A frontline Yoruba leader and former top Nigeria military officer, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd) has described the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the pan social-cultural Yoruba group, Afenifere, as disgraceful, self-serving and an embarrassment to every Yoruba living or dead. “if this old men that are shouting marginalization few months ago, can sit today to endorse the same man that is marginalizing them, then their brains need medical examination.” He said that the emergence of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as APC vice presidential candidate,(an in-law to Chief Obafemi Awolowo family) is enough to unite Yoruba to work for a common interest. He described the endorsement of Jonathan, against the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket as a serious disservice to the Yoruba race. “How can this people be speaking for Yoruba, when they abandon their own son to celebrate a man that see them as nothing for complete four years. He continue to deceive them with implementation of National Conference, as if that is where our future lies” Aknrinade asked Yoruba youths to take their destiny in their hands, as the old men are not good role models. He described them as a group of sadist working assiduously against Yoruba interest because of their hatred for a single man. He advised members of Afenifere to use their last days wisely since they will be answerable to God Almighty who created them one day. [myad]
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for responding to my invitation. In the course of asking Governor Fashola to set up this meeting, two things occurred to me. The first is that I told him that I meant business by getting Nigeria’s economy back on its feet. This is why the caption of this meeting is: “GMB Means Business.” Number two, he told me that he meets with you every six months to listen to your problems and provide solutions within the following six months. This is a wonderful idea because Government cannot know in detail business developments as they occur because it is too immersed in various other aspects of Government. A periodic and regular series of meetings is something I will encourage if you elect me as your next President so that our Government can hear from you at firsthand what we should or should not do to advance business interests. This will be our approach to growing the economy, creating jobs and restoring the dignity of labour among Nigerians. I will however start by sharing with you, a summary of the economic plans highlighted in our manifesto. As practical as it is possible to do so, our policies for implementing our commitments will be governed by the highest consideration of how they create jobs. Equipping and resourcing our security personnel, for example, will not be limited to provision of arms alone, but uniforms, boots and accoutrements, are enormous opportunities for textile production, garment making and shoemaking. Power supply is the minimum that we can seriously commit to in order to quickly galvanise the economy back to productivity. We agree with the privatization of the power utilities but we believe it must go further to transmission. After the signing and handing-over ceremonies of the power assets the real work of producing, transmitting and distributing power is really just beginning. The reason why the success seems elusive is that apart from the signing ceremony and handing over of the power assets, the hard work to connect the various parts of the power chain, supply gas, install transformers, complete substations has not been done. Our studies show that we will require no less than 200,000 trained personnel to support the initiative to provide power and light up Nigeria. Apart from the inherent direct employment that this will give, the reduction in cost of production, the savings from self-generation by Nigerians, who currently spend a lot of their income on purchase of diesel and petrol to generate their own electricity, will reduce the burden on their disposable income. These savings to Nigerians from reliable electricity will help the average Nigerian spend their money on other basic necessities of life and reduce poverty. There is already an initiative to build a refinery in Lagos. Our Government will fully support this initiative because a local refinery means many things such as:- a. Jobs locally at a Nigerian refinery instead of refineries abroad; b. Local fuel supply and National security; c. Reduced importation, less demand for foreign exchange and strengthening of the Naira Other areas of infrastructure investment is roads and highway construction from one end of Nigeria to the other. We will concentrate on the roads and highways that link up Nigerian states, while state Governments will be expected to connect their states to these highways by building the last mile connections. Road construction alone will unlock a value chain of opportunities in the built industry for construction companies, builders, engineers, architects, quarry operators, cement and iron rod production and supply. The successful opening up of Nigeria by the construction of new roads and highways will revive road transportation, truck manufacture, tyre manufacture, engine oil, brake pad production on one hand. It will also create a demand for jobs for mechanics, drivers and those engaged in transport support business. We expect a revival of all the inter-state economies that used to thrive across Nigeria, providing support to travellers by way of canteens, restaurants, farm produce, etc. This is a summary of how we intend to revive the economy. But I know that there are views you have about what will help and what will not. So, apart from sharing our plans with you, the other purpose of this meeting is to afford me the opportunity to listen to you. To hear your own side of the problems. We shall collate your views and proposals in policy formation. I wish to invite you to sit with my economic team to look at our proposals and develop workable policies and implementation options. In particular we would like, in consultation with you to explore options of reducing taxes and customs duties without too much disruption to Government finances and private sector business plans. Before I yield the floor to you, I wish to say a few more words about our manifesto and our campaign message. The manifesto of the APC is the product of a survey that took over 6 months to develop. We spoke to over 20,000 Nigerians across the 36 states and the FCT. The questionnaires we issued to them and the interviews we conducted showed overwhelmingly that; Insecurity, Corruption and the Economy were the biggest worries among the electorate. This is why I have been talking about Insecurity and Corruption on the one hand; and Mining, Agriculture, Infrastructure and Jobs on the economic side. They are so inter-connected and the Nigerian people are right in their identification of these problems. We cannot build an economy in an insecure environment. We cannot build an economy when the playing field is not level. We cannot build an economy where corruption is the working capital. Corruption affects our ability to secure ourselves, and it also undermines the performance of the economy. Let me share some figures with you to demonstrate what I mean. This current Government is being challenged to account for an estimated $20 Billion and the whole country is awaiting a report of a forensic audit. $20 Billion at N210 to $1.00 is equal to N4.2 Trillion- nearly a year’s federal budget. If it is true that this sum cannot be accounted for, this is grossest form of corruption. Just think at N5 Million per vehicle, this money would have bought 840,000 patrol vehicles (This would have improved security in every town and village in the country). At N13.5 Million for a high capacity bus this money would have bought 311,000 buses (This would have revolutionised the transport and production side of the economy). From information at my disposal, Lekki Bridge in Lagos cost N29 Billion to construct. N4.2 Trillion would have built 145 Lekki bridges (This would have revolutionised Transport, Infrastructure, Construction, Employment in the economy). If the average cost of generating 1 (ONE) Mega-Watt of power is about US $1.5 Million (excluding gas and distribution costs), $20 Billion would have bought us over 13,333 Mega-Watts of power. What a difference that would make up and down the country. If you also factor the N2.2 Trillion spent on subsidising fuel import which became a huge scandal, you may then understand why our manifesto focuses on the issues of security, corruption and the economy. We are too vulnerable as a nation at this moment if we have to import fuel to move our planes, our tanks and our men. We are too vulnerable as you can see that we also have to import arms. We are vulnerable because our troops also depend on imported food. We cannot continue like this. Thank you for listening, I will now like to listen to the problems and your proposals, from your own experience as industrialists and business executives. [myad] Being the speech delivered by the Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), at a meeting with the organized private sector, hosted by Governor Fashola (SAN).
Nigerian health workers under the umbrella of Joint Health Sector Unions, (JOHESU), have suspended their three-month old nation-wide strike to press home their various demands. The strike was suspended following a joint meeting President Goodluck Jonathan held with the Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association (AHPA) on Sunday 1st February, during which time he gave strong commitment and assurances that all their demands would be met. The demands include implementation of Court Judgement and agreement the union signed with the government. Another one, which the President promised to implement is the issue of salary adjustment even as he also promised to ensure that the white paper that will be generated from Yayale Ahmeds committee report is released. The Yayale report is presently undergoing the process of white paper formation and it is expected to bring harmony and peace in the health sector The health workers have been on strike since November 2014, and, as a result of the suspension of the strike, were expected to have returned to work today. Since the strike began, medical doctors have been running the affairs of government hospitals in Nigeria without help from nurses, laboratory scientists and other workers. The health workers had also among other actions, conducted a prayer and fasting session asking God to touch the hearts of the people in government to meet their demands. The union members were aggrieved that promises made by the Nigerian government that within three weeks, positive steps would be taken for members of the executive to see President Jonathan about the adjustment of CONHESS salary and other issues were not kept. Minister of Health, Khaliru Alhasssan, who also spoke, said it was important to forget all the bickerings that have happened in the between the JOHESU members and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), where some doctors were said to be attacked by health workers at Gwarimpa General hospital. “Negative things that have happened have happened. Let the bygones be bygones,” Alhassan said. Also, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has issued a Circular, dated 2nd February 2015, asking members to resume work today. The circular was addressed to the President, other NAC Members, all NEC Members and all specialist groups. The circular, signed by the General Secretary of the association, Yusuf Badmus, showed the union’s appreciation for members’ support during the strike and the support they gave to “the course of our noble profession.” He said that the leadership is expected that members would return to work with the spirit of dedication to their work “more than ever.” [myad]
Former chairman of State House Press Corps (SHPC), an association of Journalists attached to the Presidency, Mr. Daniel Ovwigho Idonor is dead. His death was announced today by his close professional associate, Mr. Horatuis Egua. Egua, in a statement, said Mr. Daniel Idonor died at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital, Abuja yesterday, at the age of 45 after a protracted illness, though the type of illness was not disclosed. Idonor who was until his death co-publisher and Executive Editor of Frontier News, one of the frontline online media, published by Frontiers Alliance Communications Limited was survived by a wife and four children. A devoted Christian, late Idonor was a Deacon at the Living Faith Ministry, Abuja, Mr. Idonor. Late Idonor started his journalism career at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Bauchi, and at different times, worked for Champion and Vanguard Newspapers respectively before he ventured into online publishing. He was a top contender for the House of Representatives primary election in his Ughelli-Udu Federal Constituency, in Delta State under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the current political dispensation. The party leader later convinced him to withdraw from the race early December 2014. Idonor was an active member of Urhobo nation, a loving father to his children, a good ally of his colleagues. He instituted a programme for the award of scholarship to numerous students from his community. The management of Greenbarge Media and Communications Limited, publisher of Greenbarge Reporters, heartily condole with family, friends, colleagues and associates of this indefatigable, go-getting and forward-looking Journalist/Editor and wishes his soul a rest in the bosom of the Lord. [myad]
Nigerian Citizens under the aegis of Nigerians in the Diaspora UK, an umbrella group of several partisan and non-partisan groups have endorsed the candidacy of General Mohammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), for the presidency in the forthcoming election. This was contained in the communiqué of at least eight groups who jointly hosted the representative of General Buhari, Hon. Farouk Adamu Aliyu, to a well-attended and educative Interactive Evening in London on Monday 26th January 2015. BUHARI SUPPORT ORGANISATION DIASPORA UK, an umbrella group of several Muhammadu Buhari supporters harmonized the entire process that led to the endorsement. The groups endorsed General Buhari, noting that he is better positioned to tackle the urgent needs of insecurity and corruption in the country. The groups frowned at the level of abuse of office for the past six years President Goodluck Jonathan has been in office. For example, the non-rescue of the Chibok school girls, the level of poverty in the country unemployment and the lack of equipping of our military to fight insurgency. The groups who came together to establish a united Nigerian front for the General are: Hope 2015 Movement, Buhari Diaspora Organisation, Buhari Friends Organisation Network, Progressives Solidarity Forum, Buhari Vendors, General Muhammadu Buhari Grassroots Mobilisation and the Diaspora For Buhari Project. Chairman of the event, Chief Wale Kalejaiye welcomed the guest of honour, Hon. Farouk Aliyu to London, special guests, amongst who are His Worshipful Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Adedamola Aminu; Chief (Dr) Ibrahim Emokpaire (Secretary APC-UK); Hon Odaro Omorege; Alhaji Abdulkadir Maikudi; Dr Dapo Oshun-Williams; Mrs Jana Shodiya (Ayaba); Mr Rasheed Taiwo; Mr Charles Emuko-Whate; Chief (Mrs) Uche Mill; Air Vice Marshall (Rtd) Funsho Martin (Patron, Hope Movement) amongst others. Hon. Farouk Aliyu introduced himself and apologised on behalf of General Buhari, explaining that the schedule of the election campaign in Nigeria put a constraint on the travel plans of the General, who has now had to shelve plans to travel to the Vatican, the US and the UK before the election on 14 February. However, Buhari sent his goodwill messages and warm wishes to his supporters in the UK and the Diaspora in general. He assured Nigerians of the right CHANGE and that he and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, a dedicated, loyal, focused, knowledgeable, true and patriotic Nigerian, are committed to doing their utmost to ensure Nigeria is turned around. He assured the enthusiastic audience that the General Muhammadu Buhari/Professor Yemi Osinbajo (GMB/PYO) group, as well as the party itself have identified the problems and the real issues affecting the people of Nigeria and are working towards readiness to tackle them once they get into power. Hon. Aliyu talked about issues and how GMB/PYO are planning to tackle them: corruption, education, insecurity of life and property from Boko Haram, failure of the PDP to turn the country around in 16 years of being in power, etc He further said that they do not want any violence or bloodshed and that the GBM/PYO will concede and accept defeat if the elections are free and fair. They will only go to court if they know a lot of rigging has occurred to put the PDP government back in power. He assured the audience that all the negative perceptions of Buhari – religious fanatic who is against Christians, Fulani hegemony who believes in “born-to-rule”, rigid, certificate, etc., have been debunked already in Nigeria and around the world and would not serve the PDP well to continue to dish out falsehood and slander. Chief Wale Kalejaiye, in his response said there are more than 2 million Nigerians in the UK alone and about 14 million worldwide. He assured GMB/PYO of the Diaspora’s highest esteem, and promises to continue to work for them to win the election, as well as to provide support even after the election to ensure Nigeria changes for good. He said most Nigerians in the Diaspora believe that the GMB/PYO is a good combination and ideal candidates for Nigeria’s emancipation and redemption. The Mayor of Lambeth also took this opportunity to applaud General Buhari’s leadership, and emphasised that political manifestoes are just pieces of papers unless the contents are implemented, not only nationally, but down to the states and local government levels so that all the levels of government are working at the same level of understanding and in tandem to develop the country. Only when this is done will a manifesto be considered effective and implemented. He also called on GMB/PYO never to forget Nigerians in Diaspora and their achievements in various areas of human endeavour all over the world. He pointed out the amount in billions of Dollars and Pounds Sterling that Nigerians repatriate home every year, which is more than the entire budget of several states in Nigeria. Nigerians abroad are assets to Nigeria and must be recognised and exploited by any responsible government that wishes to do well for its citizens. He urged Brain Gain instead of Brain Drain, and assured all that Nigerians abroad are always ready to contribute to and serve their country if sincerely given the chance and the enabling environment. He also called on the GMB/PYO to ensure that Nigerians in Diaspora are able to vote before the next election in 2019. There then follows a very robust, educative and penetrating, well-informed interactive session of questions and answers from the mostly professional Nigerians ranging from diaspora voting, job creation, women inclusion and empowerment, care for the disabled, prevention of rigging, the contentious PVC, how will the new government source money for its proposed programmes on job creation, healthcare improvement, transportation and roads rehabilitation, improving communication, boosting agriculture, uplifting education, creating social welfare, and many other issues of importance and concern to Nigerians. Hon Aliyu was very much up to the task and responded to the highly penetrating and interrogative questions expertly and with great knowledge and sincerity, putting his reputation and that of GMB/PYO on the line, and even giving the audience his personal phone numbers and email addresses. And the answers left many in the audience satisfied and assured that Nigeria is on the way to greatness, if and when GMB/PYO assume the peoples’ mandate, come 29 May 2015. Later in the evening, Chief Kalejaiye on behalf of all the groups presented 2 laptop computers to aid the collation of results as well as other logistics. He explained that apart from the donated laptops, 5 laptops have already been delivered to the GMB/PYO campaign efforts in Nigeria and assured that more funding, laptops and other equipment are forthcoming before the elections. The night ended with the launching of a “Phone a Relative for Buhari/Osinbajo” campaign. It was very colourful as Hon Farouk Adamu Aliyu flagged off the launch when he cut the ribbons and placed a live random call to a voter in Nigeria, urging him to vote for Buhari/Osinbajo in the next presidential election taking place in February 14. The receiver of the call responded in excitement that his entire family will be voting for Change on the Election Day but equally urged all Nigerians to do the same. [myad]
A court in Texas, the United States of America has sentenced a 44 year old Nigerian woman, Vivian Yusuf to more than seven years imprisonment for her role in a nearly $10 million Medicare billing scam in Texas.
Vivia who is a former resident of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, pleaded guilty last September to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
She operated a medical supply company associated with Aghaegbuna “Ike” Odelugo of Sugar Land, who ran the business from a cellphone store.
Investigators say Yusuf formerly owned Ivy Health Care Supply in Houston and had been a fugitive since 2011. She was arrested last June at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
Odelugo, her partner, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering and in 2012 was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to repay $9.9 million. [myad]
Over 1000 athletes from 26 states and athletics clubs across Nigeria have entered for the 2015 Dr. D K Olukoya Athletics Championships slated for Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos this weekend.
The 2015 edition of the Championships will serve as trial for the Africa Youth Athletics Championships in Mauritius , April 23-26, 2015 and the IAAF World Youth Champions in Cali , Columbia from July 15-19, 2015.
The Meet Manager of the championships, Yussuf Alli, said entry for the championships would close at 12 noon tomorrow, February 3, 2015,
“We shall not entertain any late entry and we will not allow any state or athletics club to submit entry at the venue.”
Alli a former captain of Team Nigeria, who still holds the national record 8.37m in long jump, set at Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games, expects tough competition from junior athletes from Kwara, Delta and Cross River.
“These states has been consistent in producing young athletes in the last few years, I expect athletes from the states to dominate the sprints, jumps, quarter-mile and hurdles.
Alli urged others states to emulate these states.‘’ “The National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) cannot do it alone, during our time, the states, local governments and schools were active in sports, so the NSC and AFN then concentrated on the elite athletes, but today most the states no longer produce athletes, we urged to return to grassroots and start discovering talents for NSC and AFN to nurture to world class athletes.” [myad]
Femi Fani-Kayode likes to believe he is the “stormy petrel” of today’s politics in Nigeria; but he is not. Femi Fani-Kayode. The PDP has lost it – I mean any sense of decency – that is if they ever had it. A party claiming to hold certain values and ethos cannot be behaving in the manner the party, its presidential candidate and its presidential campaign committee are behaving. The character traits they have been exhibiting since the day General Muhammadu Buhari won the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election is no better than any unlettered, uncultured, uncouth and primitive inhabitants of rodent infested creeks. I hasten to beg the ready to excuse my language and choice of words but if the reader can tolerate the barbaric, nihilistic behaviour of the PDP, I beg him to forgive my decision to descend into the gutter and meet the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode and Dan Ulasi in their habitat.
I really pity Femi Fani-Kayode. I pity him for a lot of reasons, but mainly for his inability to be ashamed of somersaults and I also fear for him that he may not have a relapse of his well documented “psychological breakdown.” The man is truly an animal without shame. But my heart goes out to those Nigerians who listen to and then go ahead to quote Fani-Kayode. I thought it is only a Jonathan Goodluck or Namadi(na) Sambo, who for lack of a better thing to do listen to Fani-Kayode. This is a man who was once committed to a mental institution in Ghana, now the lead spokesman of our president. Does this not tell you about the character and comportment of our president?
With Reuben Abati pretending to be urbane and Doyin Okupe struggling between blaspheming Jesus Christ (AS) and identifying himself a bastard, a certified schizophrenic was drafted to be the president’s chief attack dog. A man without scruples or sense of decency is our president’s trusted mouthpiece. Knowing the well documented mental instability of Fani-Kayode, I have hesitated to join issues with him in the past, but I must do so now because I believe the man is overstepping the bounds of sanity and may ultimately drag so many of our undiscerning into his world. I have never taken Fani-Kayode serious because I am of the opinion that taking him serious may mean joining him in his loony world. Here is a man who vacillates between fantasy and reality so often that he lives more in the fantasy world than in the real world; a man who could easily change his mind on strategic issues and so frequently without batting an eye, yet is today at the forefront of the Jonathan campaign organisation as its spokesman.
Femi Fani-Kayode likes to believe he is the “stormy petrel” of today’s politics in Nigeria; but he is not. He is just another political jobber, permanently looking for relevance and pocket change. This is a man who proudly “kissed and told” on his relationship with Bianca Onoh, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain. Flaunting his immorality is not enough for him but he has now taken the job of denigrating perceived enemies of Goodluck, insulting the president’s ‘betters’ and behaving like a “motor park tout” that he is, in the words of his principal. Fani-Kayode did it before – he was Obasanjo’s chief attack dog during the former president’s second term. This was after Fani-Kayode castigated the Ota farmer endlessly as if Obasanjo was his only vocation.
Dan Ulasi, a former (?) Anambra State Chairman of the PDP is pushing to the frontline of Jonathan’s hate merchants to be recognised. It appears he want to outdo Fani-Kayode at being the chief foul mouth of the PDP. Having lost out in the power struggle in the vampire-invested PDP, the man is pushing hard to be counted. To so be recognised in their world of negativism, he is ready to disturb the dead by telling lies and talking ill of the dead, something that is un African. All in his efforts to ingratiate himself to Jonathan.
What the two had in common is their ability to look Nigerians in the eye and tell them bedtime stories, which they know, are lies. They have thrown everything at General Buhari including the kitchen sink without him batting an eye. Much as I was pained by the blatant lies they bandy around, I consoled myself that the General and his party had the machinery to respond to the fabrications. What raised my dander about these two unsavoury goons is their reference to the late Salihijo Ahmad, a Director in Afri-Projects Consortium, the management Consultants to the defunct PTF. In their desperation to discredit Buhari on behalf of their principal, they were not loath to lie about the dead. While all the mud they threw at Buhari refused to stick, they have now exhumed a discredited phantom “report” which indicted Buhari about a missing N25billion from the PTF while he was the agency’s Chairman.
If the duo and the PDP are so sure of their facts, why don’t they invite Obasanjo, Haroun Adamu and his Interim Management Committee to come and tell Nigerians what they know about the “missing” billion? Afri-Projects Consortium, the consultancy firm purportedly indicted by the report is still around and willing to be suborned. It is noteworthy that the same Obasanjo made Mallam Murtala Aliyu, the current President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveying (NIQS), a Minister after the Haroun Adamu led IMC was sacked for corruption. I also know that Dr. Ochi Achinuvu, the Director of Programmes in the PTF during General Buhari’s watch became a Federal Permanent Secretary and is now a member of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign council. Another Director of the Firm, Amina J. Ibrahim headed the MDG office from where she now serve on the staff of the United Nations Secretary General as Special Adviser. So why the insinuations?
Knowing all the principal actors are alive, I wonder of what value dragging the name of the late Salihijo Ahmad will be to the electability or otherwise of their candidate. The attempt to introduce “mysterious death” or “suicide” by the late Salihijo is the height of irresponsibility. Desperation doesn’t mean madness, though I know Fani-Kayode has a history of madness, I can’t be certain of Ulasi. The late Salihijo Ahmad will be turning in his grave if he is to know that such characters are taking his name in vain. He wouldn’t have come anywhere near the Jonathan gang for all the money in the world because he was an epitome of uprightness and virtuousness. He doesn’t suffer fools nor related with the uncivilised. I am sure there are many people all over the country and across every known divide who will willingly come out to testify on the character of the late Salihijo. If it is a curse or a wish, just the like the death wish on Buhari by Fayose, I wish them the same.
The late Salihijo Ahmad was a deeply religious man and therefore the thought of committing suicide will not even cross his mind. For these misfits to impute either a “mysterious death” or “suicide” to him is unacceptable in every sense of the word. In Ulasi’s fables, the late Salihijo Ahmad and Buhari’s wife were from the same parents. For the benefit of the discerning, the late Salhijo Ahmad has no filial relationship in any form and neither Buhari nor Salihijo ever claimed so.
Nigerians should be aware, that what do Jonathan’s associates and ‘spokespersons’ exhibit during this campaign is what we should expect in the unlikely event that Jonathan wins the February 14th election. May God forbid that. Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Boyloaf, Namadi Sambo, Goodluck Jonathan, Olisa Metuh, Femi Fani-Kayode and Dan Ulasi. This is a preview of Jonathan’s cabinet. Birds of the same plumage… [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted that there are lapses in the Nigerian oil sector, even as he directed the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, to look into the Forensic Audit Report that was submitted to him today with a view to coming up with major findings to the government within the week.
President Jonathan, who received the Forensic Audit report on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) from the international auditing firm, Water House, at the Presidential Villa today, said that the report would help to address the lapses in the oil industry and help the administration to address the misconceptions in the industry.
“Everybody knows that the sector needs to be reformed and I believe that by the time we go through the petroleum industry bill and make it a law, most of these lapses would be corrected and the misconceptions will be properly addressed by the different administrative structures.
According to President Jonathan, the figures which many people have been branding in the newspapers are ones that Nigerians will be interested in.
He thanked the Audit Firm for what it had done, adding: “it will help us, it will help this country to set things right. We will handle it decisively based on the information that we have.
“Based on the preliminary information, Nigerians need not be so scared about the kind of stories that we hear.’’
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
President Jonathan observed that both chambers of the National Assembly had delved into the matter in the past; and that with the report, the issue of leakages in the petroleum industry would be laid to rest.
The president said that the kind of figures mentioned in the newspapers “looked so ridiculous,“ and that they were figures that he could not imagine the country earned.
“I am quite pleased that you have taken a forensic audit. I will give it to the professionals, the auditor-general of the federation, so that within the week we will get the key findings,” the president said.
He described the report as “a precious document’’ which could be used as future reference material to improve operations in the oil industry and for academic purposes.
Senior Partner of the consultants, Mr. Uyi Akpata, who submitted the report, said the group was privileged to be nominated for the auditing assignment, adding that the firm expected that government would find the report useful in the reforms in the petroleum sector.
The report was carried out by the Water House, following reports of the controversy of leakages in the petroleum ministry. [myad]
An Egyptian court has confirmed death sentences on 183 supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood on charges of killing police officers, as authorities continued a crackdown on opponents.
The men were convicted of playing a role in the killings of policemen in the town of Kardasa in August 2013, during the upheaval that followed the army’s toppling of Egypt’s former President Mohamed Morsi.
In December last year, the court issued its preliminary verdict against 188 defendants in a mass trial, of which two were acquitted today while one was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Charges against another two defendants were dropped after the court discovered that they were dead.
Today’s verdict came after the initial sentences were sent to the grand mufti, the government’s official interpreter of Islamic law, for ratification.
The attack took place on the same day security forces violently dismantled two massive protest camps supporting Morsi in Cairo, killing hundreds of protesters in clashes.
The December verdict was the third mass death sentence of 2014, and was roundly condemned by rights groups.
“Mass death sentences are fast losing Egypt’s judiciary whatever reputation for independence it once had,” Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director for Human Rights Watch, said at the time.
“Instead of weighing the evidence against each person, judges are convicting defendants en masse without regard for fair trial standards,” she said.
In April 2014, Egyptians were shocked when a court passed down 683 death sentences in one trial.
In total, thousands of Brotherhood supporters have been arrested and put on mass trials in a campaign which human rights groups say shows the government is systematically repressing opponents.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who as army chief toppled Morsi, describes the Brotherhood as a major security threat.
The movement says it is committed to peaceful activism. [myad]
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I Mean Business For Nigeria, By General Muhammadu Buhari
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for responding to my invitation.
In the course of asking Governor Fashola to set up this meeting, two things occurred to me.
The first is that I told him that I meant business by getting Nigeria’s economy back on its feet.
This is why the caption of this meeting is: “GMB Means Business.”
Number two, he told me that he meets with you every six months to listen to your problems and provide solutions within the following six months.
This is a wonderful idea because Government cannot know in detail business developments as they occur because it is too immersed in various other aspects of Government.
A periodic and regular series of meetings is something I will encourage if you elect me as your next President so that our Government can hear from you at firsthand what we should or should not do to advance business interests.
This will be our approach to growing the economy, creating jobs and restoring the dignity of labour among Nigerians.
I will however start by sharing with you, a summary of the economic plans highlighted in our manifesto.
As practical as it is possible to do so, our policies for implementing our commitments will be governed by the highest consideration of how they create jobs.
Equipping and resourcing our security personnel, for example, will not be limited to provision of arms alone, but uniforms, boots and accoutrements, are enormous opportunities for textile production, garment making and shoemaking.
Power supply is the minimum that we can seriously commit to in order to quickly galvanise the economy back to productivity.
We agree with the privatization of the power utilities but we believe it must go further to transmission.
After the signing and handing-over ceremonies of the power assets the real work of producing, transmitting and distributing power is really just beginning.
The reason why the success seems elusive is that apart from the signing ceremony and handing over of the power assets, the hard work to connect the various parts of the power chain, supply gas, install transformers, complete substations has not been done.
Our studies show that we will require no less than 200,000 trained personnel to support the initiative to provide power and light up Nigeria.
Apart from the inherent direct employment that this will give, the reduction in cost of production, the savings from self-generation by Nigerians, who currently spend a lot of their income on purchase of diesel and petrol to generate their own electricity, will reduce the burden on their disposable income.
These savings to Nigerians from reliable electricity will help the average Nigerian spend their money on other basic necessities of life and reduce poverty.
There is already an initiative to build a refinery in Lagos. Our Government will fully support this initiative because a local refinery means many things such as:-
a. Jobs locally at a Nigerian refinery instead of refineries abroad;
b. Local fuel supply and National security;
c. Reduced importation, less demand for foreign exchange and strengthening of the Naira
Other areas of infrastructure investment is roads and highway construction from one end of Nigeria to the other.
We will concentrate on the roads and highways that link up Nigerian states, while state Governments will be expected to connect their states to these highways by building the last mile connections.
Road construction alone will unlock a value chain of opportunities in the built industry for construction companies, builders, engineers, architects, quarry operators, cement and iron rod production and supply.
The successful opening up of Nigeria by the construction of new roads and highways will revive road transportation, truck manufacture, tyre manufacture, engine oil, brake pad production on one hand.
It will also create a demand for jobs for mechanics, drivers and those engaged in transport support business.
We expect a revival of all the inter-state economies that used to thrive across Nigeria, providing support to travellers by way of canteens, restaurants, farm produce, etc.
This is a summary of how we intend to revive the economy. But I know that there are views you have about what will help and what will not.
So, apart from sharing our plans with you, the other purpose of this meeting is to afford me the opportunity to listen to you. To hear your own side of the problems. We shall collate your views and proposals in policy formation.
I wish to invite you to sit with my economic team to look at our proposals and develop workable policies and implementation options. In particular we would like, in consultation with you to explore options of reducing taxes and customs duties without too much disruption to Government finances and private sector business plans.
Before I yield the floor to you, I wish to say a few more words about our manifesto and our campaign message.
The manifesto of the APC is the product of a survey that took over 6 months to develop. We spoke to over 20,000 Nigerians across the 36 states and the FCT.
The questionnaires we issued to them and the interviews we conducted showed overwhelmingly that; Insecurity, Corruption and the Economy were the biggest worries among the electorate.
This is why I have been talking about Insecurity and Corruption on the one hand; and Mining, Agriculture, Infrastructure and Jobs on the economic side.
They are so inter-connected and the Nigerian people are right in their identification of these problems. We cannot build an economy in an insecure environment. We cannot build an economy when the playing field is not level. We cannot build an economy where corruption is the working capital.
Corruption affects our ability to secure ourselves, and it also undermines the performance of the economy.
Let me share some figures with you to demonstrate what I mean.
This current Government is being challenged to account for an estimated $20 Billion and the whole country is awaiting a report of a forensic audit.
$20 Billion at N210 to $1.00 is equal to N4.2 Trillion- nearly a year’s federal budget.
If it is true that this sum cannot be accounted for, this is grossest form of corruption. Just think at N5 Million per vehicle, this money would have bought 840,000 patrol vehicles (This would have improved security in every town and village in the country).
At N13.5 Million for a high capacity bus this money would have bought 311,000 buses (This would have revolutionised the transport and production side of the economy).
From information at my disposal, Lekki Bridge in Lagos cost N29 Billion to construct. N4.2 Trillion would have built 145 Lekki bridges (This would have revolutionised Transport, Infrastructure, Construction, Employment in the economy).
If the average cost of generating 1 (ONE) Mega-Watt of power is about US $1.5 Million (excluding gas and distribution costs), $20 Billion would have bought us over 13,333 Mega-Watts of power. What a difference that would make up and down the country.
If you also factor the N2.2 Trillion spent on subsidising fuel import which became a huge scandal, you may then understand why our manifesto focuses on the issues of security, corruption and the economy.
We are too vulnerable as a nation at this moment if we have to import fuel to move our planes, our tanks and our men. We are too vulnerable as you can see that we also have to import arms. We are vulnerable because our troops also depend on imported food.
We cannot continue like this.
Thank you for listening, I will now like to listen to the problems and your proposals, from your own experience as industrialists and business executives. [myad]
Being the speech delivered by the Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), at a meeting with the organized private sector, hosted by Governor Fashola (SAN).