RE: Laolu Akande: The Supplanter Comes Full Throttle

By: Adetayo Adekunle

Let me start by saying that I do not hold brief for Mr. Laolu Akande (SSAP Media, OVP) or anybody for that matter.

Accordingly, I urge readers to kindly consider this rejoinder as that of *"a meddlesome interloper"* who jumped into the fray after reading an article and a response.

With all sense of responsibility, Mr. Festus Adedayo's response to Mr. Laolu Akande's rejoinder is rather too shallow, puerile, jejune and below board.

In the article under review, Mr. Adedayo committed the same infractions he alleged Mr. Laolu Akande for.

The entire writeup is high on vitriolic but ephemerally low on substance.

Rather than go personal, methinks it's better to respond to the questions posed to him by Laolu Akande in his rejoinder.

Or was Mr. Adedayo expecting "his supposed friend" to say thank you for spewing unsubstantiated gibberish against his principal?

Without any doubt whatsoever, Mr. Adedayo must have been consuming cheap substances to have alleged that the VP viciously prayed to be substantive President when his boss was sick. Like a scene from a Yoruba movie, Festus further asserted that a PMB ally came in and the VP as well as his Pastors were shell shocked.

If this is not a lie from the pit of hell, what then is it?

Can Mr. Adedayo swear with whatever he believes in that this is the truth?

Since Mr. Adedayo has also decided to be afflicted by selective amnesia, I will assist him to put certain things in the right perspective.

To start with, Mr. Laolu Akande *"NEVER SUPPLANTED"* anybody before he got his editorial job in the Tribune. Facts at my disposal indicates that prior to his (Akande's) appointment, there was a competitive exam and interview where he led with barely 1%. A colleague, Akinjide Akintola came second in that examination.

Secondly, to all intents and purposes, Mr. Akande was your senior colleague at Tribune. You would recall that as early as 1992, Akande was already a household name in Guardian and Nigerian journalism as a whole. As a matter of fact, he was a senior editor before the then Mr. now Prof Wale Adebanwi brought you on board as a writer/reporter. You were at best a subordinate, co-worker and acquaintance but certainly not a friend.

Mr. Adedayo, can you say you have paid your benefactor Wale Adebanwi rightly and justly for all he did for you? What is your relationship with him today?

Furthermore, Akande is still friends with other members of the the 5- man circle you referred to -Prof. Wale Adebanwi of Oxford, Prof Adeolu Akande of Igbinedioun University, Dr. Segun Olatunji and Mr. Bode Opeseitan. All the aforementioned were his friends and they are still best of friends till today.

The same Laolu Akande you described as stagnant has had the rare privilege of interviewing a sitting President of the United States and is currently serving in the Presidency of Nigeria. His appointment and reapportionment were effected effortlessly.

Nigerians surely know the writer that vehemently criticized the process leading to Dr. Ahmed Lawan's emergence as Senate President in daytime only for the so called public intellectual to attend an interview with the aim of working for that same government he pretends to loathe. If I may ask, where is the integrity?

Mr. Adedayo, it is good to flaunt one's achievements but then as a Yoruba man you ought to know about the proverbial child who described his father's farm as the largest in the land before visiting larger farms.

The likes of Rt. Hon. Mojeed Alabi (with six degrees in Law and Political Science), Dr. Akin Onigbinde (another fine gentleman with chain of degrees in Law and Political Science) and other greats whose academic achievements are mouthwatering do not gallivant around town with their degrees but they carry themselves with grace and humility.

While I wish you well in your delusion of grandeur, I can only pity youngsters who see a role model in you.

But please don't forget to unveil the identities of "the Pastors" and "the Buhari ally" who strayed into "frantic prayers for Osinbajo".

Until then, ire oooooooo.

Adekunle, a public affairs analyst, writes from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

EFCC Press Release

EFCC Charges CSOs to Monitor Social Investment Programmes

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has asked civil society organizations in the country to pay more attention to the implementation of social investment programmes in the country  to ensure that the benefits get to the people that the programmes are meant to serve. Wilson Uwujaren, the Commission's head of Media and Publicity, gave the charge on Tuesday September 24, 2014 in goodwill message at the 15th Anti- Corruption Situation Room organised by Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, in Kaduna, with the theme, corruption and its threat to peaceful coexistence
Mr. Uwujaren who represented the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu observed that the Commission's anti-corruption effort was driven by an overarching commitment to peace building, by ensuring that resources meant for public good are not stolen.

He however observed that the Commission had received complaints about the implementation of the social investment schemes, noting that there was a case in the Anchor Borrowers Scheme investigated in the Gombe office of the Commission in which sand were  bagged and supplied in place of fertilizer. He said, in order not to create 'crises from a crisis situation,' it is important for civil society organizations play more active roles in tracking the implementation of the programmes so that the people can get the full benefit.

According, to him, the nation cannot afford a situation in which these programmes go the way of the Niger Delta Development Commission, an international agency whose impact is yet to be fully felt by the people of the Niger Delta despite huge resource allocation over the years.

Wilson Uwujaren
 Head, Media & Publicity
24 September, 2019

STARBOY, even if you don't want to be the next President of Nigeria, it's too late to change your mind.


You are just the right man for the job in 2023


Nigerians know you are the best


The Politicians know you are the best


But in their usual manner they like to destroy their best


But one with God is a majority


They will try to bring you down Starboy


But the more they try, the more we are convinced that you are the best man for the job after Baba


We tested your capacity, we know your capacity


Your capabilities were tested, OK


We love your loyalty to the Nation and to Baba


We understand your passion


We love your tenacity


And we know that you are genuinely commited to the development of this great nation


That is why Starboy, even if you don't want to be the next president, it is too late now


All the allegations, we know its because of your wide spread acceptability


Reason they have resolved to bring you down quickly


But Nigerians are waiting for your emergence as the flag bearer of our party the APC


The statistics favours your candidacy and they know it


That's why they needed to de-market you with lies


But their actions is like standing in front of a moving train. It will consume them and destroy them


The same Nigerians that fought and stood for/with Baba are more than ready to stand and also fight for you, Starboy


Many of the politicians thought they are very popular or that they brought Baba Buhari to power, but no! The resolve of the Nigerian people to make this country great did it. But they are yet to understand


It was the collective resolve of the Nigerian people that brought Baba to power and also sustained his government


Baba Buhari did not spend a dime to get those votes


Nigerians don't need a cent from you either


Our only demand is your genuine love for this nation. 


That is all we need and Nigerians will do the needful




May NIGERIA succeed.

Official statement and rejoinder to Sahara Reporters' false allegations leveled against the DG, NISER

It has come to the attention of the National Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) the report by Sahara Reporters, an Online Tabloid, published on the 23rd of April 2018, with spurious allegations leveled against the institute and the Director General by unknown persons.

It is pertinent to state that all of the allegations in the Sahara Reporters' publication are false and baseless, and should be disregarded by the public.

One wonders why Sahara Reporters would allow its medium to be used for such irresponsible journalism. Their reporter did not make a serious attempt at "hearing the other side" or investigating the real facts of the case before publishing unfounded allegations.

More surprising is that Sahara Reporters chose to drag the good name of Nigeria’s Vice President into this false narrative and biased reportage, simply as clickbait, and in bad taste.

In my position as Director General of the Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER), I am constrained to respond to these baseless charges.

As to the false allegations, these are the facts:

Unlike the baseless claims in the report, that the DG sold three 500KV electricity generators each valued at 30 million Naira for the sum of N700,000; as of today, the two working 500KV generators have not been sold and remain on the NISER premises.

In addition, the 500KV generator which was sold was purchased in 1987 (30 years old) and have not worked since 2011. The pre-auction valuation of all generators was done according to Federal Government guidelines by the Federal Ministry of Works. However, the auction price was N1.7 million not N700,000 as claimed by Sahara Reporters.

Other generators sold in the past year were sold as scrap. Three of which were purchased in 1993. One of these generators, which was donated as project equipment, was so old that no record of their dates of purchase existed. Total revenue realized from the 2018 auction of unserviceable equipment was N4.7 million and proceeds of the sale domiciled with the Federal Government.

The process of sale of these generators followed government procurement guidelines to the letter and at no time was the DG part of the procurement process. (I have deliberately recused myself from any procurement process within the institute to avoid any slight hint of favoritism or bias).

The Vice President did not and has never defended me in any case of corruption. The case in question was defended by Kola Awodein and co. Incidentally I was found innocent on all charges and discharged and acquitted by a tribunal of three serving judges. All allegations were found to have been fabricated by political opponents.

The N500,000 research fieldwork grant was not reduced to N50,000. This claim is false. After discovering incidences of abuse and data forgery, management put in place an arrangement where researchers now receive their grants in tranches. AT each point, the researcher must prove that he/she actually went out into the field to collect the data before receiving the next installment.

Researchers have not gone on international conferences only because of budgetary constraints. However, in 2018 researchers attended conferences in South Africa, Cote d’ivoire and Kenya all sponsored by the conference organizers. Furthermore, NISER has invested heavily in the retraining of research staff within NISER some of whom went on to support the Minimum wage macroeconomic modelling exercise.

No research professor has resigned his appointment in NISER (The claim in the report is a complete fabrication).

I did not refuse Sahara Reporter’s request for a discussion. I asked that the request be put in writing for record purposes and that my accusers be identified. Surprisingly, one hour 30 minutes after the reporter's discussion with my secretary (I never did speak to them), their article was published.


Background and context

For the records, NISER was established in 1950 (not 1906) as WISER (West African Institute of Social and Economic Development). At independence in 1960, WISER became NISER relocating to the university of Ibadan and later moved to its own premises in the early seventies. Government, recognizing the critical role that NISER was mandated to play in economic development, that the institution was in a state of disrepair and for some time had suffered neglect and underinvestment, determined to reposition the agency for the benefit of the country.

In July 2017, when I assumed office, NISER an institution set on a small campus akin to a university, lacked running water, had no internet services and was receiving 4 hours of power a day from the public grid. The institution had lost its position on the global Think Tank rankings. At a point in its history, NISER ranked in the top one hundred Think tanks in the world. Presently, it is not ranked in the top 100 research institutes in Africa and is not certainly recognized in the world.
Research standards had declined and output was so low that there were only 8 publications on the website in 5 years. My mandate was to reposition the institute, restore the standards of scholarship and reestablish its lost glory.

Our story of positive change and development:
Since I assumed office as DG we have, in spite of federal government budgetary and funding constraints, put in place running water, instituted High speed broadband internet services campus wide and put a generator in the central building where the accounts, administration director of research and the DG’s offices are housed. The proposed sale of the giant generators was part of an optimization program, meant to provide funds to power the research buildings in a sustainable manner since the institute could not afford to fuel such huge generators.

Research standards have been strengthened and are now being rigorously enforced, and strict criteria for promotion reestablished. Government has provided initial funding for the physical renovation of the campus to begin. This process is being conducted is strict adherence to federal government procurement guidelines.

It is clear that any process of change this ambitious is bound to have detractors. Those members of staff of the institute who were invested in the status quo will be aggrieved by the disruptions and will fight back.

The label that I am “Osinbajo’s man”, meant to disparage me, is one that I wear with great pride. It is a privilege and indeed an honour to serve under an administration that is led by a President and Vice President who stand for rectitude, integrity and vision and remain committed to making Nigeria better.




Dr. Folarin Gbadebo-Smith
Director General
Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research
April 25th, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned a state-of-the-art primary school that was named after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Maiduguri, Borno state on Thursday.

The Yemi Osinbajo Primary School is one the completed projects by outgoing Borno governor, Kashim Shettima who has served two terms.

The President also commissioned a huge boarding primary school for children orphaned by Boko Haram. The school which is named after him is located at the Baga road by-pass in Maiduguri.

He also named projects after former Borno governors, Ali Modu Sheriff and Mala Kachallah.

Other projects commissioned by the President on his one-day visit include Industrial layout located in Njimtilo, Borno State University also located at Njimtilo and the Legacy Gardens Housing Estate named after Zanna Mustapha, a former late deputy governor of the state.

Others include ten Kilometres road In Pompamari, Aliko Dangote Mega Primary School and a General Hospital project.

After the commissioning, President Buhari commended Governor Shettima for the Mega Primary schools constructed for children orphaned by Boko Haram in the state and expressed hope that the orphaned children will surely get quality education and brighter future with the educational facilities.

“I am pleased to be in Borno state on a state visit. I sincerely appreciate the good people of Borno state and as well commend your loyalty and support at all times.

“Since my arrival in Borno state, I have commissioned different projects. I am highly impressed by Governor Shettima’s unique approach towards establishment of educational centers particularly at the primary level.

“As demonstrated by Governor Shettima, it is essential to give priority attention to primary school education in order to ensure formidable education at the tertiary level in line with international best practices.

“Borno state focusing on education is very imperative due to the peculiar security challenges posed by Boko Haram terrorists whose ideology is against girl child education.

“The terrorists in their crusades of malice against girl child education abducted Chibok Schoolgirls in Borno and Dapchi Schoolgirls in Yobe state and unfortunately, some of the girls are still in captivity but we won’t give up on them. As I have always said, as a Nigerian and as president, I assure all that we will do the needful to ensure that all Nigerians whose loved ones are in the hands of the Boko Haram terrorists regain their freedom”.

Leave Osinbajo Out Of Your Losses - ISD Cautions Labour Party

The Initiative to Save Democracy has asked the Labour Party, Ogun State Branch to leave the Vice President out of its loss and focus on more concrete issues as it presents it case to the State Election Tribunal.

Mr James Akinloye, the President of the Group in a statement shared to journalists condemned what he called “petty and unscrupulous comments” by the Chairman of the Labour Party where he claimed that the Vice President had a hand in the disbandment of the Justice Chinwe Onyeabo led Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the State.

“I was dumbfounded to see such a statement credited to the Chairman of a party. It did not come from some local political tout who had remixed some beer parlour gist, but it came from a Party Chairman. That was low, petty and not the kind of discuss we expect in our political space.” Mr Akinloye noted.

“Such behaviour from a political party is simply irresponsible. It smacks of indecent communication and a lack of understanding of governance and politics.”

“The Initiative to Save Democracy notes that asides the fact that such is untrue, it smacks of ignorance of procedure. One which a Party Chairman should be well grounded on. It is imperative that our political party leaders are well grounded on the system, else how can they change it or improve on it.”

The group went further to state that such a claim by the Labour Party Chairman was an insult to the readers and fell far below reasonable arguments.

The group advised the Party and its leadership to focus more on presenting a robust case if it had any to prove its matter before the tribunal and stop feeding the public with fake news.

“The Vice President is not on that level. He is a renowned democrat, a technocrat per excellence, an academician, and a legal luminary. It is never in his character to stoop low to thwart democratic processes. Far from it - he has spent his career building institutions. Keep him away from your uncouth attention seeking comments.” The statement read.

By Ijeoma Akabueze

I used to criticize Prof. Osinbajo for everything wrong with Nigeria. I must confess that I also said things that I am now ashamed of, I think it was down to my knowledge base at the time.

Please before you begin to demand heaven and earth from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, please educate yourself with this piece. The man deserves more appreciation and respect.

Constitutionally, the executive functions of the Nigerian vice president includes participation in all cabinet meetings and, by statute, membership in the National Security Council, the National Defence Council, Federal Executive Council, and the Chairman of National Economic Council.

Although the vice president may take an active role in establishing policy in the Executive Branch by serving on such committees and councils, the relative power of the Nigerian vice president's office depends upon the duties delegated by the president.

Let's wait until he becomes President in 2023 then hold him accountable for every action of the government.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT 
PRESS RELEASE

HOMEGROWN SCHOOL FEEDING NOW IN 30 STATES AS FG TARGETS MILLIONS MORE FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENT SCHEMES

*Over 12m Nigerians currently beneficiaries of Programmes

*9.5 million pupils now being fed under School Feeding programme

*1 million poorest households to benefit from Cash Transfer

*Next Level: 10m Nigerians to benefit from GEEP schemes, with 1 million new additions to N-Power in the offing

 
 
In continuation of its efforts to invest in the country’s human capital development, the Buhari administration has continued to make significant strides through its National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP).
 
President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s NSIP, is aimed at empowering Nigerians and improving their livelihood through several initiatives.
 
Millions of Nigerians nationwide are currently benefitting from the different schemes under the N-SIP, which is the largest social welfare scheme in the history of the country.
 
Through its Conditional Cash transfer (CCT) scheme, the administration is supporting the most vulnerable in society, while developing a skilled workforce for economic productivity by providing jobs for millions of Nigerian youths through the N-Power programme, and improving the learning and cognitive skills of Nigeria’s children through the Home-Grown School Feeding programme (NHGSFP).
 
Also, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) provide financial support through micro-credit schemes to small traders and businesses at the bottom of the financial pyramid. Beneficiaries include petty traders, women cooperatives, youths, famers and agricultural workers.
 
Subsequently, in the Next Level of the Buhari administration, about 10 million Nigerians are expected to benefit from GEEP, which includes TraderMoni. MarketMoni and FarmerMoni. While the Cash Transfer scheme aims to reach one million poorest households, one million new beneficiaries are expected to be added to the N-Power scheme, arguably the largest job creation and youth employment scheme in Africa.
 
The administration’s National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), which has a target of reaching 12 million pupils, is currently feeding over 9.5 million public primary school (classes 1-3) pupils with one free, balanced and nutritious meal a day in 30 states nationwide; while it has empowered 101,913 cooks in these states.
 
The 30 states currently benefiting from the school feeding programme are: Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto, and Nasarawa.

Others include Taraba, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Plateau, Delta, Zamfara, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Niger, Katsina, Ondo, Edo and Gombe.

The HGSFP has not only helped to increase enrollment rates of pupils in these communities, it is also effectively tackling early year malnutrition, while improving the cognitive skills of children.
 
The School feeding programme has also provided sustainable income for local farmers, cooks, which has increased growth and productivity in the local economy.
 
As of March; 297,973 Nigerians in 20 states (including the Borno IDP camps) are current beneficiaries under the National Cash Transfer Policy Programme (Conditional Cash Transfer), which started in December 2017; with over 5,000 savings groups and cooperatives formed as a result.
 
The following states are currently receiving payment: Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, and Taraba.
 
The Conditional Cash Transfer is designed to deliver timely and accessible cash to beneficiary households and so enhance their capacity for sustainable livelihood. The programme provides beneficiaries - poor and vulnerable households - with a monthly transfer of N5,000 with the sole aim of taking them out of poverty.
 
In the same vein, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), which has the MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and TraderMoni schemes, currently has a combined total of over 1.7 million Nigerians benefiting from these schemes.
 
So far, since after the national and state polls, 30,000 minimum beneficiaries have been added to the TraderMoni scheme, which provides interest-free loans starting from N10,000 to petty traders nationwide and is payable within six months.
 
In addition, upon repayment of the N10,000 loans, some beneficiaries in some states, including Lagos, Osun, Borno, Ogun and Benue, have now started receiving the 2ndimproved interest-free TraderMoni loan of N15,000.
 
Managed by the Bank of Industry, GEEP schemes provide financial support through micro-credit schemes to beneficiaries which include petty traders, women cooperatives, youths, famers and agricultural workers.
 
In the same vein, the Administration’s N-Power scheme, which is designed to provide jobs for unemployed young graduates, and is arguably the largest job creation and youth employment scheme in Africa, has currently engaged 500,000 youth graduates deployed to provide public health services in teaching, health, agriculture and tax and monitoring; and a further 200,000 non-graduates in training or attached to organisations as interns.
 
N-Power beneficiaries across the 36 states and the FCT are provided with a N30,000 monthly stipend, in addition to technology devices with relevant content for continuous learning. Many N-power beneficiaries have gone on to become entrepreneurs who are building successes in their chosen vocations.

Nigerians have been advised to stop the trend of reinforcing negative stereotypes in matters that are purely criminal.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) which gave this advice said there is a need to separate the actions of a few people from that of their ethnic nationalities.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the group said that the media should help by reporting such cases clearly without profiling a particular ethnic group.

“Majority of Nigerians from various ethnic groups are good people who should not be criminalised because of the activities of a few misguided ones who are clearly in the minority.

“We have all seen the furore that trailed the recent arrest of five Nigerians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over their involvement in the robbery of a Bureau De Change (BDC) in Sharjah, Dubai.

“While it is true that the suspects are from a particular ethnic group, it is not enough to criminalise everyone from that group as armed robbers; in fact it is reprehensible to play up the ethnicity of the Nigerians just to tarnish the image of a whole people.

“This is almost always the case when certain criminal activities are perpetrated in some parts of the country and almost immediately some media outlets would carry screaming headlines attributing the acts to a people from a particular group, even without proof.

“A typical example is a homicide case in Anambra state which the police are still investigating but has since been blamed on ‘Killer Fulani herdsmen’. This made the police spokesman to wonder whether the reporter was there when the crime was perpetrated,” the group said.

BMO pointed out that it would be better to identify criminals without necessarily dragging in their ethnicity.

It said: “It is an act that has been going on for a while. The impression that has been created over the years is that certain acts of criminality are the exclusive preserve of various ethnic nationalities.

“It is bad to the extent that people from the Fulani ethnic stock are viewed as vicious killers; the average Igbo is seen as a ritual killer or an armed robber while the Yoruba is mentioned when cases of drug couriers or Nigerians in UK jails are mentioned.

“All these are as a result of the activities of a few people from these ethnic groups and there is no reason to tarnish the image of the majority of Nigerians who are daily involved in productive ventures and doing the nation proud locally and internationally.”

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has hailed the military authorities, the Police and other security agencies over their successes in recent, frontal offensives to stem the tide of insecurity in the country.
BMO said this is a result of the obvious change in strategy, after series of security meetings presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the group said that the success stories of the last few days are a consequence of proactive actions initiated by the President.
“It’s not even one week after President Buhari held an extraordinary meeting with Service Chiefs, heads of security agencies and ministers saddled with the responsibilities of overseeing security agencies and we are already seeing results on different fronts.
“What Nigerians heard was that the President issued a marching order for the security agencies to be ruthless with bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements, but the swift manner that the military and other agencies have acted showed that new strategies must have been deployed.
“And because of the international dimension of the security challenge, especially in Northern Nigeria, President Buhari was in Chad at the weekend for an emergency regional security meeting involving about 29 countries
“It was a good opportunity for the President to seek international support for his quest to stifle supply line of small arms and light weapons to bandits and insurgents terrorising some parts of the country,” it said.
The group noted that it was gratifying that the military and the police have risen to the occasion by recording great feats in Borno and Zamfara states as well as the Abuja-Kaduna corridor.
This, BMO said, is a reflection of the new vigour the security chiefs are bringing to the efforts to check the spate of security challenges in the country.
it said: “Recent security updates from theatre of internal operations have shown that the strategies mapped out at various meetings are working and yielding results.
“We know that Fighter jets and helicopter gunships only a few days ago located and destroyed eight bandits' camps, including their logistics base in Kagara forest, killing several bandits in the process. This comes few days after a number of hideouts of the bandits in other parts of Zamfara were targeted by the Air Force.
“And in Borno, Nigerian and Cameroonian troops killed as many as 27 insurgents in a clearance operation in the Northern part of the state. The large cache of arms recovered from the terrorists may just be one of the largest weapons haul by soldiers fighting the war against insurgency. No fewer than 5 gun trucks, 2 anti aircraft guns, several General Purpose Machine guns, rocket propelled grenades and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
“The Police authorities, on their part, have launched “Operation Puff Adder” that only last weekend saw the operatives taking the battle to kidnappers in Akilbu forest along the Abuja-Kaduna highway and killing about 9 of them in the process.
“Also, three notorious kidnappers who abducted a Channels TV reporter Friday Okeregbe, in Abuja about a week ago, were arrested few days after those who kidnapped the director of the Lagos State Fire Service Rasaq Musbau and six others were picked up by a Police anti-kidnapping team".
BMO said President Buhari has acquitted himself well on the basis of the performance of security forces against banditry, insurgency and kidnapping in recent days. It also poured encomiums on the officers and men on the fields of battle.
"The nation appreciates the sacrifices of these gallant men and women who daily put their lives on the line in the interest of, and in protection of their fatherland. We believe the country is solidly behind them", the group said.

By Sunday James Akinloye

Anything you in the media these days call for a double check and Daily Trust, along with some supposed respected national newspapers seem to be leading the way with ‘Fake News’

Take for example, the Daily Trust’s reportage on the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZ), and its presentation in a report titled, “Enelamah, this is very fishy”. Painting a picture of what happened, Daily Trust laced its account with falsehood and lies, writing it to soothe their paymasters.

That’s not where it stopped; the report tried to distort history and facts but that is what I will set straight here for those following the drama that has snowballed from NEPZA and NSEZCO’s debacle on SEZ.

The facts are simple and easy to understand except for those who are trying to cash out from the prosperity of Nigeria. Let’s start from the beginning. President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration sought to increase the export of locally made goods across the world so it conceived Project MINE.

Project MINE (Made in Nigeria for Exports) was initiated to develop SEZs across Nigeria’s geo-political zones to world class standards in collaboration with private partners. The idea is to position Nigeria as the pre-eminent manufacturing hub in sub-Saharan Africa and as a major exporter of made in Nigeria goods and services regionally and globally.

President Buhari then set up a Project Steering Committee under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, comprising the leadership of the Ministry and members drawn from the Economic Management Team and the leadership of several Government Agencies: Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Nigerian Office of Trade Negotiations, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, Bank of Industry and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank; as well as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and Africa Export-Import Bank.

The Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment (MITI) then set up a special vehicle to achieve this goal, that vehicle was NSEZCO and it was at this point that all hell broke loose, mostly because an agency in the MITI, which is NEPZA (Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority) was not particularly happy about this positive development.

The agency leadership felt that its own direct operations should be the vehicle that drives SEZ, even when their functions have been clearly spelt out in the constitution. NEPZA was set up as a regulatory agency but it wanted to do more than the constitution’s provision.

After NSEZCO birthed, NEPZA approached the Attorney General of the Federation to demand whether NSEZCO was legal and it could act as a special vehicle. This is how the office of the AGF responded;
Two critical factors that implicated the need for NSEZCO are operational efficiency and access to international capital market with limited or no direct burden on the Federal Government in like manner as NLNG.

The use of NSEZCO to implement Project MINE is to facilitate the creation of commercially-oriented, efficient and effective institutions, in line with international standards.

In section 1(2), the NEPZ Act explicitly recognizes that an EPZ may be operated by any of three types of entities:
(i) public entity;
(ii) private entity; or
(iii) a combination of public and private entity.

The response of the AGF also covered the question and claim by NEPZA that NSEZCO was a private institution. The truth is that NSEZCO is a public-private partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria holding 25% and private entities like AfDB, Afreximbank, BoI, etc holding 75% shares.

The structure of NSEZCO is no different from that of NLNG, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Limited and Development Bank of Nigeria Limited, so this is not new to Nigeria at all, and has always worked perfectly fine within all legal frameworks.

Not satisfied with the submission of the office of the AGF, NEPZA cons the Senate Committee on Trade to blow the matter out of proportion. The Committee chaired by Senator Sabo Mohammed, claimed that NSEZCO was a private company even after PPP explanations where clearly made.

The committee chairman produced a CAC document showing that Dr Bakari Wadinga, Mr Olufemi Edun and Ms Oluwadara Owoyemi were directors of NSEZCO. However, what he mischievously failed to outline is that Dr. Wadinga was appointed interim director for the Federal Government, pending commencement of full operations, while the others where interim directors for the private partners. All this was done in agreement with all partners involved, as listed in the ownership structure.
The highly erroneous position of the Senate Committee shows why many Nigerians have little or no faith in the activities of the Nigerian Senate.

The Senate and Daily Trust also inserted a mischievous conclusion. “This is fishy, very fishy. Besides, the creation of NSEZCO negates the Buhari administration’s objectives of pruning the number of existing MDAs,” Daily Trust claimed.

“The Senate and Presidency must get to the root of this matter. Unless the public gets a cogent explanation, the inescapable conclusion is that someone tried to play hanky panky with public funds.”

This claim however negates the position of President Buhari. At the signing ceremony for the investment partnership between NSEZCO and its strategic investment partners on February 8, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari said:

“When we decided to continue with the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan of the previous Administration and launched our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan to fast track implementation, we had a vision of Nigeria as the pre-eminent manufacturing hub in Sub-Saharan Africa and a major exporter to our immediate West African sub-region, the rest of Africa and indeed the World. Special Economic Zones have an important role to play in achieving this vision. Special Economic Zones (SEZ) offer investor friendly incentives, world-class infrastructure and ease of doing business in order to attract local and foreign investment and have been used as a catalyst for rapid and inclusive development, job creation, industrialization and diversified export earnings in several countries.”

[font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]Nigeria is an African power. It’s economy, its politics, its people and the character of these rare diverse heterogeneous society has easily made it the Giant of Africa. So there is no wonder that as a country, we were invited to the 25th National Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide that held in Kigali, Rwanda. Representing Nigeria and its President was Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo - A pastor and an academician with depth of experience in law and governance.

So when the writer of “Osinbajos Crocodile Tears in Kigali” asked “What is the Situation in Osinbajos Nigeria? And answered with the word “pathetic” my first thought was that the writer either did not appreciate who the Vice President was, or did not appreciate Nigeria from a holistic point of view, or both – which is most likely.

It is surprising for one to think of the Nigerian state and the statements of the Vice President as a pun or as Casmir Igbokwe dubbed it in his article as“Crocodile Tears”, we all know that the Vice President has continuously shown that he is a man of Integrity, a man of God and would never disrespect the Nigerian people by playing politics with their lives.

As a country, I do believe that we are not yet where we should be – we are not yet at El-Dorado – but it is undeniable that progress is being made across board. Albeit slow and steady, nonetheless it is progress and that is what is key.

While speaking on the issues surrounding the NDIGBO people, the writer was quick to mislead his readers by pushing the narrative that the present government appointments were mostly Northern deliberately forgetting to take a broader look at appointments shared in the country. The Chief of Naval Staff, the Director General of NIMASA, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Head of Service among numerous others are all from the Southern parts of the country. Perhaps the writer willfully forgets that the Southern parts of the country is not limited to the South East alone, but also covers the South South and the South West – each clamoring for more representation as much as the other.

The southern parts of Nigeria is also as diverse in tribe and culture as the North.

The single narrative of the “Sidelined Igbos” deployed by the writer cannot stand the test of reality when one fact-checks the many benefits they enjoy in personnel and policies in this government.

Across the country are various construction projects, in every state of the Federation a federal project is ongoing. The President Buhari administration is working overdrive in terms of infrastructure deployment. Of key interest to any observer of the infrastructure being deployed across the country is the famous Second Niger Bridge. It finds itself in the heart of the South East and South South and has been an item clamored for by these people for decades.

The Buhari Administration has committed over N31Billion to the main works of the 2nd Niger Bridge. Work is over 51 percent completed. With little resources, President Buhari’s administration is doing quite a bogus lot for the people of the region.

The writer attempts to suggest tolerance of hate speech by the Buhari administration. Such a pedestal claim does not stand a place in reality. The President has been very categorical on this, and willingly signed the Peace Accord to enthrone sanity in the communications and campaigns during the electioneering periods.

It is so easy to dwell in the negatives of society forgetting the many good the world has to offer. That Nigeria has moved four places up in the Human Development Index and has also moved up in the Ease Of Doing Business Ranking are testaments to a country in upward motion. Nigeria today has attained self sufficient in rice production and has began even exportation. Foreing Direct Investments into the country has reached record levels; insecurity is being tackled ruthlessly and sincerely.

The various Social Investment Programs of this Administration prove that indeed better days for Nigerians are here. The programmes have reached a record 12 Million direct beneficiaries.

Terrorism is being fought day in day out in the areas of the North East and the Buhari administration can beat its chest to say it has recorded tangible achievements here. The banditry in Zamfara is being taken seriously. The full force of Nigeria’s military and other security arms have weighed in and are bombarding these criminals daily. The“Operation Sharan Daji”has been launched specifically to deal with the Zamfara bandits. Progress is being made.

The Vice President has also shown utmost sincerity and has never tried to downplay the killings in these areas. He has visited Benue, Plateau and Kaduna over killings that occurred in the areas – especially communal and inter-tribal clashes. He has advocated for forgiveness and offered pragmatic solutions towards peace building in these societies. He has seen to the facilitation of Peace and Reconciliation Committee in states like Kaduna, and Benue among many others.

It is not in the nature of the Vice President both as an academician and as a man of God to play politics with the life of the people. Security is everyones responsibility and the Vice President has emphasized that time and again.

He rightfully pointed out during his remarks to journalists in Kigali “We must not allow a repeat of what happened in Rwanda.” Statements like that of Casmir Igbokwe tell only a lopsided truth that fuel division, fuel hate and promote tension. These were the harbingers of the nasty events of the Rwandan genocide. Mr. Igbokwe has not learnt his lesson. It appears in fact, that Professor Osinbajo’s sermon was indeed for him.

The problem with the single story is that it shows a thing as a single thing, forgetting that there are two sides to a coin. Nigeria just like any other country is as diverse in its triumphs and problems and it is highly unfair to Igbokwe’s reader and Nigerians to view our complexities from only the negatives.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is a father and God fearing man, he has shown this time after time, will never play politics with his people.



Muhammad Gulani, is a political commentator and writes from Zaria, Kaduna

ATIKU CANNOT WIN BY SUBTERFUGE WHAT HE LOST AT THE POLLS (BEING THE TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE HON. MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, IN ABUJA ON THURSDAY, 11 APRIL 2019)

Good morning gentlemen, and thank you for honoring our invitation to this press conference

2. As you must have noticed in recent times, posters bearing the picture of former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with the inscription: ''THE PUKKA, H.E. ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE REAL AND THE RIGHT'', have surfaced across major streets in Abuja.

3. The appearance of these posters coincide with the media report that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has hired a US lobbying firm to convince the United States not to recognize the re-election of President Buhari until the Supreme Court has ruled on the suit by the PDP presidential candidate

4. The posters and the hiring of US lobbyists, the latest of such by the PDP candidate, have triggered questions about what Alhaji Abubakar is up to. Is he starting a fresh campaign after the elections have been won and lost? Has he rescinded his decision to challenge the results of the presidential election in court, perhaps after realizing that the results he claimed to have obtained from the INEC back server are cooked? Is he now going for self-help? What really is Atiku's motive?

5. Gentlemen, we are aware of media reports that the PDP presidential candidate on Wednesday distanced himself from the posters that are circulating in Abuja. He also reportedly denied hiring US lobbyists, claiming tongue-in-cheek that the APC fabricated the report. If the media reports are right, it means that the former Vice President has suddenly realized the grave implication of his actions, hence has decided to beat a quick retreat before it is too late. As a self-avowed democrat, he should realize that the only lawful channel
for challenging the result of an election is through the courts.
Resorting to self-help, as he seems to be doing now, is an act of desperation and the consequences are dire.

6. There is no doubt that the PDP presidential candidate, out of desperation, is thinking of replicating the Venezuelan model right here in Nigeria. But he should realize that Nigeria is not Venezuela, and that the situations in both countries are not the same.

7. President Muhammadu Buhari won the Feb. 23rd 2019 presidential elections fair and square, with a margin of 3,928,869 million votes. The election's credibility was attested to by local and foreign observers.

8. There is no doubt that President Buhari's victory is well deserved. As I said at a different forum, it represents the triumph of the ordinary Nigerians over the elite. The election is a direct contest between ordinary Nigerians and the elite, most of whom are rent seekers. Of course, the ordinary Nigerians have won. This is not a surprise, considering the pro-poor policy of the Administration. Despite the antics of the naysayers, Nigerians demonstrated that they appreciate the giant strides that have been made by the Administration, whether in the areas of economy, fight against corruption or in tackling insecurity.

9. This is a government that has done so much with less in restoring decency and integrity to governance. Like the New York Times said, the re-election of President Buhari is a referendum on honesty. Of course you know that the policies of the Administration endeared President Buhari to the ordinary Nigerians: The government feeds 9.3 million school children everyday; 500,000 unemployed graduates have been employed under N-Power; 300,000 families are benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer; Interest-free loans of between N10,000 and
N100,000 under the TraderMoni and the MarketMoni Schemes, respectively, to small business owners;Pensioners who have been left in the lurch are being paid - ex-workers of the Nigerian Airways, NITEL and former Biafran Policemen; Fight against corruption is being institutionalized with a number of policies that include Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Whistle-blower policy that has led to the recovery of huge amounts of money as well as property from looters.

10. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has the right to do whatever is lawful to challenge the outcome of that election. But he cannot get through the back door what he couldn't get through the front door. That will be a pipe dream.

11. If he believes hiring a foreign lobbying firm will advance his quest, we wish him the best of luck. But seeking US recognition as the winner of an election that he lost by almost 4 million votes is unconscionable. Recall, gentlemen, that after the result of the presidential election was announced, the U.S. joined other countries to congratulate President Buhari.

12. Let me read a part of the statement by Michael Pompeo, the US Secretary of State: “We commend all those Nigerians who participated peacefully in the election and condemn those whose acts of violence harmed Nigerians and the electoral process. We note the assessments of international and domestic observer missions affirming the overall credibility of the election, despite localized violence and irregularities. Going forward, the United States remains committed to working together with Nigeria to achieve greater peace and prosperity for both our nations.” I think that says it all

13. Yes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has lost an election. But he will not be the first or the last person to lose an election, and he should realize that losing an election is not the end of the world. He has challenged the result of the election in court. That's just as well. However, he should not give the impression that he does not have confidence in the judicial process, which is what resorting to self-help implies. He should stop overheating the polity and quit trying to instigate a political crisis in Nigeria. No citizen, no matter how highly placed, is above the laws of the land. Enough is enough!

*As Special Economic Zone garners support from global industry and institutional investors

Emmanuel Jime, former NEPZA MD has colluded with
acting MD Engr. T.D Nongo to dupe the FG
Emmanuel Jime, former NEPZA MD has colluded with
acting MD Engr. T.D Nongo to dupe the FG
A deliberate plot hatched by some top officials of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, to corner over N40 billion meant for the establishment of Special Economic Zones in the country has been unearthed, raising contrived dust over the Buhari administration’s plan to create Special Economic Zones targeted for the rapid industrialization of the country.

When recently the Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah presented the ministry’s 2019 Budget details to the relevant Senate committee, questions where raised about the creation of a limited liability company with 25% FG interest, the retention of three FG officials as directors, and the allocation of government’s funds to the company.

But informed sources explained that the Senators involved were only acting on information provided by NEPZA officials to deliberately mislead them into concluding that the said funds belonged to NEPZA, and not to the limited liability company formed specifically for the purpose, ie the Nigeria Special Economic Zone Investment Company.

According to a top government official involved in what seems like a presidential review of the unfolding controversy, “the Federal Government adopted a model to speedily and rapidly develop the Special Economic Zones using a PPP model as was done in other countries like China and a number of African countries.”

Continuing, the source said, “the strategy involved the setting up of a limited liability company that included the FG and some institutional investors like African Development Bank, ADB, the African Finance Corporation, AFC, the Bank of Industry, BoI, AFREXIMBAMK, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA in a 25% —75% FG and institutional investors ratio.

And to secure FG’S interest, three government officials were put forward in the interim as directors in line with the usual practice when such companies involving FG are set up.”

Said another industry source, “using government officials including aides is nothing to worry about since they are there to protect government interests at the take-off stage, pending when a proper board can be in place and the company ready to go full throttle.

Besides the people chosen as interim directors are those who are driving the project and are knowledgeable within the ministries involved being Finance on the one hand and Industry, Trade & Investment on the other.”

Besides, as is done elsewhere around the world, such government representative directors are not entitled to any beneficial interests in the company shares. “Bringing up the issue of these directors was simply a mudslinging attempt to mislead the public, but it has no fuel at all, considering that it is a global practice and the directors are interim and non- beneficiaries,” the source explained.

Investigations however revealed that the NEPZA immediate past Managing Director, Emmanuel Jime and the acting MD Engr. T.D Nongo, to whom Jime handed over, devised the entire plot to ensure that the N42B allocated for the development of the Special Economic Zones be controlled and disbursed by NEPZA instead of the Special Purpose Vehicle established by a Presidential directive straight from President Muhammadu Buhari’s desk.

But in order to ensure this, they needed support in the National Assembly. Said a top official of one of the investigating agencies of the government “this was how the top NEPZA hierarchy sold a carefully designed package of outright falsehood and suppression of relevant facts to the National Assembly and decided to smear the President’s plan in order to corner the funds and control disbursement of the money instead of allowing the limited liability company formed for that purpose to be in charge.”

According to that investigative agency source, “what we now know is that while Jime went to run for election in the last round of elections, for which he had to resign as NEPZA MD, the most senior officer to whom he handed over the reins of NEPZA is actually also one of the main fund-raisers/coordinators of his gubernatorial campaign.”

The source added that “therefore the campaign of calumny against the President’s industrial plan and against the Industry, Trade & Investment Ministry is being fueled by both Jime and Nongo. “At stake is the control of Project MINE”, – the name of the plan to speedily industrialize the country through the promotion of Made in Nigeria goods for Export, for which MINE is an acronym.

“They are both bent on controlling the N42B approved in the budget,” it was disclosed.

The NEPZA officials started with the argument that the agency is the one through which the FG can make investments in the Free Trading Zones.

So, the matter was referred to the Attorney-General of the Federation for legal advice. And it was after the AGF counseled that NEPZA was a regulatory agency and not the exclusive implementing agency for such projects that the officials, determined not to let go of the funds connived to develop a plot to smear the whole effort by raising questions and provoking sensational narratives around a model that is best global practice and that enjoys the support of major international institutional investors.

“If this were indeed fishy how do you think such institutional investors whose global operations depend mainly on their transparency and credibility be part of it, considering that the institutional investors are coming up with 75% of the money?, an industry source wondered.

Between the FG and the institutional investors, the investment company, the Nigeria Special Economic Zone Investment Company, NSEZCO, is expected to raise $500m in equity by 2023.

FOREIGN INVESTORS ARE WAITING

While many of the strategic investors have already signed on, the MINE project which the NSEZCO will be delivering has secured significant international partnerships already.

For instance Shandong Ruyi, the leading textile and garment group in China has already announced its commitment to invest $2B to the cotton, textile and garment industry for the Special Economic, (free trading) Zones the NSEZCO will put up in Abia, Kano and Lagos States.

Equally, CCCG Industrial Investment Holding Company, CIHC, of China, which is ranked 91st in Fortune 500 and is the third largest international contractor in the world, has also signed a letter of intent to invest in the forthcoming Special Economic Zone in Lekki, specifically in the areas of power, water, access roads and bridges.

“These are some of the critical and significant plans that few NEPZA officials are trying to scuttle, “ according to a government official aware of the presidential review of the controversy sparked last week when the Industry, Trade & Investment Minister briefed a Senate committee on the project.

Some of the Special Economic Zone projects are the much talked about Enyimba Economic City in Abia, the Lekki-Epe Model Industrial Park, Funtua Cotton Cluster, and several others being planned for Edo, Kwara, Sokoto, Ebonyi, and Benue States among others

HOW AN EFFECTIVE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE CAN HELP HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN NIGERIA, BY OSINBAJO

*Adds: Scheme Central in FG’s Next Level Plans

An effective National Health Insurance scheme remains the best panacea for the development of the health sector and an efficient healthcare delivery in the country, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Speaking while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in his office earlier today, Prof Osinbajo said, “We have a good opportunity to do something about the National Health Insurance; it is obvious that government, both Federal Government and State Governments, cannot adequately provide healthcare for almost 200million Nigerian people.”

Citing India as an example, he mentioned that India has the most privatized healthcare system in the world, with individual States being responsible for providing healthcare.

In addition, VP Osinbajo emphasized the need for “Doctors to be remunerated properly regardless of their location, either rural or urban locations. We must find a logical way of addressing this issue.”

Continuing he said, “We must ensure that the states pick up their own part of the responsibility of providing healthcare in their States. With the National Economic Council, NEC, there is the opportunity to talk to State governors and one of the things we do is to look at the human development indices, especially for Primary Health Care.”

“There are States that are simply not doing enough and we must ensure that they step up to the plate. States must be held to account because a lot of the responsibilities are theirs.”

But he emphasized that National Health Insurance is the key in resolving a lot of the financial problems in the Health Sector, adding that this administration has made the National Health Insurance central to the plans for the healthcare system in APC’s Next Level document.

Speaking earlier, the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, mentioned the ministry’s strides in achieving the Universal Health Coverage towards the expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

He thanked the Presidency for the presidential assent of the Appropriation Act, which for the first time, approved the release of the 1% for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, and disclosed that the Ministry of Finance has released the first quarter allocation of N13.7billion.

In addition, the Minister of Health said the Basic Health Care Provision Fund would also help in fast-tracking the development of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

In his own remarks, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Francis Faduyile, congratulated the President and Vice President on their victory at the 2019 Presidential elections. He also acknowledged the administration’s efforts in the health sector, which includes the signing of the Residency Training Act, the release of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, as well as the recently improved Cancer Centre in Lagos University Teaching Hospital.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
8th April 2019

Finally Atiku Abubakar has released the figures he got from Inec server which shows he won the presidential election. However instead of making any point the figures only showed how useless Atiku's argument is. Firstly in 33 out of the 36 states Atiku's and Buhari's votes were exactly equal to the number of accredited voters, meaning that neither of the other 90 parties got a single vote and there was not a single ballot that was spoiled. In Bauchi, Abia and Cross River the number of votes that Atiku and Buhari got were far higher than the number of accredited voters. May be Atiku should organize another Dubai retreat and this time around the main topic should be algebra 101.

_With repayments, some have started collecting 2nd (improved) loans of N15, 000_

Contrary to speculations in some quarters, the TraderMoni scheme and other GEEP micro-credit products (MarketMoni and FarmerMoni) – a component of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programme, are still very much in operation, Mr Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President (Office of the Vice President), has said.

Mr Akande disclosed this in a progress report on the GEEP micro-credit products (TraderMoni, MarketMoni, and FarmerMoni).

According to him, “So far, a target of 30,000 minimum beneficiaries per state has been achieved in majority of the 36 states and FCT since after the national and state polls.”


Besides, he added that “what the implementing agency has been doing since the last phase of disbursements is generating the balance of program funding while ramping up on the states with shortages.”

“Consequently, disbursements have continued to happen in the states; for instance, we have had over 28,000 disbursements across 10 states since after the elections.

“Our priority is ramping up these numbers in the balance of states before we move to phase two of the program after detailed reviews and structural enhancements for larger scale.

“Under the Next Level agenda, Trader Moni loans will target ten million petty traders, a significant ramp up from the initial target of two million beneficiaries.

On the role of the Ministry for Industry, Trade and Investment in the implementation of the scheme, he said, “it is actively involved in the project.”

Mr Akande said, “that ministry is, in fact the oversighting Ministry of Bank of Industry, which is the deploying agency. The office of the Minister executes the GEEP program via the Bank of Industry.

“The governance structure of GEEP includes the office of the Vice President (National Social Investment Office), The Ministry of Trade and Investment, and the Bank of Industry.”

Speaking on measures adopted to enhance repayments, the Presidential Media Aide said GEEP has pioneered innovative solutions to drive repayment compliance.

“Working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), we successfully piloted the concept of the BVN as digital collateral; and we saw repayment go up significantly on the MarketMoni and FarmerMoni loans.

“For TraderMoni, beneficiaries can pay back at any commercial bank in the country just like a NEPA or WAEC bill; all they need to provide the bank teller with is their phone number. We also developed and successfully piloted scratch cards as a repayment option for beneficiaries who stay kilometres away from the nearest banks in their community. The cards are loaded the same way Telco recharge cards are loaded, thus requiring no new learning curve.

“This improved repayment received compliance to the extent that in January, the Bank of Industry began second level disbursements – disbursements of N15,000 – to beneficiaries in Lagos, Borno, Ogun and Oyo states for trader who had successfully paid back their first N10,000 loans,” Mr Akande disclosed.

According to him, “GEEP’s vision (in the long term) remains to empower the over 30 million MSMEs in Nigeria with interest-free, collateral-free loans.”

The GEEP programme, a component of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programme (SIP) has since inception about two years ago, impacted many lives, improved living conditions and expanded opportunities for ordinary Nigerians to do petty trading as well as small and medium scale businesses.

Under the Trader Moni scheme, an initial N10,000 loan is given to petty traders and once they repay within six months, they can receive a new N15,000 loan and when they repay that they can get another N20,000 loan until they get as much as N100,000

Senator Ojudu reacts to the campaign mounted by Punch Newspaper that Osinbajo has suspended visits to the markets.

My God! Where is this from? This is falsehood. A man who for three months traveled round the country campaigning. In the course of which he was involved in helicopter crash. He went through an election. The election is not even over as there are supplementary elections in six states this weekend. Add to this the fact that Mr President has also made him the coordinator of a Committee to audit all the projects embarked upon by this administration. Yesterday he and the President were in the Federal executive Council meeting from 9.00am till 6.00 pm and you are condemning him for not going to the market. Some other men would have gone to seek rest in some far away land. This we have asked him to do and he said there is so much to do here. Be rest assured that Osinbajo will never abandon the people , whether in the market, on the street or on the farm. It is who he is. The caring academics , pastor and politician.
Our Punch, the Punch we adore is becoming something else. May our gold not rot.

Behold, the Punch Newspaper used to be the toast of newspapers. Everyday people scrambled for Punch but not anymore. The quality of content as well as the sales of the newspaper has continued to dwindle. At the newsstands and even in traffic at night, you see Punch newspaper being peddled for prices as low as N100.

The once reputed newspaper is now a burden, both to itself and the reading public. For ardent readers of news, Punch Newspaper can never be your point of call if you want to confirm any story or news. Chances are that they will mislead you. Only yesterday, I read that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had halted his on-site assessment of TraderMoni.

I was taken aback for a bit. However, given my recent experience with Punch Newspapers, I sought clarification and authentication of this news. Two sources readily come to mind, Mr Laolu Akande, the spokesperson to the VP and Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the political adviser to the VP.

I scurried through their social media accounts, looking for confirmation of the news, alas, I saw Senator Ojudu’s reply which was short and straight to the point. The Punch Newspaper story was a hoax, click bait at most.

Journalism seems to be heading for the gutter with too many ‘Brown Envelope’ reporters and editors running amok. I pondered, how will an editor allow this to pass without verifying it? I hope Punch Newspaper will learn from this, not that they have learnt from many others, but I just hope, they will learn from this.

It’s time Punch Newspaper stay away from fake news. Indeed, there was a newspaper.

News Provided by
UAE Embassy in Abuja
March 18, 2019

Abuja, Nigeria. As part of the ongoing efforts to increase visitor growth and promote tourism by Nigerian tourists to Dubai, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), kicked off the Nigerian leg of its West African road show in the nation’s capital of Abuja on the 18th of March at the NAF Conference Centre. With continued record-breaking growth rates and a successful 2018 in the tourism sphere, Dubai Tourism aims to further strengthen partnerships with public and private industry stakeholders in Nigeria.

A total of 27 Dubai-based delegates participated in the road show, along with local partners in the tourism sphere. The Director of International Operations for Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Mrs. Stella Fubara, led the delegates in a full day of presentations and engagement. Special guests in attendance included the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Fahad Al Taffaq; the incoming First Lady of Kwara State, Mrs. Olufolake Abdulrazaq; and Chairman of Dantata Group, Alhaji Tajuddeen Dantata. Various local tourism industry representatives were also in attendance. The road show highlighted to key travel partners the many diverse experiences that Dubai has to offer including accommodation, entertainment, travel and events in the city. In addition to this, the event included breakout-networking sessions for partner presentations, one-on-one meetings, an update on Expo 2020, educational sessions and enrollment into the Dubai Expert Certification Program.

Speaking about the importance of Dubai Tourism and Nigeria relations, His Excellency Fahad Al Taffaq stated the road show is an effective way to geographically and culturally bridge the east and the west while strengthening already existing relationships between industry stakeholders. The road show held in Abuja is the first of three stops in Nigeria, as the event will also hold in Port Harcourt and Lagos on March 20th and March 22nd, respectively.

Temitope Yakubu in General


Ogun state became a place of unusual interest regarding the 2019 elections when Ibikunle Amosun, the governor, fell out with the ruling APC on who should fly the party’s flag.

After his preferred candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, did not emerge, the governor found another party, the Allied Peoples Movement to counter APC’s own candidate, Dapo Abiodun.

The matter became so bad and intense that Amosun was accused of personally supervising a riotous APC presidential rally where soft missiles where freely thrown in the direction of the president and the vice-president.

On the faithful side of the ruling APC was Osinbajo, who despite permutations and political posturing merely stood out of Ogun politics preferring to allow the APC to pick its candidate freely.

Once the party picked a candidate the vice-president threw his weight behind him. But this was in direct opposition to Amosun’s schemes. So Ogun State guber poll became an unusual contest.

We have heard all kinds of speculations on how the Governor tried to use his links with the presidency to cause confusion, but in the end the president and his deputy insisted that the party is superior and that simple loyalty based view prevailed.

It has now shown the political prowess of an otherwise unassuming VP, and reveals his rising political profile.

When Amosun was suspended for anti-party activities, Osinbajo took over the gubernatorial campaign in Ogun, hosting a rally that brought out thousands of residents in Abeokuta.

The vice-president took to the streets of Abeokuta where he moved round the city for almost four hours covering over 14 kilometers.

During the tour, Osinbajo called on the electorate to come out and vote, encouraging them that there would be no violence or rigging, and that they should vote the APC’s candidate, Dapo Abiodun.

With Osinbajo pulling support from these heavyweights, as expected, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, coasted to victory at the March 9 poll.

He led with 241,670 votes against the governor’s preferred candidate.

Laolu Akande Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President

My dear Bob Dee!

One could have easily made up his mind not to read or respond to anything you wrote after seeing the rather unprincipled queuing up behind Senator Bukola Saraki and then abandoning him, moving on to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and then deserting him as well.

But I felt one should respond to your attempts to create a false narrative from the very hollow lamentation of the recent elections as the “worst in our history”.

In my view, those like your good self, veteran journalists, who have built a formidable platform in the public arena must strive always to use the platform for the larger public good. There have been several interventions from you that reflect such true public spirit, but some of us stridently disagree with what at times could be perceived as a self-serving journalistic conduct. Many would seem to agree that this was obvious in your recent open letter to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

But first, let me thank you for your gracious words of congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President, and your admiration for the VP’s commendable performance in office. I am certain that your quest for public accountability derives from that admiration.

It is important to state that a citizen’s open letter to public figures or government authority is always welcome here and not necessarily a matter of right or exclusive access. For us, such matters of access for the people to their elected leaders is of normal cause and ought not to be a matter of exclusivity nor should we make a play of it as so special.

As is typical of your propaganda machinery, it begins with an outrageous lie by the principal then the operatives like yourself repeat it ad naseum. It appears you were not in this country when foreign and local observers accepted the results.Independent Foreign Observers commended the transparency and credibility of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Also, the Independent ElectionMonitor group, supported by the French Embassy, concluded that “based on the analysis carried out in this document as well as the actual observations of the election activities across the country, it is Election Monitor’s considered opinion that the 2019 Presidential Election results are consistent with the will of the majority of voters who took part in the elections notwithstanding the various infractions which also occurred as they were not on a scale significant enough to affect the overall outcome of the election.(ElectionMonitorNG)

YIAGA Africa’s Parrallel Voting Tabulation, relied on by international agencies, embassies and funders also said its “findings show that for the presidential election the All Progressive Congress (APC) should receive between 50.0 per cent and 55.8 per cent of the vote.” And that “the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) should receive between 41.2 per cent and 47.0 per cent of the vote; these figures are consistent with the official results as just announced by INEC.

“For both APC and PDP, the official results fall within the PVT estimated ranges.” That YIAGA AFRICA results statement was based on reports from 1,491 polling units which are 98.4 per cent of sampled polling units. YIAGA AFRICA’s projections were reportedly also consistent with the officially announced vote shares for the other 71 parties who contested in the presidential election. It is also believed that the group’s projections were based on the results announced in the polling units and would have detected any significant manipulation occurring during collation at the ward, local government area, State and national levels. Also, “INEC’s official results for turnout and rejected ballots were also generally consistent with YIAGA AFRICA WTV estimates.” (Vanguard)

These are empirical facts, my dear Bob Dee, especially if you your analysis through any rigorous tests. Propaganda and falsehood only need a willing sponsor.

Yes, observers mentioned pockets of violence and some malpractices, but none felt that these were sufficient to affect the credibility of the elections or its results. Frequently cited is Ago Palace in Lagos. One unit in a city of 20 million! In any event, the real question is, how did the violence in the comparatively few places where it happened favour the President? And how come the strong allegations of foul play by the likes of Godswill Akpabio in Akwa Ibom, George Akume in Benue and Ndoma-Egba in Cross River State (all APC Senatorial aspirants!) escaped your eagle eyes?

It is sometimes forgotten, and Bob Dee , you chose to forget, that for the previous 16 years before 2015, the PDP governments had conducted elections. Everyone is familiar with the incredible excesses of the elections and the election-observer reports so poignantly describe some.

In the 2003 elections which gave Atiku Abubakar and his boss a second term, Wikipedia observes that “Millions of people voted several times. The police in Lagos uncovered an electoral fraud, finding five million false ballots.”

But the 2007 elections got even worse reviews: “Following the presidential election, groups monitoring the election gave it a dismal assessment. Chief European Union observer Max van den Berg reported that the handling of the polls had “fallen far short” of basic international standards, and that “the process cannot be considered to be credible”, citing “poor election organisation, lack of transparency, significant evidence of fraud, voter disenfranchisement, violence and bias.”

They described the election as “the worst they had ever seen anywhere in the world”, with “rampant vote rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation”).One group of observers said that at one polling station in Yenagoa, in the oil-rich South-South, where 500 people were registered to vote, more than 2,000 votes were counted.”

Your choice of words such as “theatre of war” to describe the presidential polls is not only inaccurate and questionable by and large, but also surprising considering the recent history of past presidential polls. And you have to tell us who described the elections as “the most dreadful and desperate”?

Besides this facts that you carefully chose to ignore, the contents of your letter read in part like a brief for the opposition, and, at other times, a judgment of an electoral tribunal in favour of the opposition. And such bias undermines the credibility of the author such as yourself.

It could even render the write-up confusing rather than informing the readers. For good measure, Bob Dee, maybe we should just remind our readers that not only are you an active member of the opposition, you have also benefited from significant business relationships with some in the opposition circles. And this is entirely within your right.

But that certainly discounts your assessment about the direction of our administration. It also devalues your criticism of the narratives that hold those who raped this country in the past responsible for the consequences of their corrupt activities while in government.

One also wonders whether it is your well-known personal relationship with the opposition that has beclouded you so much that you seek to assail the anti-corruption efforts which ordinary and well-meaning Nigerians have embraced.

Let me make it clear that the facts show that while some old members of the opposition have joined APC, that has not shielded those responsible for corruption and graft. In any case, even if old PDP members are now APC members, the current leadership of the country under the APC stands out as it is made up of two gentlemen with impeccable integrity.

Old PDP members and all Nigerians are welcome just like sinners are embraced in the church, Inf act, the church was opened for sinners to be converted. And what is skewed about the anti-corruption campaign when the two governors who have now been convicted for corruption are both APC?

Having said that, be rest assured that the APC as a party will articulate its defences to any allegations. For the records, it is an obvious fact and this must be reiterated that the Buhari administration has a commendable record of respecting the independence of INEC, a clear departure from what occurred under previous administrations. This government also ensures that it provides all the support INEC requires, as well as respects the independence of the judiciary and has ensured that security forces act within the ambits of law. Even international observers have made their comments accordingly and positively.

As the Buhari administration always noted, every single loss of life is sad and lamentable. And previous elections have regrettably caused even far more losses. We must achieve an electoral system that doesn’t result in any such loss of life. However, the record of improvement from the past is clear as it were.

To characterize the will of the people as Pyrrhic victory represents what exactly needs to change in and about our nation. Indeed, our privilege as elites imposes the responsibility of trustees of power, wealth, values and direction of and for a nation in the interest of the people upon us. To narrow this interest or substitute our amplified voices as the vocal minority for the silent majority is not only taking liberties a little too far, but also losing tune and touch with our national realities. As leaders, we must reflect introspectively on how we have prioritized the people, and how we must continue to do so going forward.

This is what President Muhammadu Buhari is known for and it is what played out in the elections. It is the voices of the few and the devices of the privileged that the Opposition regarded and expected to hold up. That did not happen.

We respect the right to disagree and exercise that right through the established mechanisms, but we reject any denigration and the diminishing of the electoral outcome which is the true voice and expression of the people of this country.

As you noted, the whole concept of sin in the worldly context is a violation of the law of the land, and in the spiritual context, a violation against God. That you judge either as a matter of law, or ecclesiastically when you by yourself determine that this administration is “committing sin” is a departure from what your letter identifies as its objective. Victory in an election is a nation speaking up, while the victor is the symbol of that nation’s victory.

Both life, by its temporal nature, and the Constitution, by its term limitations and periodic elections, already ensure that we all know that everything but eternity is transient, and the example of that in our nation today is the rejection of the old order four years ago, and the most recent confirmation of that rejection by preferring the new and current order, and the Next Level of our national restoration and growth.

Finally, thank you for declaring your belief that the APC “would have won” a handsome victory because that was exactly what happened! It is your equivocation about Atiku’s loss expressed in the same letter where you said you expected an APC “handsome victory” that left me and other readers confounded. What are we to believe?

Again, thank you for your open letter. Be rest assured that the Vice President and the President would continue working for the good of all Nigerians in the Next Level.

Laolu Akande is Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President

The 15 percent rise in foreign exchange earnings from non-oil export is a vindication of President Muhammadu Buhari’s foresight in diversifying the Nigerian economy.

According to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), the expansion in production of agricultural commodities for export, and mining of non-oil minerals is pulling in more foreign exchange for Africa’s biggest economy.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO said that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s latest figures on earnings from non-oil and electricity exports which increased by 15 percent to $1,034.59 million in Q4 2018 “is a clear manifestation of the wisdom in Buhari’s economic diversification effort.

“CBN statistics which indicate a favourable provisional Balance of Payments (BOP) for Q4 2018 with a surplus of $2.80bn is proof that Nigeria’s effort to reduce unnecessary imports and increase exports is working to our national advantage.

“We expect Nigerians to appreciate that it is a significant economic achievement for the country’s Current Account Balance (CAB) to have improved from a deficit of $1,544.41 million in Q3 2018 to a surplus of $1,104.57 million in Q4 2018.

“This achievement did not happen on its own, but a result of sound economic management by the administration and its agencies that are working in harmony to achieve the vision of President Buhari to reset the economy, sustain and deepen the status of our economy as the largest on the African continent.”

The pro-Buhari group specifically praised the CBN for its diligent management of the country’s foreign exchange chest and turning the nation’s financial account balance with assets of $2,327.91 million in the period under review against net financial liabilities of $4,615.17 million recorded in the preceding period.

“The impact of restriction on access to foreign exchange at official rates for the frivolous importation of certain goods has had a significant impact in checking leakages of the country’s foreign exchange reserves by increasing the surplus in the goods account.

“It is significant to note that the CBN says surplus in the Goods Account increased significantly to $6.794 billion in Q4 2018 from surpluses of $3.76 billion in the preceding quarter and $5.473 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2017.”

BMO said the decrease in the imports bills by 21 per cent to $9.862 billion, which is below the level recorded in the preceding quarter is proof that Nigerians are looking inward in their consumption pattern as this was as a result of 20 percent decrease in the import of non-oil products.

*Recalls various Next Level campaign encounters with the people

*Says Buhari’s administration will connect more with the people in second term


REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF YEMI OSINBAJO, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE PMB/PYO VOLUNTEERS’ APPRECIATION DINNER, BANQUET HALL, ABUJA, ON THE 14TH OF MARCH, 2019.



PROTOCOLS


Just before I make a couple of remarks, we know that a few of our supporters lost their lives during the course of the campaign. I want us to stand for a moment and observe a minute of silence in honour of them. We thank the Lord for their souls and ask for comfort for all members of their family in Jesus name.


For me, this campaign was about the Nigerian people. One of the things I discovered, and I’m sure most of us know, is that our people are so trusting and supportive of their leaders everywhere. I think that one of the major characteristics of Nigerians is how supportive they are and also they don’t ask for too much. They never really ask for anything that is impossible to do.

For many of us, as we went around the country, we realised the tremendous amount of work that we need to do and our capacity to do so much work and what our people need. As a matter of fact, I don’t know any nation where the people are so generous no matter how poor they are.


I met a woman in one of the markets in Kwara State, and she gave us some vegetables and I thought she wanted to sell them, but she was actually offering it to us free. I thought to myself, here is this woman I should be giving something to and she is the one giving a gift instead. That is just a typical Nigerian. I was walking past another woman in Kogi while shaking hands with people there, she gave me N200. I thought to myself, I am the one meant to be giving her something.

There was another elderly woman here in Gwagalada, and that made the news, she pulled me aside and said, “Young man, you need prayers” and she prayed for me. People saw her holding my hands and praying for me, and I thought to myself, I am meant to be offering these people comfort and succour, but they are hopeful and offering the support, comfort, love and all of the things they thought at the time that we needed.

On behalf of all of us who are here, I want to say a very big thank you to the Nigerian people for their contributions to getting us back here.

We visited many homes across the country; we did the house-to-house campaign, visiting many homes and most of those homes were the homes of the poor. But they were still very hospitable and they would still ask, “What will you eat? What will you drink?”


I remember an encounter in Idanre, Ondo State, where we met a man; he was so excited we visited him in his home. He said, “This your government is the best I have ever seen.” He said all sorts of very nice things, then the Local Chairman of the APC in Idanre said to him, “But you are PDP this man.” The man then said, “How can you say I am PDP? Okay, I used to be PDP, but from now on, I am now APC!”


It struck me that what we need to do more is connect with the people that we govern. All that the people want are opportunities for us to interact more with them. Somebody who gave a speech earlier said that we should govern in this same way.

One of the complaints that people made about our government is that we didn’t communicate well enough and people didn’t even know what we had done. I think they were probably right, and we did very well in terms of our messaging during the 2015 campaign, but thereafter, we seemed to have slacked and over time, the opposition began to get the better of us, especially on Social Media and Radio. But all of that is definitely going to change.

I am going to take on everyone who has challenged us on this matter, including the gentleman who has offered his services for communication purposes because this has to be a joint effort in ensuring that we put across our point of view.

Everybody knows that this was not exactly an easy campaign but I believe that God saw, first the heart of Mr President. Here is an honest man, and as I said during the course of the campaign, even his worst enemies agree that he is a man of integrity.

In any event, there are many few Nigerians who would have been Minister of Petroleum, Governor of the whole of the Northeast, Head of State, not once or twice, but thrice, and still have just one home in Kaduna and some very modest place in Daura. Very few people are like that.

When I looked at his assets declaration form, I was checking it in 2015, I said to him, “Mr President, I am so much richer than you, it is an embarrassment.” He said, “I am only a soldier, you are a big lawyer so you should have more money than me.” I can tell you that he is perhaps; even poorer than he was in 2015 when I saw his declaration of assets form.

We are all grateful to God for this great victory, and the real heroes are you all seated here today, who went out every day to campaign and talk about what you believed about our government, what you thought this government could do for the Nigerian people.

One thing that is clear to me is that your belief and commitment were not wrongly placed. You are absolutely right that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is the appropriate and right government for Nigeria at this time.

And the simple reason why that is so is that today what our country needs the most is honest government, that’s what our country needs. And I’ll tell you why as I repeated many times in the course of the campaign; our country is not short of ideas, projects or money. What we are short of is integrity in office. Corruption is the major problem that our country has faced. And once we are able to deal with it effectively, and we will, we will be the great nation we ought to be.

I was saying to someone that this same President, President Muhammadu Buhari, of the four refineries that we have in our country today, he built three of them when he was Minister of Petroleum. Then he built 3km of pipelines, how much has been added to it since then?

So, you don’t need to be a great orator. And this is one of the responses I gave to people when they were saying - “oh the president doesn’t talk.” He doesn’t need to be an orator; all he needs to do is be a doer. And that is what he is doing today.

And what we’ve seen today is despite the fact that we are earning 60% less than the previous government, we are spending almost 8 times more especially for capital projects. Why? Because the president is not stealing the money, simple! That is why we are able to spend more.

And just in terms of achievements in infrastructure, the Lagos-Kano rail, we have just commissioned the first phase, which is the Lagos-Abeokuta-Ibadan, and we are going to complete the Lagos-Kano rail.

We completed the Itakpe-Warri rail after 5 years it has been completed. Even the Abuja Light rail that was started in 2005 has just been completed.

We put money aside to do the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which had been practically abandoned; they would start and stop, they put it into the budget, but it would disappear. Today, the money is there to complete it.

Sometimes, I talk to my friends in the Southeast about the second Niger Bridge, which was commissioned in 2014, but it was not designed, it was just commissioned. How does anybody do that? Today, the highest amount of money as an immediate payment for any project we have ever done was for the second Niger Bridge, 33billion immediate payment for that bridge. That is the highest amount of money we have ever put for one single payment.

We’re going to start the Mambila Project, and have put money aside for it. All these projects are projects that the President himself not just negotiated, but supervises on a regular basis.

And that is the thing; a lot of work needs to be done in this country. Infrastructures we need to put in place will be put in place. And the reason why is because the President is not a thief. And that is to just put it very simply. Many believe that the government is very complicated, no. If the man who is in charge is honest, everything we want to be done will be done, just take a look at our Social Investment Programmes.

I was saying to some group of people that today we are feeding 9.2 million children every single day as part of our school feeding programme. We’re paying for 500,000 N-Power beneficiaries every month. We have given almost 2million traders TraderMoni loans, and almost 500,00 MarketMoni. Apart from that, we are giving N5,000 to the poorest of the poor per month, we are now approaching 500,000 and we are going to do a million.

All of that has still not cost us N300billion. Yet some people ran a programme called Sure-P, and we cannot find a single beneficiary and it cost N700billion. On everything I’ve said, we still haven’t spent N300billion in 2 years.

So, it’s not as if this business of doing the right thing is rocket science. The major thing is an honest man, as we have an honest man, everything we want to be done is what will be done.

And I believe very strongly with your support, all of what we wish and want for our country will be done.

And by the grace of God, every one of the infrastructure projects we want to be done will be done. Our economy will turn around and we will see prosperity in this great nation of ours.

Finally, let me just say that we are still not done with elections. On the 23rd of March, we still have some outstanding states. As you know, we are re-running in 6 States. All of the efforts that we need to put into those 6 States should be done, we cannot afford to slack up and say we are done; we still have some things to do.

APC SAC!

Thank you.

Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
March 15, 2019

No of valid votes cast-27,324,583
No of votes cancelled-1,289,607

Buhari- 15,191,847
Atiku- 11,262,978
_____________________
Margin *3,928,469*
_____________________

Even the blind and the deaf know that Buhari won the election and there’s no two ways about it.
These results are not fake, they came straight from INEC.

What people do not know is that PDP is only a fake news tiger and does not have any atom of integrity left in them.

Frankly, Buhari won the election out of genuine love from Nigerians, Atiku could never have won as rigging was the least thing to be considered by INEC and the people know that fact.

Nathaniel Adoji

• Deploys ex-commissioner to manipulate election results
• Offers INEC officials N2 million to rig election
• Soldiers, thugs paid to inflate results in Ifo, Abeokuta North, others
• Issues death threat to NYSC members and other INEC officials
The devious plans of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to manipulate and possibly disrupt the governorship and State House of Assembly elections held on Saturday have been uncovered.
According to our reporter, the governor who is backing Allied Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Honourable Adekunle Akinlade has deployed soldiers and thugs to inflate election results in Ifo, Abeokuta North and other local government areas.
The governor has also threatened the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and NYSC members with thugs if they refuse to allow them access to thumb print ballot papers.
According to an INEC official in Yewa North representatives of the governor offered them N2 million to manipulate the results of Ohunbe ward.
The official said when they rejected the offer, the representative told them that they were joking with their lives and had no other option.
“We left the ballot papers for them to do what they wanted, I cannot lose my life over this election, I have a family that is waiting for me to return home,” said the INEC official who spoke to journalists on the condition anonymity.
At the collation center at NUD Oke Ijeun INEC officials were attacked by thugs who were wearing APM shirts. The attack took place at Ward 8 on Saturday evening.
APM thugs were also reported to have been shooting at Ward 12, Abeokuta South Local Government Area forcing residents to scamper for their lives.
Our correspondent gathered that soldiers were being used to perpetrate electoral anomalies in at least 20 other polling unit and collation centers.
“They were tampering with APC votes and are inflating the figures of APM,” an APC party agent who identified himself as Segun told reporters.
“The soldiers and policemen deployed to do these things were dressed in mufti, so we could not ascertain their true status,” said Segun.
Former Commissioner for Special Duties, Barrister Leke Adewolu also mobilised thugs to alter results at Ifo State Constituency 1 and 2.
Another INEC official said at Ward 11, Abeokuta North soldiers dressed in military fatigue ordered party agents out of the ward before forcing them to manipulate results.
Our correspondent reports that in Ward 5, Abeokuta North, the governor and his boys did over voting. “They were so eager to thumb print in favour of APM that the votes allocated to APM was more than the accredited voters,” an INEC official told our correspondent.
Other polling units were results are believed to have been manipulated includes Unity high school, Ago Ika - Abeokuta North LG; Centenary Hall, Ake - Abeokuta South South LG; Odeda Council Hall - Odeda LG; LG Secretariat Hall - Obafemi Owode LG; LG Secratariat Hall - Ifo LG; LG Secratariat Hall - Ewekoro LG; LG Secretariat Hall - Ijebu North LG; Town hall, Ogbere - Ijebu East LG; LG Secretariat hall, Abigi - Ogun Waterside LG; Itoro hall - Ijebu Ode LG; LG Secretariat Hall - Odogbolu LG; LG Secretariat hall, Atan - Ijebu North East LG; Muslim high school - Sagamu LG; Town hall - Ikenne LG; LG Secretariat hall, Isara - Remo North LG; LG Secretariat hall - Imeko Afon LG; Omidokun hall - Yewa North LG; LG Secretariat hall - Ipokia LG; Oronna town hall - Yewa South LG and Iganmode Grammar School - Ado Odo Ota LG.

The All Progressives Congress has won both the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the polling unit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Lagos State on Saturday.
Prof. Osinbajo who voted at Victoria Garden City Main Park Booth in Lagos helped APC governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu garner 248 votes.
Sanwo-Olu’s main challenger Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 190 votes. In the State House of Assembly the APC finished with 193 votes while the PDP candidate had 175 votes.
In Prof. Osinbajo home state of Ogun, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Dapo Abidoun also won at his polling unit in Iperu, Ikenne.
Results announced at his polling unit shortly after collation showed that the oil magnate had established a healthy lead in his local government area of Ikenne.
At his polling unit in Ward 3 Unit 2, Ita Osanyin, Iperu, Ikenne, Mr. Abiodun polled a total of 240 votes while his closest challenger, Honourable Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) got 71 votes.
At the polling unit of Mr. Akinlade, the APM lost to the APC.
Mr. Akinlade who voted at polling unit 010, Owode Ward 1, Yewa South of Ogun state could only manage 83 votes while Mr. Abiodun polled 104.
Results’ trickling in across the State shows that the APC is leading the APM and other parties by a rather healthy margin.
In Abeokuta South, Ward 14, PU 2, APC polled 144 votes to APM’s 59 votes. In Ward 11, Unit 18, Abeokuta North, APC garnered 103 votes to APM’s 40 votes.
Below are other results from Ogun State.
Ward 12, Unit 002, Agbon Land, Makun, Sagamu
APC – 99
APM – 73
Ward 3, Polling Unit 007, Modern School Road, Ota
APC - 81
APM – 67
Ijagba Ward, Onirere Unit, Sagamu
APC - 161
APM – 63
Ososa Ward 7
APC - 171
APM – 20
PDP - 102
Ward 10, Unit 8, Ilefon
APC - 81
APM - 41
PDP – 34
Police Station, Ward 9 Ikenne LG
APC - 275
APM - 60
PDP – 24
Ward 08, polling Unit 002, Idomowo
PDP - 55
APC - 100
APM - 13
Ward 11, Unit 18, Abeokuta North
APC -103
PDP -04
APM -40
Ward 15, Polling Unit 016, Abeokuta South
APC - 58
APM- 53
PDP – 03
Abeokuta South, Ward 15, Polling Unit Dimmo Store
APC - 67
APM- 52
ADC- 101
PDP-9
Abeokuta South, Ward 15, Polling Unit Olubara Palace
APC - 60
APM- 52
ADC- 91
PDP-15
Abeokuta South, Ward 15, Polling Unit BUSTOP
APC - 59
APM- 62
ADC- 64
PDP-14
Ward 04, Polling Unit 06, Iperu Remo, Ikenne
APC – 236
PDP – 02
APM – 032
Ijebu Ode, Ward 7, Unit 009, Oke Street
APC - 108
PDP - 73
APM – 46
Ward 3, Unit 2, Ita Osanyin, Ikenne LG
APC - 240
APM - 71
PDP - 5
ADC – 2
Ward 3, Unit 2, Ita Osanyin, Ikenne
APC - 240
APM - 71
PDP - 5
ADC - 2

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
On behalf of his family and the Federal Executive Council, President Muhammadu Buhari heartily felicitates with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN on the occasion of his 62ndbirthday.
The President joins Dolapo, her children and Nigerians across the country and around the world to celebrate the erudite scholar, Minister of the Gospel and ‘‘very dependable deputy with whom I share a very special bond.’’
President Buhari is grateful to God for preserving the life of Prof. Osinbajo, who in the past four years has diligently championed the values of setting the foundation for the peace, progress, and stability of Nigeria, by working very hard to build a resilient economy while promoting transparency and accountability. 
On this special occasion, the President extends special appreciation to the Vice President and wishes him many more years of robust health, happiness and fulfilment in his service to God, the nation and humanity.
He looks forward to sharing many special moments of celebration with his deputy as they take Nigeria to the Next Level in the years ahead.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President 
(Media & Publicity)
March 8, 2019

By Dansu Peter

Source:
http://thenationonlineng.net/herdsmen-farmers-crisis-report-indicts-pdp-governors/

The Bridge Centre
An intellectual think tank in the UK, The Bridge Centre has indicted Nigerian leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the herdsmen farmers’ crisis in some parts of Nigeria.

The Bridge Centre claimed that chieftains of the PDP in their desperation to get at the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre, have been actively supporting killers, who go about massacring populations in communities that did not vote them in the 2015 general elections.

The report cited the case of wanted terrorist, Akwazar Terwase (alias Gana) of Benue State, who was propped up by the PDP governor that presided over the state between 2007 and 2015, Gabriel Suswam.

It alleged that Suswam’s successor, Samuel Ortom, even while posing as an APC member, being a closet PDP member at that time continued to provide cover or Gana while publicly castigating him for public show.

“Gana is responsible for scores of deaths, including many that were initially attributed to herdsmen. Ortom is now formally back in the PDP,” the reported asserted.

Elizebeth Robertson, Head of Research and Documentation of the organization in the report, called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently intervene before the world starts dealing with the problem of a lost generation in Nigeria.

The report reads in full.

The world has on several occasions been appalled by the wanton killings in Nigeria from incidents attributed to clashes between herdsmen and farmers. Attacks upon attacks in affected communities have been blamed on “killer” herdsmen, who in such instances prove elusive as not much would be heard about the daring killer squads that carry out such crimes against humanity.

The situation has triggered a cycle of blame game within Nigeria, with the consequence that the persons behind these killings, at least responsible in part, are successfully evading justice. Findings show that these persons are of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which has its imprint on the Farmers/Herdsmen Crisis as the then ruling party and more recently as the country’s leading opposition party.

Transhumance is a phenomenon that is not peculiar to Nigeria. It has been worsened by climate change, urban sprawl, changing cultures and economic pressure.

In the 16 years that PDP ruled Nigeria, it decided to do nothing about the realities of making changes to avert the genuine aspects that can be addressed as Farmers/Herdsmen Crisis like the current government is doing by proposing cattle ranching as a workable solution to the issues caused by nomadic cattle herding.

It instead presided over the theft of the country’s resources on a scale that makes it difficult to make certain interventions that will allow livestock keepers and crop growers thrive as constituent parts of the agricultural sector.

In the desperation to get at the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre, PDP chieftains have been to known to actively support killers, who go about massacring populations in communities that did not vote them in the 2015 General Elections. These killings have been classified as part of the casualty from the Farmers/Herders’ crisis.

We will name a few instances to support this position:
In Benue state, Akwazar Terwase (alias Gana) was propped up by the PDP governor that presided over the state up to 2015 (Gabriel Suswam) even though he was a known mass murderer.

The governor who took over, Mr. Samuel Ortom, even while posing as an APC member, being a closet PDP member at that time continued to provide cover or Gana while publicly castigating him for public show. Gana is responsible for scores of deaths, including many that were initially attributed to herdsmen. Ortom is now formally back in the PDP.

Aminu Yaminu (Tashaku), a known Boko Haram terrorist, was employed by PDP’s Samuel Ortom and paid from the Benue State Government account under the pretext of being the commander of the Livestock Guards. Tashaku has been arraigned for the gruesome murder of 17 worshipers in a heinous crime that was initially attributed to “killer” herdsmen.

In the last week of June 2018, reprisal killings trailed the killing of scores of villagers in Plateau state. The reprisals have now been proven to be the expected outcomes plotted by a former governor of the state and PDP lawmaker in the National Assembly, Senator Jona Jang, who had vowed to make the state ungovernable for the APC led government of Simon Bako Lalong.

Jang is known to have also instigated the killings as a way of forcing law enforcement agencies to back down from pursuing corruption cases against him in court.

Political leaders of the PDP have in the period since the party was voted out of the Federal Government engaged in the formation of militias, which they armed with weapons prohibited under several international protocols.

These weapons have been deployed in commission crimes against humanity as they resulted in mass killings.

Taraba State (PDP) governor, Mr. Darius Ishaku, directly and through proxies armed and funded the Mambila Militia that was responsible for the violence that claimed scores of lives in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba state in the second half of 2017. The killings were again initially linked to killer herdsmen before details emerged to confirm that the pastoral community was rather under attack.

Members of the Benue State Livestock Guards, upon being arrested by the military, confessed that they were armed by the state governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, a PDP member who was then pretending to belong to the APC.

On April 5, 2018 33 persons were killed by gunmen who turned out to have been armed by Senator Bukola Saraki, another PDP member that hides behind the logo of the APC. The gunmen confessed that their weapons and operational vehicles came from him. The brazen nature of the attack was initially ascribed to “killer” herdsmen.

Kabiru Seidu aka Osama and Nuhu Salisu aka Small, named Senator Dino Melaye (PDP) as their gun-runner. They had used the weapons supplied by Dino Melaye for robberies and kidnaps that were at some point attributed to herdsmen.

Information at our disposal reveal that the PDP chieftain have released funds and more weapons for killers that will further attack communities as part of their ploy to campaign that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed in his campaign promise of restoring security to Nigerians. This money is coming from the 100 billion Naira fund that was previously earmarked to sabotage the country and present it as a failure.

Taking cognisance of the continued desecration of the sanctity of human life, the United Nations Security Council is invited to:
Order a full investigation into the role that politicians, especially the PDP, are playing in the killings attributed to Farmers/Herders’ crisis.

Arising from the findings of the full investigation, takes the steps necessary to deter the kind of disregard for human life as is presently the trend.
Time is of essence for whatever intervention the Council has to make since it is important that Nigerians are reassured ahead of the General Elections.

Reports have emerged that the Governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom has smuggled arms and ammunition into the state for use by militia during the state gubernatorial elections.

Intelligence reports have shown that the weapons are to be used to wreck mayhem in APC strongholds in the state through the Livestock Guards that the Governor has set up.

It is recalled that Governor Ortom is known to have a history connecting him with his former SA on Security and Coordinator of Benue State Livestock Guard, Alhaji Aliyu Tarshaku, who was responsible as the mastermind for the killings of the Catholic Priests,and other residents of Benue State.

It has also been alleged that Ortom also aided the escape of a notorious thug, and a suspected Boko Haram agent and one of Nigeria’s most wanted militia leader, Terwase Akwaza better known as Gana who had carried out attacks in communities and villages in and outside Benue state.

Meanwhile, there were speculations that the Amnesty Programme organized by Gov Ortom earlier in the state was a ploy to bring those thugs to limelight and have them recruited to his camp to do his dirty deeds.

Reports by some residents in the state have claimed that the police in the state may have been compromised and thus may not guarantee security during the upcoming gubernatorial elections.

When contacted members of the intelligence service stated that they have been informed and assured that they are on top of the matter.