“We must not allow those who seek to divide us to pretend as if our problems are as a result of another ethnic or religious group.”
This was the message from the former Nigerian Vice President and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to Christians to mark the Easter celebration today, Friday.
He called on the nation’s leaders at all levels to follow the virtues that define this season which he said are: “sacrifice, love, and charity – and come together to help all Nigerians resolve the differences that divide us.”
He also called on Nigerians to emulate the virtues of love and sacrifice which characterized the life of Jesus Christ, describing those two qualities as essential to the unity that Nigeria so desperately needs at this time when vested and provincial interests threaten to tear the nation apart.
Atiku, who holds a traditional title of Waziri Adamawa, also encouraged Nigeria’s leaders to use the opportunity of the Christian celebration of Easter to reflect on their stewardship to their people and to the nation.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has come up with its list of names of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders who it alleged looted the nation’s treasury, in reaction to the list earlier released by the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed on the PDP looters.
In a counter statement today, Friday, National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, said: “in line with the directive of the ruling APC Government that PDP should return all looted monies for Nigerians to accept our apology, PDP hereby wholeheartedly agrees to abide by this suggestion and will get its members to return the said looted money.
“Accordingly, the following are directed to immediately report to the EFCC with their loots:
“Rotimi Amaechi, Timipre Sylva, Bukola Saraki, Aliyu Wammako, Sullivan Chime, Orji Kalu, Ngige, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abdullahi Adamu, Abubakar Moh’d, Gov. Lalong, Bello Hayatu, Sen. AbdulAzeez Nyako, Sen. Alkali Moh’d, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, Sen. Andy Uba, Sen. Nazif, Sen. Magnus Abe, Engr. Dakuku Peterside, Sen. Silas Zwingima, Sen. Binta Massi, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, Dr. Idi Hong, Adm. Murtala Nyako, Sen. Bello Tukur, Jummai Al-Hassan, Sen. Hunkuyi, Sen. AbdulAzeez Ibrahim, Sen. Adamu Aliero, George Akume, Joshua Dariye.
“Speakers Aminu Masari, Aminu Tambuwal, Yakubu Dogara, Gali Na’abba, Nat Chairmen Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbe, COAS Dambazau, Oserheimen Osunbo, Musliu Obanikoro, Adam Oshiomhole, Jim Nwobodo, Govs Atiku Bagudu, Ganduje, Nasir El-Rufai, Ortom, Ishaku Darius, Rochas Okorocha, Bindo Jibrilla, Abubakar Sani Bello, Ahmed of Kwara, Dakingari, Danjuma Goje, Obanikoro, Sen. Lokobiri and Chinweke Mbadinuju.
“While awaiting the publication of more names, I trust Nigerians will now see our sincerity and accept our apology.” [myad]
Africa is going through another phase of self-imposed slavery and colonization. This is especially in the face of the aggressive buy over of the African continent by the Chinese. Yes, The Chinese.
It’s on report that all the major mining business going right now in Zambia, a country rich in Copper, is by the Chinese. Africa’s debt to the Chinese has also become a source of worry to every right thinking individuals, including the major power blocks in the world. A cursory google of “Africa’s Debt to China” will tell you more of the story. That is on the continental Africa.
Closer home, as at December 2017, the official figures for Nigeria-China Bilateral trade stood at over $2.7bn, with the debt profile standing at over $5bn(five billion US Dollars).
This is clear case of trade imbalance, not solely brought on because of Nigeria’s inability to export alone, the root cause can be traced to different Economic sabotage, unfair business terms between Chinese Manufacturers and underhand dealings by Chinese businessmen.
A case that readily came to mind is that of the CIG Motors, importers of the Chinese brand Vehicles GAC.
GAC Vehicles has seen an increase in demand in Nigeria, due to their rugged nature and functionality in Nigeria. Lot of Nigerians now see the GAC brand as a viable alternative to Japanese, American and European giants.
But there is a snag. According to an ongoing investigation and reports, a Chinese company in Nigeria, CIG Motors, led by one Ms. Diana Chen, has been making trade between Nigerians and the Chinese vehicle manufacturers impossible.
A Nigerian delegate visited the Management of the GAC sometime last year, and came back with the promise that there will be an increased trade with their Nigerian partners, only for Ms. Chen to scuttle everything.
Her primary claim is that she has the sole license to market and sell the GAC brand in Nigeria. WHAT? Who does that? Does BMW or Mercedez Benz, or Toyota, even Honda, gave license to a sole Distributor in a market like Nigeria? Where is that done?
Beyond the simple fact that the claim of sole distributorship, no Monopoly, in Nigeria is ridiculous, can any Nigerian behave in such brazen manner in China?
This is in stark contrast with the bilateral trade agreement signed by both governments of China and Nigeria. It should be noted that in spite of Nigeria’s trade increasing exponentially from a paltry $880m in 1998 to a staggering $3bn as at 2006, the trade between the two nations has remained disproportionately in favour of the Chinese.
As noted by Efem N. Ubi, (PhD), a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute if International Affairs, Lagos, Solving the Nigeria’s trade deficit will go have to beyond rhetoric and diplomatic meeting, with much of the solution having to come from the Nigerian end. In the four key factors he mentioned, one of them is that the Chinese government has to declare its readiness to encourage Chinese companies to outsource and offshore to Nigeria.
What this simply implies is that we cannot be claiming Nigeria-Chinese trade when Nigerian business communities has been handicapped from the start, using the inability for them to trade on common platform, as seen in the case of the GAC Motors/CIG edging out Nigerian businessmen in the Motor manufacturing industry trade.
There are other economic implications for Nigeria as well. It is understood that due to the Monopoly that Ms. Diana Chen and her CIG Motors enjoys, she has been fixing prices of vehicles arbitrarily, making a model that should not cost more than N7m to be as astronomical as N20m. It was also reported that Ms. Chen owns over 90% of CIG Motors, how then is her business beneficial to Nigeria and Nigerians?
This issue is beyond Ms. Chen cornering the GAC market from China, it is about economic diplomacy between China and Nigeria. It is about fair trade partnership. It is about economic espionage and sabotage.
Both the Nigerian government and the Chinese government needs to DO SOMETHING before it snowballs into full economic rows between the two nations.
Adetayo Adegbemle, a public opinion commentator/analyst, wrote in from Lagos (Twitter: @gbemle, @PowerUpNg)
President Muhammadu Buhari has described late Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Buba Jibril who died today, Friday, as a humble and vibrant national legislator.
In a condolence message by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the President commiserated with the family of late lawmaker and sympathized with the leadership and members of the House of Representatives in particular and the National Assembly in general.
The President Buhari also condoled with the people of Kogi State whom the late lawmaker represented creditably for many years at both the state and national legislatures even as he prayed that Allah will comfort all who mourn the late Jibril and grant his soul eternal rest.
Hon Umar Jibril, who represented Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, died today in Abuja at the age of 58. He was until his death, the Deputy Majority Leader of the house. He was also a former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, President Buhari had also commiserated with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, over the death of his younger brother, Clement Ogbeh.
He condolence with the immediate family, the Otukpa community of Benue State and friends of the deceased, who worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria and is being buried today. He prayed that God will comfort the family of the departed, and grant his soul eternal rest.
The President General of the umbrella Igbo Organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo has advised Ndigbo to always think of home and not to allow the hardship occasioned of the last two years affect them in thinking about their homeland.
Chief Nwodo, in an Easter message expressed sadness with some state governments in Nigeria for what he called ‘deliberate exorbitant tax’ which he insisted is targeted at Ndigbo to cut their savings and discourage their “Aku rue uno” policy.
Nwodo advised them not to be dissuaded, adding nowhere is their wealth more secure than home even as he also advised Igbos to show more than passing interest in the socio political development in the country by ensuring that all eligible voters collect their voters card and be ready to use it effectively to pick leaders that would fight for their interests.
He advised Nigerians not to allow the prevailing hardship in the country affect their spirit of love, brotherliness and peaceful co existence even though as he emphasized that the country “is clearly under siege from all corners.”
He said that the period of Easter should be used as a good opportunity for Nigerians to pray more to God to send succor to alleviate their sufferings.
Nwodo called on Nigerians to use this year’s Easter festivities to engender the spirit of oneness and also re-dedicate themselves to the virtues of love, patriotism and unity for the desired national development.
“Nigerians Christians must allow the solemnness of the last 40 days of fasting and prayers to influence their thoughts and actions in relating with one another.”
Nwodo said that the Lenten period that just ended offered incalculable lessons in love, humility and forgiveness which should guide our way of living irrespective of religion, ethnic and political differences and help in ushering in a new and adorable era where bitterness, hatred is absent.
The Ohanaeze leader urged Nigerians to use this period to think deeply at the state of the nation with a view to finding a lasting solution to the country’s challenges.
“Restructuring this country is perhaps the sincere and pragmatic way to address the nation’s socio political and economic challenges and time is ripe for political leaders to embrace it”
The Presidency has called on the leadership of opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to return the resources of the country they looted during the 16 years the party occupied the leadership of the country as way of pacifying angry Nigerians instead of an empty apology.
The Presidency, through the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu today, Friday in a statement, advised Nigerians to be cautious of the “less-than-honest apology offered by the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus.
“The point made by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is apt and on cue, that there are heavy moral duties that go with apologies if the culprits want to be taken seriously. The PDP is desperate to recapture power because it no longer has unhindered access to national resources for private uses and its apology should be seen in this context.
“The PDP has not even acknowledged the fact that it plundered the national economy, and for a party that dismissed the anti-corruption war as a political witch hunt, it is impossible to believe that its public apology comes from the bottom of the heart.
“Even desperate thieves apologize because they are caught and not because they are incapable of repeating the crime if they had another opportunity.
“We believe that the PDP should not only apologize for the imposition of candidates, and the culture of impunity, but must also come clean and acknowledge that they participated in large scale corruption and massive diversions of public funds to private pockets while poverty was ravaging the ordinary Nigerians.
“We challenge individual PDP leaders to publicly and voluntarily tell Nigerians how much they stole and then agree to cough up their illegal acquisitions of wealth if they want their apology to be taken seriously.
“Apology borne by desperation to recapture power without a desire to admit how much they stole and the reluctance to return the loot is morally hollow. This goes beyond rebranding. Nigerians are not interested in brands. They want their money back.
“For such apology to gain acceptance, the offenders must first of all show remorse; then return that which was unlawfully taken or restore the damage caused the nation; and commit to never doing the wrong they did again. The PDP has done none of these for them to be taken seriously by anyone.
“Instead of addressing this cogent issue raised by the Minister, the PDP veered off to accuse this administration of borrowing money but failed, in that regard to admit that they borrowed to steal while Buhari administration is borrowing to set up long-delayed infrastructure.
“They accused the President of unevenness, of inflaming ethnic and religious tensions, when it is on record that they gave this country its divisive president who chose the hallowed premises of places of worship to read important national statements.
“President Buhari never fails in his duty as the Chief Security Officer of the nation. He acts fast whenever and wherever there are incidents by ordering law-enforcement agencies to do their job and fact-finding mission to give him actionable reports.
“PDP’s uncaring attitude to these matters, including the kidnapping of 270 girls from Chibok is the hallmark of the long years of misrule.
“Another issue of moral and political significance is about the recent disclosure by US investigators that the PDP government engaged in massive data theft that included the hacking of Candidate Muhammadu Buhari’s personal data before the last general elections. PDP’s continued silence on this reprehensible heist only goes to confirm their remorselessness even as more and more facts are emerging that the same unfair method was the modus operandi that they used to capture political power in the 2007 elections.”
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has accused the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Anthony J.V Obinna, of blackmail as the 2019 general elections get nearer.
A statement by the governor’s media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo said: “We have read the latest accusation by Archbishop Anthony Obinna of the Catholic Diocese of Owerri against Governor Okorocha, and we shall continue to show our respect for the Archbishop, but, one fact remains sacrosanct, he cannot install a governor of APGA extraction in 2019, because he could not do that in 2015 when he first tried it.
“The archbishop had hidden under his Easter message to continue his onslaught on the governor and his Rescue Mission Government, making it the tenth time in less than two months he had descended on the governor and the administration.
“Of all the allegations the archbishop made against the governor, the most unfortunate was the one he said Governor Okorocha is the only voice which everyone has to listen to and obey, otherwise, arrests and imprisonments would follow. That was the height of blackmail.”
Okorocha alleged that the Catholic prelate has continued his onslaught against his government using his Easter message as a guise.
The governor’s aide faulted the claims by the Catholic prelate that the people of the state have been living in fear and panic, even as he challenged him to mention anyone who has been arrested in the state for criticizing the governor.
“And we humbly wish to challenge the archbishop to mention just one person the governor or government arrested for any reason, including criticizing him or anybody, since he came on board as governor in 2011.
“Where the archbishop fails to do this, we ask with every sense of politeness, that he corrects that false claim, and, if he deems it worth-doing, apologise to the governor.”
He said that of all the governors who have governed Imo state, both military and civilian, Okorocha stands out as the most tolerant and accommodating, adding: “the overwhelming love of Imo people for the governor means more to us than the weak voice of the opposition in the state made up of few politicians.”
He alleged that Archbishop Obinna has intensified his disdain or hatred for All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Okorocha this time because of the 2019 election.
“And the archbishop should know that most people have become fed up with his repeated unprovoked and unwarranted attacks on the governor and his government, using every platform and every event available to him.”
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Prince Uche Secondus has asked the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to meet him in court to prove that he is one of those who looted the nation’s treasury.
In a statement reacting to the minister’s list of Nigerians, mainly in the opposition PDP, Secondus emphasized that the minister will need to prove that he collected N200m from the purse of the National Security Adviser NSA as he alleged.
The PDP boss alleged that the agenda of the minister is to damage his (Secondus) reputation and distract him form serving his party, adding: “he has failed woefully.
“For the purposes of some gullible public, Prince Secondus never collected any money from the NSA under any guise.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government has come up with the names of Nigerians, mainly in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including its national chairman, Uche Secondus and former Publicity Secretary of the party as some of those responsible for looting the nation’s treasury during the past administration
The nation’s Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, who released the names of the alleged looters in a statement today, Friday, said that the government was compelled to release the names of the looters by the opposition party whose leadership challenged the government to name those responsible for the looting.
“Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians.”
The statement reads:
PDP CHAIRMAN UCHE SECONDUS – On the 19th of Feb 2015, he took N200 million only from the office of then NSA
2. Then PDP Financial Secretary – On the 24th of Oct 2014, he took N600 million only from the office of then NSA
3. Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh – On trial for collecting N1.4b from the office of then NSA
4. Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications – On trial for taking N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA
5. Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei- On trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies
6 Former President Jonathan’s Cousin Robert Azibaola – On Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA
This list is just a tip of the iceberg, and the PDP is aware of this. We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available.
Some of the people on this list are seeking to plea bargain, and that is a fact.
We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP, and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot.
It’s like a robber admitting to stealing your car and apologizing, but then saying he will keep the car anyway. It doesn’t work that way.
The PDP is a hypocrite. And that reminds me of what English writer William Hazlitt said: ”The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.”
We will not stop talking about the massive looting by the PDP. They brought Nigeria to this sorry pass. We are now looking around for loans to build infrastructure, and they ask us not to talk about it we will talk about it.
National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the recent letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari as one of his ‘bad belle letters.’
Speaking today, at a Colloquium to mark his 66th birth day in Lagos, Asiwaju thanked Nigerians for being patient with President Buhari and the APC.
“But there is a clear understanding here; that the difference between us and them is like day and night. My grandmother used to ask me to write letters to her. Somebody is writing letters now, letter of politics these days. As if they have not been there before. Bad belle letters!”
Asiwaju is happy that President Buhari is changing the course of the ship wreckage, “the ship of this country that is headed in the wrong direction. To steer the ship back or anchor before redirecting it, which of course is necessary. And we started this journey. The voyage is on. The voyage of hope; the voyage that we are reclaiming Nigeria, we are retooling Nigeria, re-inventing Nigeria and re-directing Nigeria. It’s not an easy course to embark upon…
“For 16 years they looted the country and they say we shouldn’t talk about it, as if we should just go ahead and run our government. On our part, we have good leaders to salvage the situation and we have hope that we can do it. We must put all that is necessary in place, to stimulate the economy.”
Asiwaju Tinubu asked Nigerian not to take the apologies of the Peoples Democratic Party which he said are full of lies and falsifications because “they changed figures, they made fake promises and they say we shouldn’t talk about them.
“We have a nation to rescue; we have a good leader to emulate and we have hope. We have reduced the propensity for corruption. We must strengthen the pension plank to stimulate growth. I will submit a proposal on how we can stimulate the economy. We don’t have to pay for a house of N10 million in one day and with cash; we need mortgage. This would discourage corruption.
“We must articulate a programme and promise Nigerians once again that we have the audacity of hope to put Nigeria on the path of prosperity and banish poverty in the country.”
He commended President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the good work they have been doing in the last three years,which has brought tremendous progress and development to the state.
“We have faced challenges in the last three years. We came in with a lot of hope and enthusiasm as APC leaders. We gave our people hope; we believed in Nigeria and in ourselves, thinking we can change Nigeria for good and we are still going to do it. Life is nothing without challenges. Our logo is broom bound together. This symbolizes a united Nigeria against terrorism, corruption and revival of the economy.
“I can see what the government is doing with the little resources at its disposal. This has been demonstrated in practical terms.
“What’s the lesson to all Nigerians: forget those parties; they won’t come back. We did not envisage that there would be so much challenges. So, we would report back to Nigerians about what we found on ground. We did not say that there would be no challenges, because even America is facing challenges. They have wasted our resources.”
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Brewing Trade Row Between Nigeria and China, By Adetayo Adegbemle
It’s on report that all the major mining business going right now in Zambia, a country rich in Copper, is by the Chinese. Africa’s debt to the Chinese has also become a source of worry to every right thinking individuals, including the major power blocks in the world. A cursory google of “Africa’s Debt to China” will tell you more of the story. That is on the continental Africa.
Closer home, as at December 2017, the official figures for Nigeria-China Bilateral trade stood at over $2.7bn, with the debt profile standing at over $5bn(five billion US Dollars).
This is clear case of trade imbalance, not solely brought on because of Nigeria’s inability to export alone, the root cause can be traced to different Economic sabotage, unfair business terms between Chinese Manufacturers and underhand dealings by Chinese businessmen.
A case that readily came to mind is that of the CIG Motors, importers of the Chinese brand Vehicles GAC.
GAC Vehicles has seen an increase in demand in Nigeria, due to their rugged nature and functionality in Nigeria. Lot of Nigerians now see the GAC brand as a viable alternative to Japanese, American and European giants.
But there is a snag. According to an ongoing investigation and reports, a Chinese company in Nigeria, CIG Motors, led by one Ms. Diana Chen, has been making trade between Nigerians and the Chinese vehicle manufacturers impossible.
A Nigerian delegate visited the Management of the GAC sometime last year, and came back with the promise that there will be an increased trade with their Nigerian partners, only for Ms. Chen to scuttle everything.
Her primary claim is that she has the sole license to market and sell the GAC brand in Nigeria. WHAT? Who does that? Does BMW or Mercedez Benz, or Toyota, even Honda, gave license to a sole Distributor in a market like Nigeria? Where is that done?
Beyond the simple fact that the claim of sole distributorship, no Monopoly, in Nigeria is ridiculous, can any Nigerian behave in such brazen manner in China?
This is in stark contrast with the bilateral trade agreement signed by both governments of China and Nigeria. It should be noted that in spite of Nigeria’s trade increasing exponentially from a paltry $880m in 1998 to a staggering $3bn as at 2006, the trade between the two nations has remained disproportionately in favour of the Chinese.
As noted by Efem N. Ubi, (PhD), a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute if International Affairs, Lagos, Solving the Nigeria’s trade deficit will go have to beyond rhetoric and diplomatic meeting, with much of the solution having to come from the Nigerian end. In the four key factors he mentioned, one of them is that the Chinese government has to declare its readiness to encourage Chinese companies to outsource and offshore to Nigeria.
What this simply implies is that we cannot be claiming Nigeria-Chinese trade when Nigerian business communities has been handicapped from the start, using the inability for them to trade on common platform, as seen in the case of the GAC Motors/CIG edging out Nigerian businessmen in the Motor manufacturing industry trade.
There are other economic implications for Nigeria as well. It is understood that due to the Monopoly that Ms. Diana Chen and her CIG Motors enjoys, she has been fixing prices of vehicles arbitrarily, making a model that should not cost more than N7m to be as astronomical as N20m. It was also reported that Ms. Chen owns over 90% of CIG Motors, how then is her business beneficial to Nigeria and Nigerians?
This issue is beyond Ms. Chen cornering the GAC market from China, it is about economic diplomacy between China and Nigeria. It is about fair trade partnership. It is about economic espionage and sabotage.
Both the Nigerian government and the Chinese government needs to DO SOMETHING before it snowballs into full economic rows between the two nations.
Adetayo Adegbemle, a public opinion commentator/analyst, wrote in from Lagos (Twitter: @gbemle, @PowerUpNg)