The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Chief Raymond Dokpesi, former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc, before Justice Tsoho, of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust to the tune of N2.1 billion.
His re-arraignment followed the reassignment of the case file by Justice Ibrahim Auta, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, from Justice Gabriel Kolawole to the new judge.
Dokpesi, who was arraigned alongside his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower, is alleged to have received N2.1billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), between October 2014 and March 2015, which was used for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential media campaign, an offence in breach of provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the EFCC Establishment Act.
One of the counts reads: “That you Dr. Raymond Dokpesi and Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited between October 2014 and March 19, 2015 in Abuja, conducted procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt act, to wit: receipt of payment into the account of Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited with First Bank of Nigeria Plc of public funds in the sum of N2,120,000,000 from the account of the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the funding of media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (6) & (7) of the same Act”.
He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
The defence counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on the same terms and conditions earlier granted by Justice Kolawole, which the trial judge acceded to.
Justice Tsoho, thereafter, adjourned the matter to March 2 and 3 for the commencement of the trial. [myad]
With the urgent task of resettling the more than two million refugees, mostly women and children on his mind, and at hand, the more urgent one of rebuilding damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges, clinics, schools as a requirement for their return to their communities, President Buhari leaves for the Middle-East on a wee tour of three friendly countries.
Why Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar?
President Buhari is on schedule to attend the “Africa 2016: Business for Africa, Egypt and the world” from the 20th – 21st of February in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
The organizers say the primary objective of the Forum is to accelerate private sector engagement and investment within Africa. It is also to help develop new ties and partnerships, and to highlight the African opportunity. This meeting is seen as the African international business forum to attend for those concerned with doing serious business in Africa, “the world’s last investment frontier. Indeed, Africa 2016 will provide the platform needed for public and private sectors to network, discuss, and further advance African business.”
My interlocutors suggest that Egypt used to be one the closest countries to Nigeria on the continent. The region had been ignored by the previous government.
This visit marks the first substantive engagement between the two African giants. The President’s visit should hopefully build on the ashes of the old relationship and pave the way for transformed ties.
Why would the President not send a delegate, say a Minister to represent him?
In today’s compacted, globalist world diplomacy has become more personal. Leaders everywhere are on the move.
Just a few days ago, our President was with the British Prime Minister David Cameron who hosted a meeting on Syria.
The next day, while the three dozen or so foreign leaders he called to this meeting were still in the United Kingdom, Cameron left for Poland and thereafter, Germany.
In 2015, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited 29 countries on five continents.
Leaders are on the move because they don’t have the luxury of time in dealing with matters of importance at most of the times. A minister can meet foreign leaders on behalf of his nation, but his final answer would say, at best, “You will hear from us after I make my report.”
The President of a country is the final authority on any issue in international relations. A presidential visit is the highest track of diplomacy. Nothing can be more authoritative than hearing from the Head of State.
Equally important is the need for Nigeria to assert her relevance in global affairs.
We all recall with nostalgia the days of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed as the military Head of State.
Murtala made Nigeria to be heard and known all over the world as a no-nonsense, progressive, principled and confident nation and this paid off very well for both the citizens and the state. This remained the case until the decline set in some years after his demise.
The country has started well under President Muhammadu Buhari.
What does Nigeria seek to gain in the Middle-East?
The first thing on President Buhari’s engagement in Egypt is business, then followed by the issue of security. Terrorism is a serious issue for Egypt and it has become an urgent issue for Nigeria, to be dealt with before it gets even bigger. Egypt is perpetually a crisis state, if one can describe them as such. This has given them decades of hands-on experience dealing with extremism and terrorism. The President will talk to them on counter-terrorism.
It has become increasingly clear that the problem of terrorism is cross border and its solutions must equally be cross border. It requires cooperation with other countries.
Right now Nigeria’s priorities, and they must necessarily be so, are internal and basically, a tripod of three issues as identified by President Buhari’s election campaign: security, economy and corruption . This country needs peace and stability. Without these, there cannot be investment and development. Although as many will argue, these priorities are domestic, it is not difficult to see that there is an external impact or impetus to be dealt with the help and support of other nations.
Egypt has equally got a relatively developed military-industrial complex.
Not long ago, President Buhari bemoaned the situation in which Nigeria bought nearly every item on its inventory list of weapons and ammunition. This is a very awkward situation, posing a real threat to the security and defence of Nigeria.
In the light of this, he has been thinking in terms of upgrading the facilities at the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna, to move the country in the direction of self-sufficiency in personal weapons and other basic armaments.
There is also significant room for improvement of infrastructure and trade between the two states.
Let us talk about Nigeria-Saudi Arabian relationship and hopefully, provide a context to the visit to the Kingdom. Recently, the President had a high level visit to the United Arab Emirates. The visit was a thumping success, in the course of which he covered a broad range of issues. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the resettlement of internally displaced persons in the North-East was one of the topics. Assuming all things are equal, the one big difference that the Saudis will make is that their government, less constrained by shortage of resources would unleash a massive infrastructure plan for the damaged parts of North-Eastern Nigeria. That in itself will make a significant difference to the lives of the more than two million homeless Nigerians, sixty to seventy percent of whom are women and children.
Given the large muslim population of Nigeria, warranting the second largest delegation to the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, Nigeria has had a significant but hardly beneficial relations with the Saudi Kingdom.
Beside the many Nigerians who go on pilgrimage to the country, we share a lot with them in the fact that we have our economies dominated by oil.
When they meet, President Buhari will make the Saudis see the problems of the world oil market from the point of view of Nigeria.
As Iran begins its march back to normalcy following the lifting of economic sanctions related to its nuclear program imposed by the US, EU and the UN, the volatile world oil market has taken a turn for the worse on fear of increased supplies. This has come with severe consequences for countries like Nigeria and Venezuela. Saudi and Russian competition for the domination of the market has in part been blamed for the collapse of the World oil market.
These big producers must understand the current situation of countries like Nigeria if any action will be taken to prevent a further fall in the oil market.
Many in our diplomatic strategy section see this as a low-hanging fruit which we failed to pluck due to our own fault.
While the President is a strong believer in home-grown solutions to our domestic problems, he is not one to ignore a helping hand voluntarily offered by willing, friendly states.
He recognizes that we are a country of youth, considering that 60-65 percent of our population is formed by them.
As he keeps saying, the joblessness of the youth is the next most volatile threat to the nation after Boko Haram. Our young people need jobs. The government is already overstretched and our private sector cannot be burdened more than necessary so we need foreign companies to come in to create the job opportunities.
In addition, the country is in need of investments in agriculture, power, solid minerals and other infrastructure. We don’t have the money to do all these in view of the fall of oil prices.
While it is a fact that a lot of countries spend enormous amounts in charitable giving, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE rise above many others. The North-East must be put on their radar.The President has been keen always to draw the attention of the world to the massive effort required to restore damaged infrastructure and resettle the two million IDPs in the North-East. It will not therefore be out of place for him to seek the help of the friendly Middle-Eastern countries.
Today, a great deal of our resources is spent on war against terrorism. If we close this chapter by ending the insurgency, needed resources will be freed for national development programs.
More than any other gain, Nigeria would hope to establish enduring agreements with the three countries to facilitate the exchange of needed intelligence on extremist movements and terrorism. This could be helpful in discovering the origin and sources of continuing inflow of resources to terrorists in the Lake Chad Basin area despite what many say is a formidable blockade around the Sambisa forest in which the terrorist are holed up.
Going to Qatar straight from Saudi Arabia would seem like a natural progression in terms of the pursuit of our national objectives in the Middle-East.
In addition to everything else, this country is reputed to be a big player in the Islamic Development Bank, IDB which should hopefully join the World Bank in voting a significant amount of money for the reconstruction of the North-East. The World Bank has already committed itself to spending USD 2.1 billion to rebuilding the region.
Qatar which made advances in the development of solar power and other renewable sources of energy may, in addition to keying into the reconstruction of the North-East also be persuaded to make investment of a serious nature in this country’s power sector.
As is usual with President Buhari, his visits abroad are not like a citizen’s vacation abroad. All his visits are according to plans taking into consideration advice from officials in the defence, foreign affairs, trade and investment departments of government.
Typically, these visits are marked by back-breaking schedules from start to finish.
In the Middle-East as in other regions he has visited, the aim is to project a respected and well-placed Nigeria; a country of good people under a good leadership in the hope of attracting foreign investment which in turn leads to economic development and job creation which then lead to improved life-styles, security of life and property, better infrastructure and better services for the benefit of the citizens.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari. [myad]
The new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff has beaten his chest that he would take the PDP back to Aso Rock in 2019.
At the thanksgiving ceremony in honour of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State in Umuahia today, Modu Sheriff said that he was happy to be honoured with the position of Chairman and that his goal would be to lead the PDP back to power.
He advised the party to work with him to achieve the purpose even as he argued that change has not come to Nigerians.
“The real change will come when PDP takes back power in 2019.”
The occasion was attended by Governors Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and senior PDP members. Radical evangelist Dr. Uma Ukpai delivered the homily. [myad]
Annual traditional festivals are recurring ceremonies in most African communities. They attract all and sundry. They are platforms where cultures and traditions of the people are relived. They also strengthen the cord of communality among people of same ethnicity.
The festivities end with the collective invocation of the spirit of ancestors and the gods of the land, to shower blessings of love and unity on the community, accord bumper harvests and also, cast out demons of sicknesses from their midst. But most importantly, prayers for the prosperity of sons and daughters of the community in their chosen careers/vocations are also offered.
In Nigeria, the mentality of communities identifying with illustrious sons and daughters who have reached the zenith in their professions has become legendary. It is now coloured with pride for such communities, whose members most times boast of the rare accomplishments of their kith and kin.
Every proud member of such communities savours the gift profoundly because the distinguished son or daughter is an illuminating beacon of the community on many paths.
Through this means and very often, small and obscure communities are stirred to limelight through the rare and excellent accomplishments of a single son or daughter, which stands him or her uniquely from the crowd.
The populous Tiv nation, which is generously sprinkled around the geographical space of the Benue valley and beyond, has not ceased relishing the novel academic accomplishments of her sons and daughters.
Just recently, an academic and illustrious son of Tiv nation, Professor Emmanuel Apedzan Kighir coated his dazzling and multiple intellectual endowments with a professorial title in Accountancy. This was after he accomplished his first academic journey in pharmaceutical studies.
His journey of life began in 1959 at Adudu, in Obi Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa state, where a little baby named Emmanuel Apedzan Kighir was born. God Almighty destined that the joys and pains of Apedzan’s parentage be shouldered by the family of Mr and Mrs Kighir Begha of Mbakyum, via Koti-Yough City of Ute clan, in Vandeikya LGA of Benue state.
But the young Kighir docked the earth at a time western education was still largely detested in many parts of his ancestry. However, the determined Apedzan never allowed the repulsion against the acquisition of modern knowledge to deter him from acquiring western education.
Therefore, after elementary education, he proceeded to the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, where he bagged a B.Sc. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
His quest to expand his frontiers of knowledge propelled him to delve into management sciences. Within a short while, he secured a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) from the University of Jos.
Desiring to combine pharmacy with another equally competitive professional discipline, Professor Kighir sought to also explore the world of finance and accounting. And a few years later, he became a chartered Accountant and obtained a Master’s Degree (M.Sc.) in Accounting from the University of Lagos. He returned to ABU Zaria, where he crowned his regular academic pursuits with a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in Accounting and Finance.
Impressively, Prof. Kighir has continued to impact knowledge to the younger generation. His years of teaching experience both at tertiary and professional levels have spanned for over two decades, as attested by his membership of top-level national and international professional bodies/associations.
He was a lecturer and Head of Department of Accounting, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, near Abuja, Nigeria. He is currently a professor of Accounting and Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State, Nigeria.
Prof. Kighir is a Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), the elite league of accountants in Nigeria A chartered stockbroker and member Institute of Chartered Stockbroker of Nigeria (ACS) and an Associate of Taxation Institute (ACTI). The accounting professor is also a member of American Accounting Association (AAA). And spreading his tentacles farther afield, he also holds the membership of British Accounting and Finance Association(BAFA).
These accomplishments by a single person are rare feats one can find among his Tiv kinsmen.
Widely recognized as a seasoned financial and management consultant, Professor Kighir is a resource person to many organizations and has authored several books, including articles in renowned index Journals. His research interests include financial reporting and corporate governance. His works on financial reporting has been of immense assistance to journalists globally. Professor Kighir has presented many academic papers at reputable local and international conferences to his credit.
His recent elevation to the rank of a Professor of Accounting amply testifies to his outstanding academic excellence and professional performance. But quite uniquely, the feat stands him out as the first Professor of Accounting in Tiv nation; the second ICAN Chartered Accountants’ Professor of Accounting from Benue state and ranks among the very few ICAN Chartered Accountants‘ Professor of Accounting in Northern Nigeria and indeed in Nigeria.
His working experience also stretches to the Accounting Research Institute, Universiti Teknologi Mara in Malaysia, where he served as a visiting research Scientist.
Kighir is a devout catholic. He is married to Mrs. Msurshima Kighir, a Director with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). They are blessed with a beautiful daughter.
Tiv nation is indeed proud with this illustrious son and academic of repute, Professor Emmanuel Apedzan Kighir, who initially set out as a pharmacist, but ended up making indelible global imprints in the field of accounting. He remains the torchbearer in accounting for Tiv nation.
As the Tiv nation, Benue, Northern Nigeria and indeed, the entire country roll out drums to celebrate Kighir’s exceptional academic exploits; it is the fervent prayers of all that may the Almighty God continue to soar his wings in the quest to assist in the expansion of knowledge for humanity.
*Kubeka is an Abuja-based investigative journalist and publisher. [myad]
Husband of the embattled Diezani, the former minister of Petroleum resources, retired Rear Admiral Alison Amaechina Madueke was arrested today and released after being question over the alleged laundering of $600,000. Mr. Madueke was arrested this morning by officers of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in Abuja for illegally laundering the money through his personal accounts. The source hinted however that Madueke was released on administrative bail but that the Commission seized his passport and placed him under caution. This is the latest development in an ongoing global investigation into the financial activity of the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Maduke, who was arrested last year in London for financial crimes.
Madueke was at the helm of the petroleum industry in Nigeria during a time of unprecedented theft, according to analysts. [myad]
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice Abubakar Malami has accused the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I.A. Umezulike of alleged misconduct and asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate him.
In a letter with Ref No: HAGF/ENUGU/2000/I and dated 4th February, 2016, the minister also directed the Inspector General of Police to investigate the conduct of Justice Umezulike and one Mr. Vincent Aneke, the Director of Litigation at the Enugu State High Court over allegation that they both altered a court judgment and order in Suit No. E/170/76 dated the 25th June, 1985.
The letter which is signed by the Special Assistant to the minister, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, also directed the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Vincent Aneke for corruption and abuse of office.
The minister’s letter was sequel to a petition to him by a lawyer, Mr. Peter Eze.
The petition dated November 25, 2015 complained of forgery and corrupt practices against the Enugu Chief Judge and the Director of Litigation.
The petition reads in part: “On 25th June 1985, Justice P. K. Nwokedi, the Chief Judge of Anambra State (who later became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria) delivered a judgment in Suit No. E/170/76: Nnaji & Ors. V. Nwugwu Ors. The judgment awarded the Plaintiffs, the Umunneshi Family of Umunaji Ngene, Amechi Uwani, title to a parcel of land known as and called “Agbirigba Umu-Nensi”. [myad]
Daredevil kidnappers, today stormed the sleepy community of Otuoke, the country home of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and successfully abducted his first cousin and foster father, Chief Inengite Nitabai, the second time in three years.
The 72-year-old Nitabai, a prominent chief of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, was whisked away through the Otuoke creek from his residence at about 3.30am by seven heavily armed men.
Although a detachment of men of the Nigerian Army are stationed in the former president’s home, but it was gathered that the gunmen gained access into the old man’s residence which is on the bank of the creek.
Security sources said that the ease at which the men made good their escape suggested that they might have come in a 200 horse power boat engine which was recently banned by the state government.
The victim’s residence is located some 300 metres from a military checkpoint close to the Otuoke bridge, off the Onuebum-Otuoke Road where the former president’s home is located.
Nitabai is described as the head of the compound from where the former president hails.
It was learnt that the septuagenarian, though cousin to the former President, had been acting as father figure to Jonathan since the death of his (Jonathan’s) biological father.
Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, has since confirmed the abduction. [myad]
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, an Egyptian diplomat who led the United Nations in a chaotic 1990s tenure that began with hopes for peace after the Cold War, but failed to cope with genocide in Rwanda and Bosnia and ended in angry recriminations with Washington, died today in an Egyptian hospital. He was 93.
His death was confirmed by the office of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Mr. Ban later made a brief appearance before reporters at the United Nations, calling Mr. Boutros-Ghali “a memorable leader who rendered invaluable services to world peace and international order.”
The website of Al Ahram, Egypt’s state-owned newspaper, said Mr. Boutros-Ghali died Tuesday in a hospital in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, where he had been admitted a few days earlier with a broken leg. He and his wife, Leia Maria Boutros-Ghali, had no children, Egyptian diplomats said.
A generation before violent protests boiled over in Cairo in 2011, Mr. Boutros-Ghali was a keystone of Egypt’s old guard diplomacy, a senior minister to President Hosni Mubarak and to his slain predecessor, Anwar el-Sadat. He seemed to meet the tests of character and experience when, in 1992, he became the sixth secretary general of the United Nations, the first African and the first Arab to hold the post. [myad]
The National caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governors elected on the platform of the party, have finally picked the former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff as the party’s national chairman.
Modu Sheriff, who is replacing Ahmadu Mu’azu, the former chairman who resigned shortly after the 2015 general elections, has been a controversial figure amid allegations he funded and sponsored the extremist sect, Boko Haram which he had since denied.
The spokesperson for PDP, Olisa Metuh, who addressed news men today at the Abuja’s Wadata plaza secretariat of the party, said that all organs of the party, including, the national caucus, PDP governors’ forum and the national assembly caucuses agreed on the choice of Modu Sheriff, who is also a former senator.
Metuh said that the decision would be communicated to the Board of Trustees and subsequently, the National Executive Committee, NEC, for ratification before a formal announcement would be made. [myad]
Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has described the new Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II as representing a new generation of Nigeria through his outreach efforts setting a new standard and leadership style. Osinbajo, who received the Ooni in his office today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja recommended to leaders in different areas of the Nigerian nation new kind of leadership that builds bridges, keeps in touch with the people while offering a new way of thinking. “Some of what we have seen Kabiyesi’ do, some of those steps he has taken, handshakes across prejudices, across traditional boundaries, a visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, and several other such important steps are not just symbolic. It is important to understand that they also have very deep implications for future relationships and for the way that our generation is perceived and also implications in the way that our country eventually shapes up.” Professor Osinbajo said leaders have to be accountable to the people adding: “one of the very important attributes of the Kabiyesi is the fact that he represents a new way of thinking, which is not just a generational way of thinking. it is a whole new concept in the way we relate to power and authority.” He said that this new way of thinking and style which the new Ooni represents is not just about traditional leadership, but it is something that relates to leadership at every level. He commended the new king for his great insight and leadership attributes, even as he prayed that Almighty God will enable him fulfill the purpose of his enthronement. The Vice President said: “I think that he (the Ooni) is one of those who have thought it fit to begin to express himself in a completely different way from what we had seen in the past. I think that one of the key things that we have learnt from leadership and one of the key leadership skills that he has taught, that his approach has taught us, is that you have to make contacts even with people and with authorities who in the past may have been considered adverse or adversaries one way or the other.” Professor Osinbajo praised the Ooni for his connection with young people and commended his embrace of modern communication. He observed that these are indications that a new generation had taken over, adding that by addressing the concerns of the young people who constitute a very substantial portion of the nation’s population, the Ooni has demonstrated the understanding that it is not just about demographics but about the future of the country. In his remarks, Oba Ogunwusi who described the Vice President as amiable, said that he had been warmly received by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President “to talk progressively about what we can do from the traditional aspect because we monarchs are much closer to the people. He added that he has also discussed about community relations, community development and “how we can properly bridge the gap.” He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the leaders, adding: “they have very good plan for us, very positive plans. If we can be patient we will all benefit from their lofty programmes’’ The Vice President also received a delegation from the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers, NALT, led by its president, Dr. Abdulkarim Kana. Professor Osinbajo, himself a law teacher, expressed delight at the courtesy visit and wondered what his life trajectory would have been if he had not become a professor of law. Recalling how difficult legal research had been in the past, he cited an instance when it took him six weeks to get an authority and other details of a particular case in the high court in the early 80s. According to him, things have since become better now, with improved technology-aided tools that are available. He encouraged the members of the delegation and the association made up of law professors, and lecturers drawn from about four generations of law teachers to welcome practicing lawyers as university teachers. “We should be open to those kind of interaction, great universities of the world allow for such interactions,” according to the Vice President. The leader of the delegation, Dr. Kana who told the Vice President: “I have brought your constituency to you,” described the Vice President as “one of our very best.” He said the success of the Buhari administration is the success of Nigeria and pledged the support of the association. Other notable university teachers that formed part of the delegation included Prof. Ademola Popoola, Prof. Chioma Kanu Agomo, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, Prof. Maxwell Gidado, SAN, and Prof. Festus Emiri among others. [myad]
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.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Chief Raymond Dokpesi, former Chairman, DAAR Communications Plc, before Justice Tsoho, of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud and breach of public trust to the tune of N2.1 billion.
Buhari Seeks Deeper Middle-East Ties, Support for North-East Reconstruction, By Garba Shehu
With the urgent task of resettling the more than two million refugees, mostly women and children on his mind, and at hand, the more urgent one of rebuilding damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges, clinics, schools as a requirement for their return to their communities, President Buhari leaves for the Middle-East on a wee tour of three friendly countries.
Why Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar?
President Buhari is on schedule to attend the “Africa 2016: Business for Africa, Egypt and the world” from the 20th – 21st of February in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
The organizers say the primary objective of the Forum is to accelerate private sector engagement and investment within Africa. It is also to help develop new ties and partnerships, and to highlight the African opportunity. This meeting is seen as the African international business forum to attend for those concerned with doing serious business in Africa, “the world’s last investment frontier. Indeed, Africa 2016 will provide the platform needed for public and private sectors to network, discuss, and further advance African business.”
My interlocutors suggest that Egypt used to be one the closest countries to Nigeria on the continent. The region had been ignored by the previous government.
This visit marks the first substantive engagement between the two African giants. The President’s visit should hopefully build on the ashes of the old relationship and pave the way for transformed ties.
Why would the President not send a delegate, say a Minister to represent him?
In today’s compacted, globalist world diplomacy has become more personal. Leaders everywhere are on the move.
Just a few days ago, our President was with the British Prime Minister David Cameron who hosted a meeting on Syria.
The next day, while the three dozen or so foreign leaders he called to this meeting were still in the United Kingdom, Cameron left for Poland and thereafter, Germany.
In 2015, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited 29 countries on five continents.
Leaders are on the move because they don’t have the luxury of time in dealing with matters of importance at most of the times. A minister can meet foreign leaders on behalf of his nation, but his final answer would say, at best, “You will hear from us after I make my report.”
The President of a country is the final authority on any issue in international relations. A presidential visit is the highest track of diplomacy. Nothing can be more authoritative than hearing from the Head of State.
Equally important is the need for Nigeria to assert her relevance in global affairs.
We all recall with nostalgia the days of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed as the military Head of State.
Murtala made Nigeria to be heard and known all over the world as a no-nonsense, progressive, principled and confident nation and this paid off very well for both the citizens and the state. This remained the case until the decline set in some years after his demise.
The country has started well under President Muhammadu Buhari.
What does Nigeria seek to gain in the Middle-East?
The first thing on President Buhari’s engagement in Egypt is business, then followed by the issue of security. Terrorism is a serious issue for Egypt and it has become an urgent issue for Nigeria, to be dealt with before it gets even bigger. Egypt is perpetually a crisis state, if one can describe them as such. This has given them decades of hands-on experience dealing with extremism and terrorism. The President will talk to them on counter-terrorism.
It has become increasingly clear that the problem of terrorism is cross border and its solutions must equally be cross border. It requires cooperation with other countries.
Right now Nigeria’s priorities, and they must necessarily be so, are internal and basically, a tripod of three issues as identified by President Buhari’s election campaign: security, economy and corruption . This country needs peace and stability. Without these, there cannot be investment and development. Although as many will argue, these priorities are domestic, it is not difficult to see that there is an external impact or impetus to be dealt with the help and support of other nations.
Egypt has equally got a relatively developed military-industrial complex.
Not long ago, President Buhari bemoaned the situation in which Nigeria bought nearly every item on its inventory list of weapons and ammunition. This is a very awkward situation, posing a real threat to the security and defence of Nigeria.
In the light of this, he has been thinking in terms of upgrading the facilities at the Defence Industries Corporation, DIC in Kaduna, to move the country in the direction of self-sufficiency in personal weapons and other basic armaments.
There is also significant room for improvement of infrastructure and trade between the two states.
Let us talk about Nigeria-Saudi Arabian relationship and hopefully, provide a context to the visit to the Kingdom. Recently, the President had a high level visit to the United Arab Emirates. The visit was a thumping success, in the course of which he covered a broad range of issues. The reconstruction of infrastructure and the resettlement of internally displaced persons in the North-East was one of the topics. Assuming all things are equal, the one big difference that the Saudis will make is that their government, less constrained by shortage of resources would unleash a massive infrastructure plan for the damaged parts of North-Eastern Nigeria. That in itself will make a significant difference to the lives of the more than two million homeless Nigerians, sixty to seventy percent of whom are women and children.
Given the large muslim population of Nigeria, warranting the second largest delegation to the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, Nigeria has had a significant but hardly beneficial relations with the Saudi Kingdom.
Beside the many Nigerians who go on pilgrimage to the country, we share a lot with them in the fact that we have our economies dominated by oil.
When they meet, President Buhari will make the Saudis see the problems of the world oil market from the point of view of Nigeria.
As Iran begins its march back to normalcy following the lifting of economic sanctions related to its nuclear program imposed by the US, EU and the UN, the volatile world oil market has taken a turn for the worse on fear of increased supplies. This has come with severe consequences for countries like Nigeria and Venezuela. Saudi and Russian competition for the domination of the market has in part been blamed for the collapse of the World oil market.
These big producers must understand the current situation of countries like Nigeria if any action will be taken to prevent a further fall in the oil market.
Many in our diplomatic strategy section see this as a low-hanging fruit which we failed to pluck due to our own fault.
While the President is a strong believer in home-grown solutions to our domestic problems, he is not one to ignore a helping hand voluntarily offered by willing, friendly states.
He recognizes that we are a country of youth, considering that 60-65 percent of our population is formed by them.
As he keeps saying, the joblessness of the youth is the next most volatile threat to the nation after Boko Haram. Our young people need jobs. The government is already overstretched and our private sector cannot be burdened more than necessary so we need foreign companies to come in to create the job opportunities.
In addition, the country is in need of investments in agriculture, power, solid minerals and other infrastructure. We don’t have the money to do all these in view of the fall of oil prices.
While it is a fact that a lot of countries spend enormous amounts in charitable giving, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE rise above many others. The North-East must be put on their radar.The President has been keen always to draw the attention of the world to the massive effort required to restore damaged infrastructure and resettle the two million IDPs in the North-East. It will not therefore be out of place for him to seek the help of the friendly Middle-Eastern countries.
Today, a great deal of our resources is spent on war against terrorism. If we close this chapter by ending the insurgency, needed resources will be freed for national development programs.
More than any other gain, Nigeria would hope to establish enduring agreements with the three countries to facilitate the exchange of needed intelligence on extremist movements and terrorism. This could be helpful in discovering the origin and sources of continuing inflow of resources to terrorists in the Lake Chad Basin area despite what many say is a formidable blockade around the Sambisa forest in which the terrorist are holed up.
Going to Qatar straight from Saudi Arabia would seem like a natural progression in terms of the pursuit of our national objectives in the Middle-East.
In addition to everything else, this country is reputed to be a big player in the Islamic Development Bank, IDB which should hopefully join the World Bank in voting a significant amount of money for the reconstruction of the North-East. The World Bank has already committed itself to spending USD 2.1 billion to rebuilding the region.
Qatar which made advances in the development of solar power and other renewable sources of energy may, in addition to keying into the reconstruction of the North-East also be persuaded to make investment of a serious nature in this country’s power sector.
As is usual with President Buhari, his visits abroad are not like a citizen’s vacation abroad. All his visits are according to plans taking into consideration advice from officials in the defence, foreign affairs, trade and investment departments of government.
Typically, these visits are marked by back-breaking schedules from start to finish.
In the Middle-East as in other regions he has visited, the aim is to project a respected and well-placed Nigeria; a country of good people under a good leadership in the hope of attracting foreign investment which in turn leads to economic development and job creation which then lead to improved life-styles, security of life and property, better infrastructure and better services for the benefit of the citizens.
Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari. [myad]