment of the President.”

But, the PDP caucus disagreed with Gbajabiamila and Ado-Doguwa, saying their “skewed explanation” portrayed them as seeking a soft-landing for Buhari in the face of the “obvious abuse of our constitution.”

A member from Kogi State, Mr. Karimi Sunday, who summed up the views of members of the caucus, argued that the constitution did not provide options or “escape routes for Mr. President when in breach of the provisions.”

Sunday stated that there was only one way to go “which is to invoke Section 143; that means impeachment proceedings. There are no two ways.”

Presidency violated rule of law — NLC, CSOs

Also, the Nigeria Labour Congress berated the President, saying he violated the constitution by  spending $496m on  aircraft for the military without the approval of the National Assembly.

The union stated that the executive had no right to spend such money without the mandate of the legislature under constitutional democracy.

The NLC Secretary-General, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said the Federal Government should start doing things in line with the provisions of law and the constitution.

“We operate a constitutional rule of law and that means spending money by the executive without National Assembly approval is a violation of the rule of law; there are no two ways about it.

“We need to start doing things according to law and the constitution. We must stop the arbitrariness which is a violation of the rule of law in the country,” he admonished.

Commenting on the reports that the government did not seek the approval of the National Assembly before paying for the jets due to time constraint, Ozo-Eson said the Presidency could have easily reached out to the lawmakers to endorse the deal with the United States.

There is no tension between us –Presidency

Meanwhile, the Presidency has expressed its willingness to give further clarifications concerning the anticipatory approval granted by Buhari for the purchase of the jets from the US.

The Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said this in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday.

Enang said, “There is no tension between the Presidency and the National Assembly on this issue.

“Unknown to most Nigerians, the President, in his letter, requested that the money for the purchase of the aircraft should be included in the 2018 budget and at the moment, the 2018 budget is still under consideration.

“In a democracy, it is normal for legislators to ask questions and seek clarifications on issues especially as they affect appropriations.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Ihuoma Chiedozie

The All Progressives Congress in Enugu State, on Saturday, vowed to stop the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, from returning to the Senate in 2019.

Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West Senatorial zone, is serving his fourth term in the upper legislative chamber.

There are strong indications that Ekweremadu is planning to return to the Senate for a fifth term in 2019.

But the APC in Enugu State has vowed to stop Ekweremadu’s senatorial career.

Addressing journalists after his endorsement for a second term as Enugu State APC chairman in Enugu East Local Government Area, the chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said Ekweremadu would not be allowed to return to the Senate in 2019.

According to Nwoye, the Peoples Democratic Party will, for the first time, experience the true meaning of ‘election’ in Enugu State in the next polls.

He said, “The reality is that this election (2019) will be the most fiercely-contested election in the history of Enugu State politics because we are on the ground. We have most of the biggest financiers; we will challenge, and I can bet that Enugu West Senatorial seat (Ekweremadu’s seat), for sure,will fall into the hands of APC in 2019.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Oladimeji Ramon

A former Governor of Lago State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, says contrary to the rumour making the rounds, he has no stake in Visionscape, a company recently engaged by the state government to manage waste.

Tinubu said this on Friday while addressing members of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, also known as PSP operators, who visited him to submit a petition on waste management in the state.

The PSP operators, who met Tinubu near his Ikoyi home, had complained that their livelihoods were being threatened under the new government, which had brought in a foreign company to take over the job of managing waste in the state.

Tinubu said, “I want to correct something and I think I have to do it publicly. The rumour I’ve heard all over the state and on social media is that I am the one who brought a foreign company. I am not the owner of Visionscape. Categorically, I’m telling you today, I have no penny. Yes, that is the truth.”

The PSP operators, who were led by their Vice-Chairman, David Oriyomi, and Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Adebola, put their number at over 350, adding that they had about 25,000 workers, who stand the risk of losing their jobs.

They pleaded with Tinubu to intervene.

After listening to them, Tinubu expressed concerns that waste was returning to the streets of Lagos, adding that it was regrettable that the PSP operators had to resort to writing a petition.

He promised to speak with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode with the aim of restoring the old system.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Ogbonnaya Ikokwu

A group, Abia South Senatorial Movement, has commenced the process of recalling the Senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe, from the senate.

The group, led by Mr. Paul Ikonne, started the process at a meeting organised by its leaders from the six local government areas in the senatorial zone in Aba, the commercial hub of the state.

Ikonne, while addressing the members of ASSM, said the group, with membership from registered political parties in the state, came to the conclusion that Abaribe should be recalled because he had failed the constituents that elected him.

He claimed that Abaribe had been using his position to play opposition politics which he said was not in the interest of those who elected him.

He said, “We are here to share the recall forms as law-abiding citizens and we will follow due process and commence the recall of Senator Abaribe. We will use the same PVC,  which we used in voting him into the Senate, to recall him.

“This move is not the affair of any political party because all political parties in the zone are represented here. We will ensure that this recall form gets to all the political units and wards in the senatorial zone. We call on our brothers and sisters to fill this form when they see it and we will give ourselves the next 14 days to complete the collection of signatures from various units and wards where the votes were cast in order to compile the signatures and forward same to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Tofarati Ige

Many years ago, it was believed that only persons from fairly comfortable homes were involved in the entertainment industry. However, a lot has changed. These days, more artistes from wealthy homes are emerging. By virtue of their background, some of these folks really don’t have to work a day in their lives because of the wealth of their parents. But they have decided to chart courses for themselves

Davido

When singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido, came into the music industry, he didn’t make pretences that he wasn’t from a rich home. He made sure to constantly sing about his affluent background and with time, he began to build a decent fan base. Today, he is one of the biggest artistes in Africa and his fame keeps spreading.

His father’s vast wealth has also come in handy for him. Most times, Davido flies in his father’s private jet to attend concerts. He is known to splurge on jewellery and cars. He is never shy to let people know that even if he doesn’t make a dime from music, he has his father’s wealth to fall back on. Even though many perceive him as being brash and arrogant, Davido is unapologetic about his views and way of life.

DJ Cuppy

Born Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, DJ Cuppy’s father, Femi Otedola, is unarguably one of the richest men in Nigeria. It was thus surprising when she announced that she had become a disc jockey. Many felt she wouldn’t be able to blend with the style of the industry considering that she has spent most of her life abroad. Truly, when she first started performing as a DJ, she found it quite tasking to connect to the Nigerian crowd. She usually played Rock, Heavy Metal, House and other genres of music that Nigerians were not used to. However, she has gotten better with time and her consistency has endeared her to many fans.

Not long ago, she was unveiled as a DJ ambassador for Pepsi. Her song with Tekno, Green Light, is also doing well as it has gotten millions of views online.

Falz

He calls himself the ‘bahd’ guy but his father, Femi Falana (SAN), is regarded as a good lawyer who is often on the side of the masses. Folarin Falana studied Law at the University of Reading, UK, but music is his true love. Even though he practised law for a while, he didn’t find fulfillment until he actively pursued his music career. Falz started releasing songs in 2009 but fame didn’t come his way until he started to upload comic video skits on Instagram. His unique sense of humour caught the attention of many and his popularity soared. His songs were also well received by fans.

Falz is the recipient of several top awards like BET (for music) and AMVCA (for acting). As a matter of fact, he is one of the few Nigerian entertainers that have received top awards for both music and acting.

Tolani Odetola

Tolani is Femi Otedola’s eldest daughter but it seems she isn’t ready to go into the family’s business soon. She is a singer and even though she is not yet well known, the silver spoon has been making several moves to be counted as one of the top artistes in the country. She organised a concert in October 2017 and it was well-attended by her father and his billionaire friends.

According to Tolani, her father always had music playing in the house and car while she was growing up and that is where her love for the art originated from. She is still regarded as a newbie in the industry, so, she still has a lot of work to do to prove herself. She describes her music as a “a blend of infectious African rhythms and soulful harmonies.”

Naeto C

Naetochukwu Chikwe, aka Naeto C, has always been a rapper with a difference. Because of his calm disposition and classy lifestyle, one can easily tell that he is from a rich home. Naeto C is known for hits such as Kini Big Deal, My P, Ashewo, among others, and he is still regarded as one of the talented rappers in the country. His mum, Kema Chikwe, is a former Minister of Aviation and is currently a PDP women leader.

Naeto C got married some years ago and he hasn’t been so relevant in the industry. However, he recently released a song, Killing me Softly, featuring Sarkodie recently, and it has enjoyed some airplay.

DJ Xclusive

Rotimi Alakija, aka DJ Xclusive, is one of the top DJs in the country. He is also a silver spoon kid. He is well regarded as a DJ and he has performed at several top-notch events. He has collaborated with several artistes to release songs such as Pangolo (Timaya), Ibebe (Olamide), Pose (Tiwa Savage), Jeje (Wizkid), and several others.

From the famous Alakija family, he is also a DJ at Cool FM.

B-Red

Adebayo Adeleke, aka B-Red is Davido’s cousin. He is also the son of the popular ‘dancing Senator’, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.

B-Red teamed up with Davido and some other members of their family to establish the label, HKN, about seven years. However, they fell out with Davido, who moved out to form Davido Music Worldwide.

Though B-Red is not as popular as his cousin, he has been in the industry for a while and he has released a couple of songs such as Booty Tinz, Iwaju, Money, Aye Po, Twerk, among others. One of his recent songs, Uju, is doing quite well on the airwaves.

L.A.X

Damilola Afolabi, aka L.A.X, came into public consciousness when he was signed to Wizkid’s Starboy Records in 2013. The hit song, Caro, featuring Wizkid, also helped to propel his career.

L.A.X’s father is business mogul and Chairman of SIFAX Group, Taiwo Afolabi. L.A.X has also done quite well for himself in the industry with songs such as Gbefun, Ginger, Call my Baby, Rasaki, among others. However, he is yet to cross over to the A-list in the music industry.

Lynxx

Chukie Edozien, aka Lynxx, is a son of Chief John Edozien, a former Deputy Governor of the old Bendel State. Lynxx came into the industry as a rapper and has released songs such as Change your Parade, Fine Lady, Follow Me, among others.

However, the singer became ‘born-again’ about two years ago and he has kept a low profile since then.

Uche Kachikwu

The name of Uche Kachikwu, aka Kach, does not ring a bell yet and that is not surprising because he just made a foray into the music industry last year and has only released few songs. Kach is the son of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

Kach’s debut single, Dino, however, attracted some attention. The song is named after controversial Senator Dino Melaye, and the lawmaker appeared in the music video, flaunting his lavish lifestyle. Many criticised Melaye for appearing in the video.

DJ Sparrow

Tobi Osoba, aka DJ Sparrow, is a son of a former Governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba, and he practises his craft as a disc jockey.

Tobi is an avid lover of the turntable and whenever he performs, passion is evident all over him.

He is not popular yet but if he is consistent and dedicated, the future looks bright for him.

DJ Obi

Obi Ajuonuma, popularly known as DJ Obi is a Guinness World Book of Records holder. He achieved this feat when he played for 229 hours and 58 minutes in 2016. Obi also won the Nigerian Entertainment Award for ‘World Best DJ’in 2011.

DJ Obi is a son of the late Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, a former Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of NNPC.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Femi Makinde

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, made an historic visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at his palace in Ile Ife on Saturday.

The Benin monarch during his maiden visit to the Ooni’s Palace since his coronation urged President Muhammadu Buhati to stop the persistent herdsmen/farmers clashes in the country which claimed many lives.

The Oba arrived at the palace in Ile Ife at 1.15pm with his chiefs and some dignitaries from the ancient city of Benin. He was received at the residence of Oba Ogunwusi inside the palace before both of them went into the hall where various cultural troupes entertained the monarchs.

Oba Ewuare said, “This visit is to appreciate your imperial Majesty for the honour done me, my family and the entire people of the Benin Kingdom with your personal presence at my coronation.

“This visit should provide us the opportunity to reawaken the cordial relationship between our two kingdoms which seemed unfortunately to have hitherto pulled off since my father’s visit to Ile Ife in the reign of Oba Sijuwade for reasons I am not too sure of.  It is my prayer that this visit will restart the cordial relationship, which because of historical affinity, should exist between our two kingdoms.

“We should explore and tap on what unites us rather than what divides us for the advancement of our cultural heritage and social/economic development.

“It is gratifying to note that you and I have already been in regular communication even before this visit. We must increase visits to each other because such will augur well for the desirable close relationship between our two kingdoms.

“Your Imperial Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses and distinguished ladies and gentlemen, may I crave your indulgence to highlight three major issues of national concern. They are the persistent cattle herdsmen and farmer clashes and their attendant criminal activities in the country; human trafficking and illegal migration and social economic pursuit to be indeed eloping underdevelopment activities.

“The aforementioned problems are plaguing the country in unacceptable proportion. These problems are further complicated by our porous borders particularly in the northeastern part of Nigeria and lack of adequate infrastructure and dire need to improve on security architecture of the country.

“While commending the efforts of President Buhari in tackling the insurgency in the North-East , I want to, on behalf of all traditional rulers in Edo State, join traditional rulers in Nigeria, appeal to the President, as a matter of urgency, to intervene in these and other threats to the unity of our country. “

The Ooni said the solution to the security challenges in the country was community policing, saying the people would know their policemen and the policemen would also know the people and understand their terrains very well.

Oba Ogunwusi said, “You all know that we are all from the same parents. We are so interrelated; we have an ancestor and our kingdom have a very common ancestral history. We are very grateful and honoured to receive you.

“We wanted to take you to our common ancestral place where Oranmiyan is still resting till today because we believe he is still with us. But we won’t be able to take you round because of time. We are having security challenges in Nigeria and the way forward is community policing. We should join the government and security agent to find a lasting solution to these problems.

“This is Olokun Week in Ife and Olokun is one of the deities that the Benin people do not joke with. We should see ourselves as one big family. We should uphold our cultures, heritage and tradition. I am very happy that Benin culture and tradition are still intact.”

The two prominent monarchs visited Orun Oba Ado, which the Director of Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Mr. Moses Olafare, described as the place where some of the predecessors of the current Oba of Benin were buried before the tradition stopped. He said that no Oba of Benin would visit Ile Ife without visiting the place where his forefathers were buried

The duo prayed at the place for peace, unity and progress of the two kingdoms and Nigeria at large.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Ted Odogwu

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has said two former Nigerian leaders, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, are opposing the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari because of the current administration’s resolve to tackle corruption.

Ganduje told SUNDAY PUNCH in an interview that Obasanjo, Babangida and others opposing the President’s reelection ambition had no moral rights to do so.

He accused Obasanjo of attempting to cause a constitutional crisis when he wanted to use the National Assembly to secure a third term after ruling for eight years as president.

Ganduje stated, “Look at Obasanjo and the third term ambition. Do you know how much he spent on his third term project? Billions of naira was spent. Must the constitution be amended because of him? Is that the kind of character that can rule us?”

He also wondered how Babangida, who was forced to vacate office after refusing to hand over power to the winner of a free and fair election he conducted, would have the guts to ask a sitting president not to seek a second term.

He disagreed with the two retired generals that Buhari had failed to secure the country as well as fix the economy.

He maintained that their grouse against Buhari was because of the president’s unrepentant resolve to fight corruption to a stand still in Nigeria.

He said, “Let us look at the antecedents of the two  former heads of state: Ibrahim Babangida ruled this country for nine years and at the end, he said he  would not go. An election was conducted and a democratic President was elected but the election was annulled.

“Has Muhammadu Buhari committed any political crime similar to that? Babangida wanted to continue but could not; so, he introduced an interim government. The interim government was with a clause, which would make the military to come back again.

“Somebody, who ruled for nine years and wanted to continue to rule, is there any justification for him to stop someone who has ruled for four years and the constitution of Nigeria has given him the mandate to rule for another four years?

The Kano State governor added, “They (Obasanjo and Babangida) are therefore not qualified to advise Buhari to rule for only one term. So, nobody can rely on their pieces of advice.

“Those elements that are fighting Buhari are doing so because they know he is fighting corruption. An ordinary man on the street appreciates Buhari’s fight against corruption. That is why we are requesting him to re-contest the 2019 presidential poll.”

Ganduje said Buhari came under intense pressure from several governors to seek re-election for a very long time before he accepted to run again.

He noted that since Buhari had delivered on his campaign promises, the governors were of the opinion that the President deserved to run for a second term.

When asked to explain the roles the governors played in Buhari’s reelection bid, Ganduje said, “Certainly, some of us (governors), for a pretty long time, acted positively in order to persuade President Buhari to seek a second mandate. We are convinced that the President is a very honest leader. He believes in the constitution of Nigeria.

“He made it clear that he would improve on the security situation of the country, check insurgency as well as improve the economy of the country.

“These three cardinal issues are very important. That is why I am assuring you that Buhari will win more votes in the 2019 presidential election compared to what he got in 2015.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Olusola Fabiyi

As President Muhammadu Buhari begins his official visit to the United States of America on Sunday (today), the Peoples Democratic Party has drawn the attention of President Donald Trump to alleged constitutional and human rights violations in Nigeria.

Also, the National Chairman of the party, Mr. Uche Secondus, on Saturday, accused Buhari of running a “police state”, warning that clamping down on those with opposing views was capable of truncating democracy.

Addressing journalists at a press conference on the state of the nation in Abuja, the spokesman for the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiya, urged Trump to stand up for democracy and take Buhari to task on constitutional and human rights violations in Nigeria under his watch.

Lamenting that the nation had become a police state,  he said Buhari had taken the country back to what it was in 1984, when the military under Buhari, took over the government violently.

Ologbondiyan said Buhari’s administration had destroyed the nation’s democratic order and eroded constitutionally- guaranteed rights of citizens, while foisting a siege mentality on the people.

He said, “Nigeria is facing a perilous time; our constitution has been technically suspended; we have now become a police state; governance has reverted to the nightmares of the 1984 era, when draconian leaders held sway and forcefully held our people under the grips of military Decree 2.

“Currently, there is a total collapse of respect for constitutionally-guaranteed personal freedom. There is no regard for the natural course of justice, life in Nigeria is gradually returning to the state of nature and there is fear everywhere.

“Today, Nigerians are being hounded, arrested and directly detained on ‘order from above’, without warrant. Citizens are locked up in dehumanising detention centres without access to medical care and legal assistance just for holding political opinions that run contrary to the views of those in power at the centre.”

Citing the recent United States Department of States report, which alleged cases of extreme human rights violations under the Buhari administration, Ologbondiyan called on Trump to ask Buhari questions on the way he runs his government.

He added, “Indeed, the height of human rights abuse being witnessed in our country today is the worst in our national contemporary history.

“As we speak, government’s inaction and aloofness have led to escalation of killings in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa, Edo, Zamfara, Ekiti and Enugu by insurgents and marauders, who are having a field day as the Presidency has abandoned governance for 2019 reelection bid.”

Secondus, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ike Aboyi, said nobody “is safe again in Nigeria under President Buhari. “

The PDP chairman, however, said Nigerians would never surrender their sovereignty to an individual.

He added, “Legislators are not safe, judges are living and working in fear; the media are being harassed, security agencies have all become tools of oppression for the government. Dictatorial signs are all over the place, threatening our democracy.”

Meanwhile, American companies in Nigeria have advised that infrastructure development and intelligence on counter-terrorism should be part of the agenda of Buhari’s meeting with his US counterpart.

The companies are operating under the auspices of the American Business Council, an affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Simon Utebor

A suspected female cult member, identified only as Josephine, has stabbed Miss Lillian Friday, her classmate, in the right eye for refusing to join a cult group.

The suspect and the victim are both SSS 1 pupils of Community Secondary School, Otuoke, in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

It was learnt that the incident happened in the country home of former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday.

The suspect (Josephine) was said to have been mounting pressure on Lillian to join a cult group which she persistently rejected.

The victim’s uncle, Mr. Benson Agiobu, said his niece said Josephine and her gang insisted she must join their group or they would teach her a bitter lesson she wouldn’t forget.

Agiobu said Lillian met Josephine on the way and she insisted that she must join their group.

He stated, “It was when Lillian refused again that Josephine alerted other members of group who were with her at the time. They held Lillian down while she was stabbed in the right eye with a sharp object by Josephine and they fled.’’

He said Josephine is a native of Ayakoro and Otuokpoti communities in the Ogbia council area, while his niece (the victim) is a native of Emeyal 1, in the same LGA.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the victim is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the damage done to Lillian’s right eye was such that she might need to undergo a surgery.

Speaking on the development, a human rights group on anti-cult activities in primary and secondary schools, Patriotism Advancement and Community Orientation Network, has condemned the incident.

The Convener, PACON, Aluzu Augustine, who said his group had since March 11, 2018 embarked on a campaign against cultism and drug abuse in Bayelsa, described the act as “barbaric and demonic.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the police in the state, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said he had yet been properly briefed on the incident.

It will be recalled that four armed teenagers suspected to be members of a cult group in March attacked Community Secondary School in the state.

The invasion of the school took place after the state government through the ministry of education expelled seven pupils over their alleged membership of a cult group.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Godwin Isenyo

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he can be Nigeria’s president without visiting the United States of America.

Atiku stated this on Saturday during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa Service when he was asked how he intended to be Nigeria’s president without visiting the US.

He asked whether it was a constitutional provision that one must visit the US before becoming president.

“I can be president without going to America,” he said.

In the interview monitored by our correspondent in Kaduna, Atiku also commented on a statement credited to his former boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, that he (Atiku) would not be President while he was alive.

He stated that Obasanjo was not God, saying that he didn’t lose sleep when he learnt that Obasanjo made such a statement.

According to him, if it is God’s will for him to be president, nobody, not even Obasanjo, can challenge God.

The ex-VP also confirmed that he was denied a US visa when he wanted to travel to that country.

He said he was told by the US that his application for visa was denied because it was passing through administrative process.

He also spoke about a house in the US said to belong to him and auctioned by the government of that country.

Atiku said the house belonged to one of his wives, adding that, “All my wives own houses and that particular house is not mine. It belonged to one of my wives. She sold the house and was never auctioned as it was reported.”

He further spoke on the rift between him and President Muhammad Buhari, saying the President could not control happenings in the ruling All Progressives Congress.

He said that was one of the reasons he left the party and returned to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, where he was a founding member.

Atiku said, “After 2015 general elections, I met the President. I told him that activities of the party have been crippled and there is a need to restructure.

“Also, I advised the President on issues concerning his administration. I said to him, ‘If things continue like this, I will quit’, but Mr. Buhari turned a deaf ear and remained mum.”

On why the government was yet to defeat Boko Haram for eight years, Atiku said if he emerged as president, he would investigate the years the government used in fighting the insurgents.

He added, “If elected Nigeria’s president, I will investigate how the government was unable to defeat Boko Haram. The Federal Government ended the civil war in 30 months, but it is now eight years it can’t not defeat a group of boys who are not trained.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

• FG, DHQ rubbish report

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

A breakaway Boko Haram faction known as the Islamic State in West Africa has seized some towns in Borno and Yobe states, providing protection to Muslim residents and collecting taxes from them, Reuters reports.

The Federal Government and the Defence Headquarters have, however, described the report as a tissue of lies.

ISWA, which is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram founder, Muhammed Yusuf, reportedly, gives out seeds and fertilisers and provides safe pasture for herdsmen for a fee.

According to herdsmen who spoke to Reuters, ISWA provides safe grazing for about N2,500 ($8) a cow and N1,500 ($5) for smaller animals. ISWA also runs slaughterhouses for the cattle, taking a cut for each animal, as well as from other activities like gathering firewood.

The group, which is said to have between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters, is believed to have strong links with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the world’s most notorious terrorist organisation.

Its fighters have the power to carry out targeted attacks like the February kidnapping of 100 schoolgirls from Dapchi and a deadly raid on a Nigerian military base in March.

A map produced by the United States development agency in February and seen by Reuters shows how ISWA territory extends more than 100 miles into Borno and Yobe, where the Federal Government claims terrorists have been ‘technically defeated.’

The US map paints a similar picture, with ISWA operating in much of Borno.

“Islamic State has a terrible reputation for being so brutal around the world, and people can’t imagine an Islamic State faction could be more moderate (than Boko Haram),” said Jacob Zenn, of The Jamestown Foundation in Washington D.C.

The Lake Chad countries – Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon – have long neglected the region, allowing ISWA to create a stronghold from which to launch attacks. Its gains contrast with setbacks for ISIS.

ISWA’s territory is not completely secure, however, as the Nigerian Air Force often bombs, and troops from Lake Chad countries attack the insurgents’ domain around its shores and islands.

The military has announced an operation “to totally destroy Boko Haram locations in the Lake Chad Basin” – ISWA’s domain – and end the insurgency within four months.

But ISWA has so far proven intractable in its Lake Chad bases, where troops have been unable to make effective inroads, according to a Western diplomat who follows the group. The Nigerian military had “completely lost the initiative against the insurgency,” they said.

The diplomat said ISWA was ready to cede less important areas because the military cannot hold them. “However, they maintain absolute control over the islands and immediate areas near them where they train, live, etc.”

According to the report, ISWA protects locals from Boko Haram, something the Nigerian Army cannot always do. That, according to one of the people with knowledge of the insurgency, has won the group local backing and eroded support for the military.

ISWA’s leaders are low-profile, not appearing in videos or claiming responsibility for attacks, possibly to avoid the international media, and the ire of regional governments. Reuters was unable to contact the group for comment.

The report adds that Boko Haram and ISWA are bloody rivals, but some travellers in ISWA territory feel safer than elsewhere in Nigeria’s North-East.

“They have checkpoints for stop and search, and if you are a regular visitor they know you,” said a herdsman, adding that ISWA has spies everywhere, including informers who alert them to military attacks.

However, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told our correspondent on the telephone that the report was ‘absolute nonsense.’

Mohammed, who is the official spokesman for the Federal Government, urged Nigerians to disregard the report, insisting that it was based on falsehood.

He said, “The report is absolute bunkum. The report is false and there is no place where taxes are being collected or terrorists are in control. I just spoke with the theatre commander and he also denied it.”

 Also speaking with our correspondent, the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. John Agim, rubbished the report, insisting that there was a conspiracy by some western interests to frustrate the war against terror through propaganda.

Agim said, “There is no territory that is under the control of the terrorists. Find out from the political leaders in the state if there is any local government under Boko Haram territory. There is none that is under the control of terrorists.

“I know that they have been driven into the Sambisa Forest and because of the size of the place, the military cannot remain there because it is 10 times the size of Lagos and each time we clear the place, terrorists always return to the place.

“But there is no local government that is under Boko Haram. A lot of international bodies are doing a lot to discredit the military and ensure that Nigeria does not overcome Boko Haram. Most of these international bodies are doing a lot to ensure that Nigeria doesn’t clear Boko Haram.”

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Economic Renaissance by Henry Boyo lesleba@lesleba.com 08052201997

the proceedings at the two chamber of the National Assembly became rather agitated on Thursday, April 26, 2018, after President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter, which sought approval for $496m, which had been spent on 12 fighter jets, was read by Senate President Bukola Saraki (APC) and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara (APC), to members in their respective chambers.

President Buhari’s letter confirmed that $496m had been withdrawn from Excess Crude Account, as payment for 12 super Tucano aircraft, in a purchase agreement between Nigeria and the United States.

The problem, however, according to Senator Mathew Urhoghide, Chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, was that this payment is clearly a breach of Section 80 of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that “any amount of money that has to be spent from the Federation Account must first be appropriated by the National Assembly.” “This one”, according to Urhoghide, “has not been appropriated and therefore breaches the position of the constitution”, and “there are serious consequences for such violation”. Urhoghide therefore recommended that, “as a committee, the only thing that we can draw from this is that, we call on you (Senate President) to evoke Section 143 of the Constitution”, as “this matter does not need to be investigated, it is clear that this offence has been committed by the President.”

Similarly, Senator Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna) described the reported expenditure as a “gross abuse of the constitution”. Although Sani did not support impeachment, he, however, suggested that “the payment be refunded, so that the transaction be started afresh to allow due process.” This recommendation, however, seems like another variant of the presently, very unpopular, plea bargain with treasury looters. Nonetheless, Senator Sani did not explain how the US government could be made to simply refund $496m, without heavy sanctions and serious financial penalties for Nigeria.

In retrospect, barely six years ago, the same US government had accused Nigeria’s government of human rights violation and therefore rejected the country’s offers to procure a modest caché of arms to combat the spread of Boko Haram, whom the US government refused to recognise as terrorists at that time.

Incidentally, Buhari had explained in his letter, that the $496m was paid without legislative approval, because “the US government had given a payments deadline for the aircraft purchase, otherwise the contract would lapse”. It is not clear why full advance payment was demanded for aircraft which will be delivered in 2020.

Furthermore, Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP) also noted that “there is no name to call this (disbursement), except an impeachable offence and we cannot allow that”. “We cannot stay here and this assembly and Nigerians will be taken for granted. It should not be so, I, (therefore) rise and support the motion for impeachment”.

Conversely, however, Senator Abu Ibrahim described the call for impeachment “as a PDP conspiracy” and wondered whether any state governor sought approval from their respective state Houses of Assembly, before spending previous disbursements from the ECA allocations. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, however, countered Ibrahim that the issue “was about respect for government institutions and not about politics”.

Nevertheless, Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC), suggested that Buhari “might have considered Section 83(1-2) of the constitution, which “allows the President to make extra budgetary spending in an emergency situation”. Ultimately, the Senate President concluded that there were (actually) two substantive issues: “The spate of insecurity and the flawed process through which government wanted to tackle it”. Consequently, in view of the dissension amongst members, the lawmakers referred probe of the $496m expenditure to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Furthermore, some House members also kicked against any motion to include the $496m in the 2018 Appropriation Bill, which is still pending before the legislature. The Chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Nicholas Ossai, observed that, “by the rules of procedure of the House, the request for appropriation was belated, because Buhari had already spent the money”, whereas “Section 80(3) of the 1999 Constitution states that “no funds could be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation, except, in the manner approved by the National Assembly”. Ossai therefore rejected any motion to rehabilitate the unapproved $496m in the 2018 budget, “as this money has already been spent”. “Consequently”, Ossai concluded, “this matter cannot be discussed at all”. Some other House members, including Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuma Onyema (PDP), also agreed that “the request was belated”, and warned that “trying to bend the House rules to accommodate the $496m withdrawal either by a motion or fresh money bill would amount to self-indictment.” Ultimately, in view of divergent opinions, Speaker Dogara ruled that debate on such a motion should “be suspended.”

It would be extremely charitable, constitutionally, to ignore the $496m withdrawal by President Buhari, as an impeachable offence. Nonetheless, in practice, it would be an uphill task to impeach a President, with a significant party majority in parliament, unless, of course, the present absence of a common amalgamating philosophy tears the ruling party asunder, during the political negotiations leading to the February 2019 elections. If, however Buhari is unexpectedly impeached, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo may not have the requisite political following and the critical mass that will guarantee his election as President next year, especially if, the northern power bloc also insists that a northern candidate should complete Buhari’s slot for a second term in office.

It is however regrettable that the payment process for the $496m was shrouded in such inconsistencies; for example, on January 25, Defence Minister Mansur Dan Ali reported that the payment deadline for the purchase of the aircraft was February 2018. Ali also observed that government had rejected the related Purchase Terms, because these were stringent and clearly skewed in favour of the US. However, the minister did not confirm, thereafter, if the contentious stringent conditions were, later, favourably reviewed, before the minister’s announcement barely two weeks later, on February 5, that government had already paid $496m to the US government, for the Tucano jets, without also revealing that the funds were actually withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account without legislative approval.

Ultimately, in response to public outcry on the colossal expenditure, the President’s Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang (APC) reported on April 9 that Buhari had not yet given approval for the withdrawal of $1bn, which he earlier requested from the legislature, to enhance Nigeria’s security apparatus. Enang had noted that “as of now, the process of approving the money for this use is inchoate and still undergoing Executive Standard Operating Procedure, before laying the same before the National Assembly for appropriation”.

Ironically, Enang’s explanation has also been exposed as “inchoate” by President Buhari’s later confirmation of the withdrawal of $496m from the ECA in his April 13 letter to the National Assembly.

Nonetheless, a simple cost benefit analysis would have revealed that Nigerians would not get any value whatsoever from this huge expenditure until the 12 jets are delivered in 2020. In this event, the jets will make no contribution whatsoever to tackling the current menace of Boko Haram and other such insurgencies (if that is what the planes were acquired for) for another two years or more.

Besides, it is also arguable that the security situation would improve if the Armed Forces welfare receives greater attention. Recent international media reports confirmed that the Association of US Veterans accounts for a budget of over $200bn annually. Invariably, the depth of our army and our people’s parlous state are certainly cut in stark relief by this unfortunate and depressing reality and relatively average Federal Government’s budget below $25bn. The expenditure of N150bn could alternatively also provide up to 15 modern barracks facilities, strategically scattered around the federation. It is certainly not rocket science to know on what the military’s rank and file would collectively choose to spend $469m in order to enhance their commitment and performance.

Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: theeditor@punchng.com

Carlo Ancelotti has turned down the offer to take over as Italy coach, according to press reports on Sunday, AFP reports.

Italy have been without a permanent coach since Gian Piero Ventura was sacked after the four-time champions failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years after losing to Sweden in a two-legged playoff in November.

Ancelotti, who was sacked by Bayern Munich inSeptember, had met with Italian Football Federation  officials in Rome last week.

But Corriere dello Sport reported that despite the 58-year-old being offered the job he had decided to turn it down after taking a few days to consider his decision.

Ancelotti has also been linked with taking over as Arsenal manager when Arsene Wenger steps down at the end of the season.

The Italian coach, who has also managed Chelsea, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain, has three Champions League titles to his name as a coach. He has also won the league in Italy, France, Germany and England.

FIGC sub-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta – who was coached by Ancelotti at AC Milan in the 1980s – has been appointed to find a successor to Ventura, and has said said the deadline for the appointment remained May 20.

Among the other names being touted are Zenit St Petersburg coach Roberto Mancini, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and former Leicester coach Claudio Ranieri, now in charge of French club Nantes.