Category:

Opinion

Tinubu the veiled face behind Mafab Communication Ltd 5G license? alleged role of Remi Tinubu and how it could benefit Tinubu’s presidential ambition

by Leading Reporters January 30, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

The recent 5G license awarded to Mafab Communication Limited on 13^th December, 2021, a company owned by Dr. Musbahu Mohammad Bashir, by the Nigeria Communication Commission has once again brought to fore the widely held belief that Nigeria is a country where favouritism and other sentiments hold sway.

Since Mafab Communication Limited won a 5G license, tongues have been wagging around how a company with no history in telecommunication industry surfaced from the blues and won a coveted 5G licence. Another allusion in the front burner is the actual ownership structure of the company.

While some said Tinubu is a major stakeholder, the communication regulatory agency Nigeria Communication Commission has come out to say that due process was holistically followed in the award of the licenses. But whether Ahmed Bola Tinubu has stake in Mafab Communication Limited or not, one thing is certain. Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a master strategist who understands that morality has no place in power-game.

Tinubu is believed to have taken mastery of using fronts, associates, friends, and relatives to achieve anything he intends to achieve. Although, some would say Tinubu is an opportunist and a ruthless entrepreneur with ravenous appetite for wealth and more wealth. But who is not? We all are! Whatever impression anyone has about the Lagos big-man, it has not deterred him from vigorously pursuing his ambitions, the latest of it being to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari as president.

Allegations have been made that the former Lagos State Governor and the ruling party National chieftain is one of the veiled faces behind Mafab Communication Ltd, a company that suddenly emerged from the blues and raked in a license that big player in communication industry like Airtel could not get.

Curiously, a hitherto unknown Mafab Communication Ltd won one of the only two 5G, 2.3GHz spectrum band licenses offered for sale by President Muhammadu Buhari APC-Led Federal Government through the Nigeria Communication Commission after paying $273,600,000. Tinubu, according to a source who claimed to be in the know is a major stakeholder in Mafab Communication Ltd. Plans and discussions are already on top gear with some USA and China based telecommunication equipment suppliers that will supply and man the equipment for Mafab Communications Ltd, according to the latest update from the company.

Although the Nigeria Communication Commission has come to Tinubu’s defence through its spokesman, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde that the subject company has the wherewithal to be awarded the said license, event that played in 2022 budget of the commission may be a cue to what played out. Ahmed Tinubu’s wife, Senator Remi Tinubu is the Senate Committee Chairman on telecommunication. Communication technology is key in every election. Mrs. Tinubu was believed to be instrumental in the passage of N633.4billion budget for NCC in 2022 fiscal year.

Tinubu critics have opined that Tinubu is a man who stubbornly brings his tomorrow before it comes. To that extent, they said that Tinubu ensured that his wife becomes the Senate Committee Chairman because of the role she would be needed to play in the telecommunication sector and by extension, in his presidential ambition. In fact, communication, and technology are everything for Tinubu in a time like this.

The question then arises, should Tinubu have a hand in Mafab Telecommunications Ltd 5G license, how can that favourably affect his presidential ambition?

5G network is an emerging network that has a lot of possibilities. It guarantees greater speed and access to information at a higher speed. As beautiful as the benefits, there are other sides that could be used to manipulate information to one’s advantage and to other’s detriment. That includes the fact that small antennas could be installed in places of interest such as street lights, buses, selected collation centers, and other places of interest. This implies that the antennas may not be centrally located and monitored, thereby giving room for manipulation by those who intend to use it to their own advantage.

Part of the challenges associated with 5G which could be cashed in for electoral manipulation is that it may become difficult to access these locations owned by various stakeholders, which would hinder the large-scale deployment of this type of antenna. What it means is that companies of interest may be used to site small antenna in areas that it may favour their paymaster. An integrated Internet of Things (IoT) could work in anyone’s favour. Again, this innovation, could as well mean that there would not be a cohesion in deployment of small cell antennas and this could be used in a candidate’s favour against others.

Furthermore, there have been allegations of security breach against Hauwei, one of the largest players in the 5G innovation. It is said that the software and firmware used in Hauwei’s devices can be leveraged for manipulation.

Whether Ahmed Tinubu has hand in Mafab Telecommunications Ltd 5G or not, communication and technology can be used for venal purposes

***Contributed by Light Shedrack, a public issues analyst and commentator. .***

January 30, 2022 0 comments

Why CBN Rice Production Intervention Fund May Prove A Misplaced Priority Overtime

by Leading Reporters January 27, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

(By Light Shedrack)

Rice is one of Nigeria’s major staple foods. Prior to now, Nigeria spent billions of dollars every year on rice importation from Thailand and India, majorly. To encourage local rice production, the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN came up with intervention schemes, under its Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP). The scheme is aimed at increasing local rice production which thus would discourage rice importation.

As much noble as the move by the Central Bank of Nigeria looks, there are lots of questions left unanswered such as the environmental impact of the scheme and looming protein deficiency that may hit the country.

This could possibly be because Nigeria is a country that hardly makes long term plans or considers the long term effects of certain policies it pursues. We believe in make-shift and fire-brigade approach to issues of national interest.

While Nigeria sees local rice production as the next big thing, some countries that are hitherto major rice farmers are considering divesting from commercial rice production. India is one of such countries. Priority may soon leave rice for other crops with higher economic value and better environmental impact. India knows that if it continues its commercial rice farming, in the nearest future it would be hit by acute water shortage, or worse still water scarcity.

Research has shown that rice cultivation and production is a major water consumer. Rice must be planted in areas with body of water. Nigeria consumes about 7million tons of rice annually. To produce just one kilogram of rice, about 2500 liters of water is required. Nigeria rice revolution is targeted majorly in the Northern Nigeria, and that axis is currently witnessing acute desert encroachment, untamed insecurity resulting in lull in economic activities. There is as well the case of diminishing water level in Lake Chad, which has not only fueled insecurity but would sure worsen agro-allied businesses and farming.

2022 would witness protein deficiency among Nigerians, especially children. The rising cost of beef and egg would sure mean that most families may not be able to afford these sources of protein. What next could come as the handiest alternative? Beans! Beans are relatively affordable food that are considered rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre. But how much has Nigeria Government and by extension the Central Bank of Nigeria invested in beans production. Beans production in Nigeria has received little or no government attention or intervention. This could partly be because beans are not elites’ preferred food. Rice is.

Common sense should have revealed to us that Nigerians need more beans than rice now. This is because there is deficiency of protein among the greater number of Nigerians. From 2022, protein-deficiency among Nigerians may worsen. Most people cannot afford beef, egg and other foods rich in protein because of the skyrocketing cost of these essential foods. To make up for this deficiency, beans can easily come handy.

Nigeria economic policies have perennially favoured the elites. In fact, the elites that make up less than ten percent of Nigeria’s population are mostly put into consideration whenever any policy is to be formulated. Better put, the elites make the laws and initiate policies that favour them. Instead of the Bottom-top approach used in policy formulation in most economically viable countries that run inclusive system, Nigeria policy makers are mostly elites who sit in the comfort of their offices and over feast-like sessions, formulate policies that favour the elites.

There are other factors that may overtime prove that the Central Bank Rice Production Intervention schemes may boomerang and hit us worse than it helps us. One of such factors is the environmental effect of rice production, when matched with the reality of climate change. Another is the absence of data, the manipulation and fraud that have characterized the scheme. But let this be a discussion for another day.

Light Shedrack is a serial entrepreneur, and an SME ideation specialist. He writes from Abuja, Nigeria.

January 27, 2022 0 comments

Opinion

Like Eguovoen. Nigeria Doctors Can Perform Better Than Your Multi-Million Dollar Foreign Doctors – Reno Told Buhari

by Folarin Kehinde January 20, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Self-styled opposition voice and alleged President Buhari tormentor, Reno Omokri has lashed out to President Buhari to rejig Nigeria health system, encourage Nigeria medical practitioners whom he said would perform better than President Buhari Multi-Million Dollar foreign doctors and cut waste that had led to untamed borrowing.

Following a congratulatory message extended to the Super Eagles over their unique performances in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations AFCON tournament by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Reno in response reminded the President that the wonderful performance of the Eagles is the handiwork of a local coach, Augustine Eguavoen and a clear indication that if waste is controlled, Nigeria would borrow less and if Nigeria health system is braced, Nigeria wouldn’t lose the much capital flight it loses to foreign medical trips.

“Augustine Eguavoen, is doing better than the multimillion dollar foreign coach, Gernot Rohr.

“Maybe our local doctors would prove to be better than your multimillion London doctors if you give them a chance.

“Maybe our local economy will get better if you stop taking external loans and start cutting internal waste.

“If Augustine Eguavoen can do it with the little he has, believe me, you can do it with the much you have!

Reno used the opportunity to appeal to President Buhari to pay Eguoveon very well like the foreign coaches.

“On a serious note, our government should consider paying Augustine Eguavoen the same mega bucks they paid Gernot Rohr. We cant pay Rohr millions for delivering failure and pay Eguavoen less for delivering success. My people, do I speak well in this? Reno asked.

January 20, 2022 0 comments

Opinion

Bravo to Nigeria’s Current Auditor General

by Folarin Kehinde January 10, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Former US President, Donald Trump had attempted to do what many African leaders do, which is to win elections by rigging.

He tried to circumvent the system using the power of incumbency to frustrate the American electoral process but failed simply because the strength of the United States is inherently located in its strong institutions.

In Africa, those who possess political and economic power can do and undo. They can as we do in Nigeria, draft the military into voting centres to achieve a ‘peaceful’ process notwithstanding subsisting judicial pronouncements illegalizing the act. Law enforcement agencies and even the judiciary are known to now and again help parties to swap election results.

A few days ago, there were allegations that many compromised operatives were rewarded with reappointment into our electoral body. Consequently, although Professor Mahmood Yakubu has since exhibited ample integrity in the management of elections in Nigeria, if the recent allegation against his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is true, the electoral body may have elements that could render nugatory all his innovations only because he is a strong man in a weak entity.

The picture just painted is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in most societal institutions in Nigeria. Many appointees in our public offices are usually led by the nose, while several others are victims of self-censorship, often demonstrating incapacity to do what is right. Instead, they take solace in doing what in their imagination can help them keep their jobs.

In fairness, it is difficult to ignore the dilemma of such persons who sacrifice their initiatives and discretion bearing in mind that the few resourceful persons in our clime are either unceremoniously removed or their appointments are never renewed. If so, where is Adolphus Aghughu Arhotomhenla, the new Auditor General of the federation coming from? The other day the office he leads did not only indict our Almighty National Assembly, they also touched our Police.

From where did he acquire this new vigour he is bringing to our audit arrangement? Let no one tell me that it is due to the fact that Aghughu’s authority flows directly from the Constitution without explaining why his predecessors in office failed to wear the same constitutional garment of autonomy and independence which they successively inherited since 1999.

For those who may not have followed the story of the new audit posture, it is necessary to recall what has happened so far. The Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) a few months ago exposed several improprieties in many government organizations through the instrumentality of the audit report for 2019. For lack of space, let’s highlight only three of the reports. First, it was reported that the House of Representatives spent over N5.2 billion at different intervals and on different projects, with no evidence to show what the funds were used for.

The House also granted advances of N258 million to 59 staff and went ahead to grant fresh advances to the same staff when they were yet to retire the previous grant.

Again, another sum of N107 million was said to have been granted to two staff for “repairs and maintenance of unknown residential quarters.” Apart from the fact that no evidence was provided on request to show that the advances were retired, the Federal Government was reportedly deprived of the statutory Value Added Tax and Withholding Tax of N10.7 million accruable if the work had been awarded to contractors.

The House also granted advances of N258 million to 59 staff and went ahead to grant fresh advances to the same staff when they were yet to retire the previous grant.

This seems to suggest that our legislators who always harassed others in the name of transparency and good governance are themselves found wanting.

In the case of the Police, the report disclosed that about 178,459 different types of arms and ammunition got missing from the Police armoury in 2019 without any trace or formal report on their whereabouts.

The figure which was made up of88,078 AK-47 rifles, 3,907 assorted rifles and pistols from different formations nationwide could not be accounted for. This no doubt calls for concern considering the daily calls for an increase in Police Budget which people can now imagine would be used to repurchase disappearing weapons.

The Police hierarchy was also indicted for expending the sum of N3,271,439,688:30 as payment for the irregular award of contracts.

The House also granted advances of N258 million to 59 staff and went ahead to grant fresh advances to the same staff when they were yet to retire the previous grant.

This seems to suggest that our legislators who always harassed others in the name of transparency and good governance are themselves found wanting.

The Police hierarchy was also indicted for expending the sum of N3,271,439,688:30 as payment for the irregular award of contracts.

The figure did not only exceed the approval threshold of the Police leadership; no evidence of project execution was presented to the auditors on demand.

The Police Force was also faulted for paying the sum of N924.985 million for eleven (11) contracts in some selected Commands and Formations in the country without evidence of project execution.

In addition, 10 contracts worth N1,136,715,200.00 were reportedly awarded to a single proprietor in the name of different companies while the details of the three companies were found to be the same.

The third of our highlights which also involved the Police has to do with irregularities in the nation’s public personnel payroll system. Here, the report listed 2,605 personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, who had spent 35 years in service and were due for retirement but still retained in the payroll data sets referred to as the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

At the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, some 996 names of workers were repeated in the nominal rolls, while records of 178 employees at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were also repeated.

The same breach which was recorded in other government agencies totalled Seven thousand, and sixteen (7,016) staff in the Nigerian Correctional Services as well as the ministries of Defence, Agriculture, Education and Works.

It is surprising that unlike what happens in many other countries, the introduction of the IPPIS technology to wipe out irregularities is yet to show any efficacy in Nigeria.

With the performance of Adolphus Aghughu so far, it is not irrational to agree with those who believe that our auditors can serve as the most virulent anti-corruption marshals in Nigeria.

As President Muhammadu Buhari opined in Benin only last month at the conference of Auditors-General in Nigeria (COAGN), efforts to enthrone good governance and accountability across ties of government could not yield the desired positive results if auditors-general did not stand up to play their constitutional role as the people’s watchdog.

There are 73 Auditors-General in the country, made up of one at the federal level and 36 for states and another 36 in charge of local government accounts and finances. With such a large number of auditors, a figure larger than those of the rest of Africa combined, Nigeria ought to be able to build a formidable audit framework that would be hard to experiment with even by politicians who are in search of material gains often subvert due process. But will our auditors-general in the states rise up to embraceAdolphus Aghughu’s posture?

Nonetheless, we cannot expect auditors to perform magic if the institutional environment is not conducive to excellent performance.

Taking the case of the office of the Auditor- General of the federation, for instance, we agree with the case for better office space for improved performance made months back by Senate President, Ahmed Lawan when he argued that “a practice where some of the Auditors are resident in organizations they are supposed to audit is not acceptable.

We need to do a lot more to support the Auditor-General for the Federation to be more effective and efficient.” Indeed, the daily interactions between auditors and regular staff of organizations where they are domiciled can adversely affect their freedom to report issues that are critical of such organizations.

At the same time, we agree that in order to ensure that the office of the auditor-general is also subject to checks, the National Assembly can make laws for the watchdog to also be watched.

This cannot derogate from our commendations for the admirable performance of Adolphus Aghughu who has shown that if we have strong institutions, our numerous ad-hoc bodies that often complicate the national challenges they were set up to resolve would be superfluous.

January 10, 2022 0 comments

Opinion

Do Southern Regions Need One Nigeria to Survive?

by Folarin Kehinde January 10, 2022

written by Folarin Kehinde

Buhari’s government is a necessary evil. Necessary in the sense that each region that makes up the contraption called Nigeria has come to see the union as an open-faced lie that it is, and is weighing its options. While the South West, which became the backbone of the Northern dominance over the South for the past 6 years tries to pull back from the alliance, the South East and South-South which have been waiting for South West to get ready to crash the fraud, sit back and watch. South West has managed to corner the economic power of the country while the North keeps the political power through the unverified population claims.

While the South West negotiates with economic and media power, the core North negotiates with unverified population political power.

The South-South, especially the Ijaw areas negotiates with cutting off the mainstay of the nation’s economy. This implies that if the gas trunk line from Escravos is cut off, half of Lagos and Ogun will be out of power till it is restored, so they’re listened to.

But South-South lost so many economic potentials due to years of inter-tribal wars and militancy. Lagos was able to gain what South-South lost by promoting itself as safe and peaceful; again with the power of media.

The Ijaw-Itsekiri war forced many multinationals to relocate to Lagos from Warri.

Years of militancy further stripped Port Harcourt of its garden city status, removed most of the benefits of oil the region had to the gain of Lagos while it became an ecological wasteland.

However, the South-East has nothing to negotiate with, because it has failed to build a local economy with its huge human capital, natural resources and individual financial war chest.

Building an economy entails full industrialisation of the region. The governors have not thought beyond the monthly allocation from the federal government, and their innate quest to fritter away the commonwealth of the people of the region to set up a system that taps from the ingenuity of their people.
Setting up this system means that there will be a direction and objectives to be achieved in say, 10,20, 30 years time.

This system will build a market that is interconnected and becomes a go-to for entire West Africa. Instead, the economy of the region is scattered in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and only returns to either build filling stations or hotels.

But the “hotel and filling stations” economy does not offer sustainability or keep the money in the East as no raw materials and labour are sought.

The inability of the leaders to think beyond their stomachs is why Aba has no good internal roads, let alone the ones that connect her to Akwa Ibom to facilitate the movement of goods from Nigeria to Cameroon.

Nigeria is dominantly a gas nation and has the highest proven gas reserve in the whole of Africa with over 202 trillion cubic feet of gas reserve.

A greater proportion of Nigeria’s gas reserve is in the south East. None of the Igbo leaders licking the anal hole of Abuja men has thought it wise investing in electricity, using their Abuja connections to add value to the economy of the region except one.

Investment in electricity is a good starting point for industrialisation. The totality of Imo, Anambra and Abia are sitting on huge NAG reserves.
While Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) supplies 2.2 Million standard cubic feet per day, the Assa North-Ohaji South project which holds more than 4.3 trillion cubic feet of NAG is the largest greenfield gas condensate development projects being undertaken in Nigeria and expected to supply 600 million cubic feet of gas daily. This will translate to 2.4 GW of electricity that can power more than 5 million homes. But the shocker is that it will not be used for electricity in the South East.
Imagine 2.2 GW of electricity in Onitsha and Nnewi and Emene industrial areas.

The first conceptualised domestic gas supply project was the Aba-Owerri-Nnewi-Onitsha Pipeline Project but it was abandoned for the Ajaokuta – Kaduna – Kano project.

There is also no domestic gas project covering the entire Niger Delta, despite the fact that the region supplies to Lagos and Ajaokuta. So what have the leaders in these areas been doing?

Another reason why these gas reserves in the East are not being developed is because of the so-called “competitive market and infrastructure to harness them”.

Oil Serve is deep into gas development in Ukwa and Asa and built the supply base for the 188 MW Geometrics gas-powered plant. But Igbo leaders sat down and watched as Prof Bat Nnaji and Emeka Offor’s Interstate electricity battled for nearly 8 years, depriving Aba of the needed power that will restore its industrial potentials.

The funny part is that it took Vice President Osibanjo to wade into the dispute to settle it while Ohanaeze drank champagne from house to house. Taunting yourself as holding over 60 per cent of the country’s capital while there is no back up local economy will backfire as it did in the 60s when push comes to shove.

Igbo leaders over the years missed the lecture.

Their inability to invest in youths like Zik, MI Okpara and Sam Mbakwe did, by setting up critical infrastructures like electricity and good transport systems pushed the youth to the wall.

Their complicity and reliance on Abuja meant that their people no longer take them seriously.

Instead of Arthur Eze using police to harass Abba people, he could have teamed up with Seplat and Oil Serve for a gas pipeline to Onitsha and Nnewi. They can source $3 billion for the project. With Arthur Eze’s connect in Abuja, nothing will stop it. But what do we get? People who just want us to clap for them for driving Rolls Royce on tattered roads. Now the youths are fighting back, choosing death than to back down. Currently, there is a struggle for the control of the soul of the East, between the youths and the traditional politicians. Instead of using dialogue to settle the disagreement, the politicians rely on the same Abuja which understands nothing but brute force to crush the resistance.

However, the consistent militarization of the East has not scared these youths but has emboldened them. From flying flags to now wielding AK 47 assault rifles, the next phase is already known.

They have failed to understand that this generation won’t tolerate what their fathers tolerated.

Moving on, Nigeria breaking up, violently, is a matter of when and no longer that of ‘if’.
We have all come to the brutal reality that each region needs an armed group that will speak for it in times like these.

Even the central government with its clear lack of direction is beginning to prepare grounds for eventual break up of the union, through the appointment of people of Buhari’s ethnic group in juicy positions to steal as much as they could and using the wealth from the south to build an economically irrelevant railway to the Niger Republic. Despite all the noise, they would find out that all they contribute to the union are onions, cabbage, tomatoes and meat.

It is funny that Nigeria has not found a way to connect its economic clusters of Lagos, Aba, Onicha and Port Harcourt with rail but has all of a sudden found a way to connect an economically arid Niger Republic whose GDP is not up to that of Anambra.

The significance of this is profound. The North West has more affinity with the Niger Republic, Chad and Mali than the rest of the country.
That is why under Buhari, railway, refinery etc will get to Maradi. It is also why governors from the Niger Republic attend political campaigns in places like kano and Katsina.

It is why herders are imported from Niger down to Chad and the Central African Republic to cause mayhem all over Nigeria while Abuja turns the other way.

It is why Gas is channelled from Obrikom/Obiafu to Kaduna, Kano while Bayelsa has no stable electricity.

Nigeria is the biggest fraud to ever exist and it took the docile South just six years of Buhari to finally see what has been going on for about 60 years.

It was within these 6 years that the people who criminalised Kanu and his IPOB for only flying flags and demanding their own country began actively negotiating with terrorists, resettling them and publicly demanding amnesty for them.

When they moved against Igboho, the South West resisted. The core North was handicapped and couldn’t sustain its propaganda in the Sasa incident because the South West plugged off its media power from their mouth. Outdone, they sent Kadiari Ahmed to appeal to journalists not to blow up the country while failing to put the blame squarely at Buhari’s nepotist feet. Nobody threatened to burn down their shops in order to cow them, a common threat issued to our people from the South East.

Will the bandits get the amnesty?
I bet you they will. If you doubt it, then you are not paying attention enough.

If the politicians whose actions led to the insurgency in North East, found a way to create a North East development commission, banditry is also geared towards a North West development commission which will sap more money from the South to the North while the wait for the D-day continues.

Those shouting that the “Unity of Nigeria is not negotiable” are only waiting to steal enough.
With the way the union is tearing apart, there will be little to no time to even negotiate.

Those who tell you that South East is landlocked do not see how wide and deep River Niger and Imo River are.

The Port of Hamburg which is the 15th busiest port in the world and the busiest in Germany is along the Elbe River which is not as wide as the Imo River or Niger River.
Google is your friend.

They tell you that these rivers pass through other states to get to the ocean.

But if Nigeria breaks up, those rivers will be bound by international water treaties or might be decided through other unconventional means.

If you go to St Petersburg in Russia, you notice several motorised bridges that open at night for cargo ships to pass and close in the day for vehicles.

While the biggest vessel to ever berth in Nigeria is 10,000 TEU, the Elbe River carries vessels above 24,000 TEUs.

If Hamburg is Nigeria, you know how the story will turn out.
The government is not thinking.
You should also not stop thinking. Those who make peaceful coexistence impossible make violent balkanisation possible.
Sadly, they’re in power.

Dr Dennis U. Ekumankama, MFR.

January 10, 2022 0 comments

Opinion

The things that should matter to Nigerian voters in 2022.

by Leading Reporters January 3, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

Where I come from, it is often said that it is not possible that a blind man, roasting a palm kernel would allow it get burnt twice. But can that be said of Nigerians? We have on several occasions not only burnt our palm kernels but also stoked the fire that burns our kernels.

While many Nigerians are thinking a good leader is going to fall on them from the sky, they keep making the same mistake of voting people who have no business in leadership. Leadership is responsibility. It is not buck passing and escapist excuses.

In the last 60 plus years with its human vicissitudes, Nigerians ought to have developed the uncanny ability to smell a conman from afar. Too many tribal and religious conmen have risen to swindle he people of their commonwealth. Sick people have arisen, and used the nation’s lean resources on boosting their health. Poor men have been voted on the platter of trust, only for them to snub the people and proceed on their own hidden agenda. Prison inmates have received pardons and have become president only to become demigods and untouchables.

We have had loud mouthed legislators whose words don’t match actions. There are those who say yes but indeed they mean an emphatic no. Still, there are people who outrightly think of gaslighting us into believing their terrible and puerile mendacious ramblings.

Suppose we put all that behind us and have a new beginning. We need to stop kowtowing to the caprices of the evil elite. Those who lost their lives defending the elite’s interests would turn in their graves, seeing that their godfathers and their ‘enemies’ have reconciled.

So, what really matters?

The past 60 years would have taught us a big lesson. Without much ado, I’d itemise what should matter to us as the elections are upon us. This year, 2022, is the most critical in our political journey. 2023 is just for the crystallisation of what we have put together in this year.

One of the lessons that should matter to us is that action, not word tells who is the man. We should refrain from believing everything we read on social media. Many people have been commissioned to turn white to black and hustle people’s minds for their patrons. They’d tell you that a Presidential candidate had raised the dead at a point or the other. They question you should ask yourself is whether this is a fact. I repeat, do not believe things you cannot verify.

The value the candidate places on human life. Human life is sacrosanct. It does not matter whether one person or a million died. Beware of anyone who tries to compare the number of deaths. Beware also , of anyone who keeps silent in the face of brutality. We are not animals. Humans show empathy. A callous, unempathic, unemotional made-of-steel leader can kill anyone without blinking. My people, please run away from such a person.

Deal with a person’s antecedents, not his rhetoric. Have his past investigated. The fact that people actually believe anything they are told , even when they are being sold dummies, is a intellectual affront. In the build up to the 2015 elections, I was in an argument with a colleague over Nigeria’s foreign reserves. What he told me got me temporarily paralysed. For an economist to believe that a country’s foreign reserve was used up!

The candidate must be able to give a timeline for his agenda. Nigerian politicians behave like a man desperate to make love to a woman. He can promise heaven and earth. He may even promise to dig his own grave. But as soon as he gets what he wants, he changes tone, talks down on the people and do totally different things. He is never interested in discussing with his people, he belongs to a new clique of opportunists whose only interest is milking the country.

A formidable legislature populated by people with academic and technical information on how to run a country. There must be a defined process of recalling people from the Chambers if their representation seems unbelievably unbecoming. Permit me to say that some people go to the legislature without a clue about what it is all about. They kowtow to the president or the governor. Ministers and commissioners ignore their invitations at will. Nigerians must insist that their legislature is particularly flooded by young brilliant minds.

The candidate must be a people’s man. Whether a governor or a president, he should see himself as the leader of the entire country or the state he governs. His actions or inactions should tell us whether he is going to be an internal colonist, a tyrant or a chauvinist. This country needs

Last but not the least, the leader must have an idea of how to run an economy. The fact that everything depends on the economy makes it the pivot around which our other daily activities revolve. We have to ensure that the person to be voted in is of a sound mind. He should be able to tell us what will happen when, how it will happen and back it up with data, projections and forecasts. Nigerians should move away from shouting yeeeeeeh! to dubious political pronouncements like ‘I will turn this nation around’. The normal reaction to this kind of statement should be curiosity. The questions should be how, when, in what way etc.

As we start the search, let us shine our eyes. We cannot afford to be going backwards while others are progressing. A word is said to be enough for the wise.

**Alex Agbo, a Social and Human Development Researcher writes from Lagos.**

January 3, 2022 0 comments

Opinion

Much Ado About Nigeria’s Electoral Law

by Folarin Kehinde December 26, 2021

written by Folarin Kehinde

The dominant story in today’s Nigeria is the fate of the nation’s latest electoral bill. The decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to return the bill to the National Assembly un-assented to, on account of the provision on compulsory direct mode of party primaries, has continued to elicit diverse reactions.

While a few people are rationalizing the President’s reasoning, very many are quite upset by the high degree of political uncertainty which the subject has created for the country. At about the same time, there has been a spark in the level of vicious killings in different parts of the country particularly the Northern Region. Considering the primacy of the right to life among all freedoms, one would have thought that Nigerians would not bother much about the electoral act.

But that has not been the case because our politicians have over the years successfully made politics the main agenda of the nation; nothing else appears to matter. As a result, the electoral bill diverted attention from the more profound latest killings of 47 people in Kaduna, North-West, Nigeria among others.

The intriguing thing is that many Nigerians are bothered about elections even though they know that there is hardly any politician in the country that is sincerely interested in elections let alone those that are free and fair. They just want to get into office. Under the circumstance, what is the real value of our electoral law? Many of those in support of or against the President’s failure to assent to the electoral bill are merely motivated by self-interest.

As events have shown, the initial belief that state governors were against direct primaries can no longer be sustained in view of the posture of governors such as Kayode Fayemi (APC, Ekiti) and Samuel Ortom (PDP, Benue). Yet, many governors are vehemently opposed to direct primaries. As for law makers, the situation is the same. Although the bill emanated from the legislature, not all members are truly in support of direct primaries.

Those who saw it as an opportunity to reduce the power and influence of their governors and thereby led the support group have fizzled away within the twinkle of an eye. Indeed, the threat to collect signatures to override the President’s veto which on the first day of the threat reportedly rose above 70 was merely theoretical.

In truth, the problem with the electoral bill is not the mode of primary elections, the real fear as some people have observed has since 2015 remained the electronic transmission of election results. With it, rigging is made more difficult to achieve, hence whatever can be done to keep it away would be strongly canvassed or surreptitiously inserted in a law.

The argument that direct primaries would expand participation and give ownership of the voting process to the people is misconceived because the mode like its indirect counterpart, can be subjected to manipulation and used to achieve ignoble goals. As we saw in the recent Anambra governorship election, the mode was ‘used’ by the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, to select flag bearers for the contest which at the end produced contentious results that the judiciary has now invalidated.

It can therefore be argued that the last minute smuggling of a compulsory mode of direct primaries into the electoral bill was done with the understanding that its controversial nature will make it impossible for the bill to see the light of day. The schemers appeared to have done some deep forecasting. One of the arguments that direct primaries would be expensive to handle was expected to be countered by the explanation that no matter the cost, it is well if it is successfully rigged. It was however forgotten that it is the parties that would bear the cost.

They and not INEC are the ones to select and secure venues, print ballot papers and other logistics while INEC is only to monitor the primaries. But why will legislators who are themselves politicians deliberately weaken their parties by dictating how they should be subverted? Does that not run counter to the wishes of the same politicians that parties should be allowed to manage their internal affairs? This contradiction suggests that many politicians are not really interested in any form of control or indeed, any electoral law. They only want to rig elections which explains why they always scheme to destabilize INEC.

Politicians have continued to give the impression that there is no law which empowers INEC to transmit results electronically; whereas, on March 26, 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law an amendment to the Electoral Act which stated that “Voting at an election under this Act shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

What is the difference between this amendment by Jonathan and all the pretensions by legislators since 2015 of working on a bill that can empower INEC to transmit results in any particular manner? This is why we have argued that Nigerian legislators have always taken the Nigerian people for a ride without consequences. They do not even want an independent electoral commission that would handle an election as a game that is played by its rules. Our premise therefore is that, if the main contention in Nigeria today is transparency of the conduct of elections in which the votes of the electorate are allowed to count, we do not need any amendment to the 2015 provision stated above.

Besides, why should Nigerians continue to tolerate politicians who scheme to control the nation’s electoral body notwithstanding its constitutionally guaranteed independence? At first, the struggle was to foist on INEC, an election time table determined by the legislature. It failed. The next scheme which also failed was the attempt to subordinate INEC to some communication entity. Now that the people have overwhelmingly demanded the electronic transmission of results, the schemers are trying to kill the Electoral Act as a whole so that what they detest the most, does not survive.

There are at least two therapies here. First, there is nothing in the Nigerian Constitution which empowers anybody to supervise INEC. Consequently, any attempt to make a law purportedly for the good governance of the country but which in any way seeks to direct INEC is illegal. Second, the current INEC led by Professor Mahmood Yakubu has courageously declared, close to a dozen times this year, that nothing can stop her from electronic transmission of election results. Instead, Yakubu insists that INEC will “continue to deepen the use of technology in the conduct of elections, especially the electronic transmission of polls results and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).”

The cost of handling the process INEC has designed for elections is quite high. Only a few days ago, the commission put her needs at N305 billion. Many people are already unhappy with expending such huge sums on elections. As observed by the South-West Zone D of the National Association of Nigerian Students NANS, “the country might not be able to manage the implications of such expenditure during a precarious economic climate.” Should we in all honesty push INEC to spend more to monitor primaries? If an election is a game such as football, is it the duty of the referee to guide a team to select its players?

Why are we looking forward to mature political parties that can effectively and efficiently handle their internal matters while at the same time insisting on directing them on how to select their flag bearers? Could it be that we are unable to depart from the military’s transition to civil rule political programme of old where the electoral body was made to draw up party manifestos and constitutions? If not, what is this game of allowing candidates whose elections were conducted by INEC into the legislature to later produce bogus instruments in the name of electoral law that obstructs free and fair elections? It is certainly time to talk less of electoral law in Nigeria.

Tonnie O. Iredia

December 26, 2021 0 comments

Opinion

Anambra Election and IGP Alkali’s Masterstroke

by Leading Reporters November 11, 2021

written by Leading Reporters

By Collins Mathew

When the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, declared the Police’s readiness for the November 6, 2021,

Anambra State governorship election and his commitment to ensure that the Police Force being responsible for internal security under his watch will act in the most professional and unbiased manner as tension and insecurity threaten even the conduct of the election, many thought he was making the usual rhetorical statement. Nigerians remained very skeptical that the usual practice of using security agencies in favour of a particular party, candidate or the other against the popular wish of the people would mar the election.

Tension in Anambra prior to November 6 was very high while voters were generally scared due to the threat of IPOB to disrupt the election and attack voters. With the support of President Muhammadu Buhari, as he earlier promised to improve the credibility of Nigeria’s election even if against the interest of his own political party, Alkali applied the stick and carrot approach and reached out to as many stakeholders as possible on the need to collectively work on peace and to ensure fairness for all parties as the only solution that could prevent the disruption of law and order and douse the tension that was threatening to consume the fragile peace in the state. His orders to the police personnel in Anambra was clear and unambiguous; that any officer that became compromised for whatever reason to anybody would be sanctioned appropriately.

The IGP ensured that he led by example by resisting pressure from all the stakeholders of the contending political parties.

The political gladiators were hitherto hoping to use the insecurity challenges to either disrupt the election or manipulate it against the popular wish of the people. The IGP first confronted squarely the threat of IPOB and succeeded without losing a drop of blood in containing their initial threat to disrupt the election.

IPOB, at the end, had to even issue a statement that technically endorsed the conduct of the election, which also succeeded in removing the initial fear of voters to come out. Despite a few cases of reported irregularities by the contending political parties during ballot casting, the security and credibility of the election unlike previous elections have been unprecedented and have not been compromised by the police, courtesy of the resilience and resolve of Alkali to carry out the mandate given to him by President Buhari to the letter and without fear of or favour for any side. This was even as the IGP was said to be under attack by all the politicians and by all the political parties with threats of blackmail. He stood his grounds.

With the glaring threats from IPOB and other armed groups, coupled with the culture of do or die politics in Nigeria where every contender, every political party wants to win by all means and even against the popular wish of the majority, many never believed the assurances given by Alkali. To many, it was going to be another theatre of war. In fact, some persons never agreed that the election would even hold while transparency and fairness were the least they expected from the police with the primary role of ensuring a level-playing ground for all parties.

However, Alkali, with his high cutting edge policing technology and integrating intelligence-led policing practices to core policing functions, with a view to strengthening police capacity to stabilise the internal security order and restore public confidence in the Force, did the magic in Anambra.

Today, the election has been adjudged the best and most peaceful in the country in recent years, all thanks to Alkali’s behind the scene policing strategies that played.

Now there is full hope that with the Anambra poll gone, the coming elections in Osun and Ekiti, as well as the 2023 general election, will no doubt have no issues, as they will follow the same pattern with the current leadership of the police in charge.

But what did IGP Alkali do? What magic did he employ to achieve this Herculean task?

The IGP’s readiness began with his deploying 34,587 officers, Special Forces and three helicopters towards ensuring a peaceful, free, and fair conduct of elections in Anambra State.

Speaking at a meeting with Deputy Inspectors General of Police, Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Command Commissioners of Police in Abuja, he noted that based on an election aecurity threat analysis conducted by the Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters had developed a “Strategic Election Security Operation Order” which would involve the mobilisation and deployment of a total of 34,587 police personnel.

He said: “This will comprise of conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), INTERPOL, Special Protection Unit (SPU) as well as Police Medical Teams.

“We will also be deploying three police helicopters for aerial surveillance as well as detachments of Marine Police operatives, specially trained Force animals, and our unique Technical Intelligence capability towards guaranteeing a safe, secure, and credible electoral process in the state.

“Drawing on our previous election security operations, we have also put in place adequate forward and reverse logistics arrangements for a seamless police operation and have also made requisite arrangements to address the welfare needs of all personnel being deployed for the operation.”

In assuring law-abiding citizens and stakeholders of their safety during the elections, he said, “Let me warn subversive elements who are bent on employing violence to attempt to threaten our democratic values, as well as any political actors who may want to adopt undemocratic and illegal means to achieve their aspirations to bury such thoughts now or be prepared to face the consequences, as they will be identified, isolated and made to face the wrath of the law no matter how highly or lowly placed they may be.”

In order to re-strategize and give the election and the electorate the needed protection and security they deserved, the IGP, in a major overhaul of the security landscape in Anambra, appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Joseph Egbunike as the coordinator of the security component for the election. Egbunike was saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the Operation Order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment and ensure a peaceful environment devoid of violence and conducive enough to guarantee that law-abiding citizens freely performed their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation.

To carry out the audacious role alongside Egbunike, Acting DIG Zaki Ahmed and five Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs), 14 Commissioners of Police (CPs), 3 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and 48 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), were appointed to coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three Senatorial Districts, 21 Local Government Areas and the 5,720 polling units in the state.

But in a rather surprise and bold move to ensure that even the Police under him are checked, Alkali played the masterstroke barely 24 hours before the polls. In a move that has never been witnessed before, he removed DIG Egbunike who is an indigene of Anambra and redeployed him. No cogent reason was given over the sudden deployment of the senior police officer.

The removal of DIG Egbunike came to many as a surprise but to IGP Usman Baba Alkali it was a masterstroke all in a bid to achieve the most free, fair and credible election in the state, an election that would now serve as a template for all future elections, especially the 2023 general election.

Some pundits believe that the redeployment of DIG Egbunike who is from Anambra state was indeed a masterstroke by the IGP as he saw what others didn’t see in terms of security of the election, which maybe firstly that DIG Egunike is from Anambra, secondly that it would be that since he is from Anambra, Egbunike might after all not be able to be free to do the role assigned to him well, and the IGP wanting neutrality decided to deploy him within 24 hours before the election, an act that paid well.

Commendation and credit goes to Alkali for conducting the freest, fair and credible election in the country in recent times. For his avowed stance on the Anambra election, the Inspector-General of Police had always called on the people of the state to come out en masse and exercise their franchise and that adequate security had been put in place to protect them before, during and after the election.

INEC couldn’t have performed a credible election in Anambra without the neutrality, resilience, commitment and the level playing ground provided by the Police.

He said, “People should go out and exercise their franchise. We have provided two types of security in Anambra State. One, we are policing the election process to make sure that citizens exercise their franchise without molestation.”

The above assertion was always the watchword in the lips of the IGP and at last he didn’t fail. He achieved it. Not even the ranting and noise of the IPOB, ESN and others, who didn’t want people to exercise their right, pushed him back or made him to deter. He stood his ground because he had his strategies as an astute police chief who knows what it takes to make a vibrant Police Force, especially when the security challenges stared him in the face.

The election has come and gone. However, it is on record that Nigerians have witnessed one of the most peaceful elections in recent times in the country and at a critical time when many have lost hope that the election may not even hold. Owing to the untireless efforts and close supervision of the police boss, coupled with the commitment of President Buhari to improve credibility of elections in Nigeria, the police did not witness any security breach during the election across the state while police officers for the first time were very careful in strictly following the instructions of their IGP without the usual allegations of bribery and instances of compromise that marred previous elections and conduct of security personnel.

The election was peaceful. There were no instances of violence, ballot snatching or fighting in any polling unit in the state. In fact, to put it in the right way, the Anambra election in terms of security was excellent.

Also, the credit of the success of the election is also given to the team work exhibited by all the security agencies in the state. The synergy with sister security agencies made the election incident-free. Long-time preparation for the election and the sincerity of the IGP finally paid off.

To many Nigerians, IGP Alkali and his team of dedicated police personnel deserve commendation.

More so, credit will also be given to President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring a level-playing field to see that the governorship election was credible. The President it was who gave the Police Force and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the free hand to conduct the election without interference.

As his usual way, President Buhari has always insisted on allowing the people’s will to prevail and not the other way round. He tells anyone who cares to listen to allow the choice of the people to prevail and that is why APGA won even against the political party of the President, the APC, a situation that came as a surprise to many Nigerians and full of hope that with someone like IGP Alkali on ground the dream of President Buhari in ensuring credibility and fairness of elections in Nigeria will now be realised.

The assertion that President Buhari ordered for a free polls in Anambra State and warned security chiefs not to allow any politician, even from the ruling party or opposition, undermine the credibility of the elections was after all not a lie at last.

Buhari’s words to Governor Obiano that there would be no manipulation of polls was indeed true.

Mathew is the national chairman, Movement For Election Monitoring and Transparency Innitiative (MEMTI)

November 11, 2021 0 comments

Opinion Headlines

President Muhammadu Buhari Pledged to go net-zero by 2060

by Leading Reporters November 9, 2021

written by Leading Reporters

President Muhammadu Buhari Pledged to go net-zero by 2060 at the ongoing COP26 – UN Climate Change Conference holding in Scotland.

While I think this is an ambitious statement for a poor country like Nigeria with 80% of its exports coming from the sale of crude oil,

I cannot help but notice the new emergence of empty climate promises and pledges.

As someone who grew up in the part of the world where politicians lie to us at every chance they get, from their age to their certificate it’s hard to be moved by promises and pledges alone.

60% of Nigeria’s emissions come from the energy sector, and 36% of the total energy-related emissions are fugitive emissions. I like to think of fugitive emissions as emissions due to system inefficiency.

The time to make beautiful promises is long gone. Now we need action and commitment that is transparent and inclusive of young people’s opinions and demands. We need to see a clear emission reduction pathway that will get us to Net zero.

In my recent interview with BBC News, I made it clear that the fight against climate will be fought and won in the developing countries and not in Europe or the United States.

**Kelo Ucheendu** is a Climate Organizer,Engineer and CGI U Fellow.

November 9, 2021 0 comments

Opinion

The trend of body shaming dressed up as a fitness goal is still body shaming

by Chinedu Iroegbulam November 5, 2021

written by Chinedu Iroegbulam

A wonderful world with with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me.

DEVELOP THE ECONOMY

When I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel.

[blockquote align=”left” author=”Penci Design” style=”font-size: 30px”]To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it?[/blockquote]

When I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel.

Everyone realizes why a new common language would be desirable: one could refuse to pay expensive translators. To achieve this, it would be necessary to have uniform grammar, pronunciation and more common words. If several languages coalesce, the grammar of the resulting language is more simple and regular than that of the individual languages. The new common language will be more simple and regular than the existing European languages. It will be as simple as Occidental; in fact, it will be Occidental.

The European languages are members of the same family. Their separate existence is a myth. For science, music, sport, etc, Europe uses the same vocabulary. The languages only differ in their grammar, their pronunciation and their most common words.

MODERN NEWS & MAGAZINE

To an English person, it will seem like simplified English, as a skeptical Cambridge friend of mine told me what Occidental is.The European languages are members of the same family. Their separate existence is a myth. For science, music, sport, etc, Europe uses the same vocabulary. The languages only differ in their grammar, their pronunciation and their most common words. Everyone realizes why a new common language would be desirable: one could refuse to pay expensive translators.

How To Achieve Zero Carbon Emission

November 5, 2021 0 comments

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