PDP Is Hurting Conscience Of Nation, Its Unity, Cohesion By Fielding Atiku – Afegbua

September 12, 2022

“The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ought to be the saviour but for fielding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (as its Presidential candidate for the 2023 election), it has wittingly hurt the conscience of the nation, its unity, cohesion and power-sharing agreement.

“After 8 years of a Buhari presidency, a Nigerian of Northern extraction, it will amount to a Democratic sacrilege to cede power to another Nigerian of Northern extraction, from the same ethnic stock as President Buhari.

“Such reality will erode the very fragile unity and peace in the land, and may snowball into another war of attrition between the North and the South.”

A former information commissioner in Edo State rolled out such concerns today, September 12, in a statement.

He went on: “The politics of 2023 is gradually becoming a piece of drama scripted by desperate politicians who feel a sense of entitlement to the inner sanctuary of Aso Villa, the seat of government.

“The reality of the situation made the APC Northern Governors to rise to the occasion by ensuring that the ruling party’s ticket was given to a Southerner.

“Under a democracy, the concept of balancing the factors in both power acquisition and distribution is very fundamental to stabilise the system.

“In all plural societies, the nation-states must be adequately carried along with a sense of inclusion to birth the required stability.

“What Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has done with his desperation for power is to inflict injuries to an already fragile situation that may implode in no time.

” Atiku Abubakar’s aspiration will not only ruin the conversation for national peace and stability, it will provoke new thought-process that could signal the end of a united Nigeria.

“The deliberate attempt to shortchange the chances of the South within the PDP by agents of political gluttony, can only drive our collective aspiration to the Golgotha if care, commonsense and diplomacy are not deployed.

“All those who are fanning the embers of an Atiku presidency for their selfish end, would soon realise the danger it portends for the unity of the country.

“We must realise that democracy flourishes in an atmosphere of stability and tranquility. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had an opportunity in 2019 in line with the requirements of zoning enshrined in the PDP constitution, but he bungled it. After he abandoned the party and ran away to Dubai, he has no business buying his way to represent the party in 2023.

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot surreptitiously hijack the opportunity of the South because of his vaulting ambition. At 77, there is nothing edifying about his capacity and capability. He should be told to stop this deliberate hijack of the Southern opportunity. It will haunt us now and, in the future,” Afegbua said.

Source: The Enclave.

Minna-Bida Road Collapses, Throws Passengers Into Confusion

Editorial staff

September 12, 2022

Major part of the road from Minna to Bida road in Niger State has given way as a result of a heavy downpour, leading to hundreds of passengers plying it being stranded in the middle of their journey.

Information reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper said that motorists were left in dilemma as crossing from Kakapangi to Minna or vice versa became almost impossible.

Report has it that a long queue of vehicles formed on both sides of the road, with some of the vehicles either returning to Bida or Minna.

It was discovered that those who were coming from the Bida end were forced to follow the longer route from Lemu to Zungeru and down to Minna.

The vehicles from the Minna end, according to the findings, turned back to follow the longer route of Minna-Lapai-Agaie–Bida road.

Articulated vehicles that could not turn at the damaged section of the road hired locals to evacuate their goods into hired vehicles at the other end.

Some of those caught in the confusion were those going to Bida to felicitate with the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, on his 70th birthday and 19th year of ascension of the throne of his forbears.

The Niger Government on September 18, 2018, awarded a contract for the dualisation of the 84kms Minna – Bida road to an indigenous construction firm, Dantata and Sawoe.

Source: NAN.

Gov Akeredolu To Christians In South: Don’t Let North Retain Power After 2023

Editorial staff

September 12, 2022

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has called on fellow Christians to ensure that the Presidency returns to the South come 2023, whatever it would take legally.

He said that he has been fighting against the North retaining power at the centre after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari and that such efforts would not end in vain.

Akerdolu, who doubles as chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, insisted that the North cannot retain power after spending eight years in office.

He spoke yesterday, September 11, at the 40th Holy Ghost Convention Dinner of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Governor Akeredolu said that he led his colleagues in the Southern Governors’ Forum to demand a southern presidency despite stiff opposition from some quarters, even as he advised the people not to throw away the chances of producing the next president, particularly from the South-West where the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, hails from.

Akeredolu described Tinubu as the best choice, adding that he has the experience and courage to tackle the challenges facing the country.

On the Muslim/Muslim ticket, the governor appealed to Christians to look beyond religion and focus on the competency of the presidential candidate, adding that what is important is to have a southern president in 2023.

Governor Akeredolu said: “I discussed with Bishop Francis Wale Oke that presidency must come to the South. Take it or leave it, it is the minimum we can get. It must come to the South. The North cannot produce president for eight years and still want to retain it for another eight years. It is not going to work.

“That is why under the Southern Governors’ Forum, where, luckily, God made me the chairman, we kept hammering on that. It must come to the South. And when it also got to our party in APC, we fought that it must come to the South.

“Luckily, it did not only come to South, it came to the South-West. Now, where do we stand? I understand our feelings because I’m one of you. I am a Christian. All of us here are worried. What will be our gain, and that, why is my party, the APC throwing up a Muslim/Muslim ticket?

“It has been a real issue for all of us. Even members of the party, it has been an issue for us. We have debated it, fought it and we have done so many things on it. I have always said to people, my fight was for southern president.

“Now it has come to the South-West, will I now throw the baby away with the bathwater? Can I, in all honesty, do it? Should I, in all honesty, do it?

“We call it a matter of coincidence. It is a matter of conscience. All of us are here, why don’t we look at it from one angle. The buck stops on the table of the president. Do we have a capable hand who can manage the affairs if given the opportunity? Do you have a man who is bold enough to challenge incursion into our land? That is it.

“All of us here have lived together for years and we didn’t allow religion to bring fight among us. We have Muslims in our families and there is no fight. We have many leaders in Yoruba land who have both Muslims and Christians in their families and there is no fight.

“So, we want to appeal to our people that this is our time. I want to appeal to all our senior Pastors and General Overseers to help talk to their followers. We politicians can only do little. This is our time, please don’t be angry.”

Source: Conclave.

How Peter Obi Can Win 2023 Presidential Election, Sheikh Gumi Offers Advice

Editorial staff

September 12, 2022

A Kaduna-base Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has offered an advice to the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi on what to do to win the Presidential election ahead of the candidates of other political parties in 2023.

Speaking to news men in Kaduna today, September 12, Sheikh Gumi said that Peter Obi needs to reach out to other segments of Nigerians instead of dealing only with youths.

“Relying on youths is not enough. He has to be all over the place, and not leaving politics to one region.”

He advised Nigerians not to vote for a novice but experienced politician, even as he took an assessment of the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that off the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

The Islamic scholar said that there is nothing wrong for Atiku to contest election several times as he had done, saying: “Nigeria needs an experienced politician. We don’t need a novice to be President. The situation in Nigeria today needs an experienced politician to solve it.”

On Tinubu, who said it is his turn to be President, Gumi said: “there is no need to say it is my turn. Don’t say it is my turn because if people like you they will vote for you. He is a good administrator, he can do it. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is unnecessary. We all know that all these politicians are looking for votes. The Muslim-Muslim ticket is (wayo) a ploy, it is not religion. Whether it will work or not, I don’t want to prophesize, but there are a lot of hurdles. In fact, all the political parties have hurdles. Muslim-Muslim ticket is going to be a laboratory test for others to emulate or not.”

He however, advised that Nigerians should do away with ethno-religious politics in this 21st century, and come together as one united people for the progress of the country.

Sheikh Gumi warned that if an inexperienced politician is voted into power, he will find it difficult to assemble the best brains within a short time framework to set the nation working progressively.

He noted that it took President Muhammadu Buhari over six months to appoint ministers and government officials because he (Buhari) was an inexperienced politician.

“Nigeria is now in the 21st century, people are more educated now. What Nigeria needs now are people with competence.

“We should not be talking about North because North is no longer monolithic, we should not be talking about Southwest because no particular person is in control, we should not be talking about South East, look at how Senator Ifeanyi Uba was attacked by his own people. Let’s talk about Nigeria as one united people. Nobody controls anybody in the country. So let’s move forward. Look at America, nobody is talking about power rotation. Let’s develop a democracy that we can sustain,” he said.

He attributed social injustice and poverty to the insecurity in the country, adding that almost every household feels the pains of socio-economic hardship in the country.

3 Governors Make President Buhari Laughs

Greenbarge Reporters

September 12, 2022

Three State Governors: Engr. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State and Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, sent President Muhammadu Buhari into hearty laughter when the Ekiti state governor brought a good tiding about his being elected President of the Forum of Regions of Africa (FORAF) to Buhari at the Presidential villa, Abuja, today, September 12. Photo by Sunday Aghaeze.

NNPC Confirms Losing Crude Oil Worth $700 Million To Thieves Monthly

Editorial staff

September 11, 2022

Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed that it has been losing 470,000 bpd amounting to $700 million monthly to crude oil thieves, in addition to security challenges, resulting in low performance as well as hindering oil production in some terminals.

The Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPMS), Bala Wunti, who spoke to news men today, September 11, said that the pipelines, particularly those around Bonny terminal cannot be operated due to the activities of criminals.

Bala Wunti said that the number of barrels stolen is very huge on a daily basis, saying that about 270 barrels that are supposed to be loaded in Bonny are no longer going to be loaded because of theft.

“If you are producing 30,000 barrels a day, every month, you get 1,940 barrels. So what it means is that you can take it to 270 every four days, calculate it in a month; you will have seven cargos on a million barrels, that’s seven million barrels.

“When you multiply seven million barrels by $100, that is $700 million lost per month; that is about 150,000 barrels expected have differed, we are not producing due to security challenges.

“The Shell Petroleum Company (SPDC) trunk line, TNP transnational pipeline cannot be operated and this has been like this since March the 3rd that we put in this. Just take your calculator, 150,000, it means if you want to arrive at 1 million barrels per day, it means every week as a minimum, basically for one week alone, it’s four cargo and four cargo is four million barrels.

“Four million barrels formula bar or $100 is $400 million. So you can do your calculations by yourself, take whatever price you want, and take this to multiply by the number of days that have been shortened since March 3rd.”

The Group General Manager said that Forcados is not completely secure due to some challenges, but assured that they were addressing it, and in two weeks it may be fixed.

“But we also have Brass about 100,000 barrels, which is operated by Agip and is also facing insecurity and vandalism.

“Illegal siphoning of crude oil from oil facilities by criminal individuals and groups, impacted negatively on revenue to all stakeholders,” he said, lamenting that the quantity of oil delivered into these federal oil terminals in the country has been limited by the activities of pipe vandals and organized crooks”

According to Wunti, the impact of vandal activities caused low crude oil production, interrupted gas supply, countrywide interruption of distribution of petroleum products, refineries’ downtimes, and increasing instability in the oil and gas market, “but I will tell you the major thing that affects us.

“Nigeria will suffer for it; the revenues are impacted, so we can only appeal to them to rein in themselves, the oil theft situation is regrettable. It’s not going on across the whole of the Niger Delta, there are trunk lines that are more impacted, I think the Bonny trunk line ranks highest.

“Our major challenge as a country is our capability to respond and that is as a result of several factors, the terrain as well as some incapacity that we have.”

On the support of the technology in monitoring the illegal activities around the oil facilities in the creeds, he said: “I was in the Saudi Arabia infrastructure twice, and I know what they have. It’s a digital control system; it’s different from our own. The digital control system, it’s like you have the control system of all your assets in one place.

“This is beyond the digital control system; it’s also a security system and we are doing it and to tell you that this was built-in by our in-house software engineers because of the security sensitivities to it because they are customized, the moment you give to somebody who creates that. So we use a combination of technology to integrate and synchronize and create what we are now confident and comfortable with.”

In the effort of the corporation to meet its financial tasks, the corporation maintained industry data on crude and all NGS production and lifting and most importantly, we ensured energy security, ensuring a bulk supply of petroleum products to the nation and remitting 100% of this to the federation.

Speaking on the synergy with other government agencies, Wunti explained that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, former DPR, and then the regulatory commission issue what they call Bill of Quantity and they also handle vessel clearance and export permits while the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry, handles the issuance of export permits.

“We also relate with the Nigerian Customs Service which also helps with the export permit and to also clear all the vessels; and the Central Bank of Nigeria, processes all Nigerian Export Proceeds forms, Nigerian export supervision scheme. So, these are all the agencies we deal with, it’s not an NNPC thing, we have to work through all these agencies before a ship can come in and sail.”

Failure Of Dialogue: Federal Govt Shifts ASUU’s Case To Court

Editorial staff

September 11, 2022

After months of dialogue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) resulting into failure, the Federal Government has referred the matter to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) for adjudication.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, took up the matter to the court in a referral instrument which he addressed to the Registrar of NICN and dated September 8,2022.

In the matter, billed for mention tomorrow, September 12, the Federal Government is asking the NICN to inquire into the legality or otherwise of the ongoing prolonged strike by ASUU leadership and members that had continued even after apprehension by the Minister of Labour and Employment.

In a statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, the government is asking the court to interpret in its entirety, the provisions of Section 18 LFN 2004, especially as it applies to the cessation of strike once a trade dispute is apprehended by the Minister of Labour and Employment and conciliation is ongoing.

Other requests are as follows: “Interpret the provisions of Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap T8. LFN 2004, titled “Special Provision with Respect to payment of wages during Strikes and Lock-outs,” specifically dealing with the rights of employees/workers during the period of any strike or lock-out. Can ASUU or any other union that embarked on strike be asking to be paid salaries even with clear provisions of the law.

“Determine whether ASUU members are entitled to emoluments or “strike pay” during their period of strike, which commenced on February 14, 2022, moreso in view of our national law as provided in Section 43 of the TDA and the International Labour Principles on the right to strike as well as the decisions of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association on the Subject.”

“Determine whether ASUU has the right to embark on strike over disputes as is the case in this instance by compelling the Federal Government to employ its own University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) in the payment of the wages of its members as against the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) universally used by the Federal Government in the nation for payment of wages of all her employees in the Federal Government Public Service of which university workers including ASUU members are part of or even where the government via NITDA subjected ASUU abd their counterpart UPPPS university payment platform system software to integrity test (vulnerability and stress test) and they failed.”

The Federal Government is also asking the court to determine the extent of ASUU’s demand since the 2020 Memorandum of Action (MOA) that the union signed with government. The demands include the funding for revitalisation of public universities as per 2009 agreement, Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) payments, state universities proliferation and constitution of visitation panels and release of white paper on the report of the visitation panels. The others are the reconstitution of the government renegotiation team for renegotiation of 2009 agreement, which was renegotiated 2013/2014, due for renegotiation 2018/2019 and the migration of ASUU members from IPPIS to its own UTAS, which is currently on test at NITDA.

Consequently, the Federal Government requested for an order of the Court for ASUU members to resume work in their various universities while the issues in dispute are being addressed by the NICN in consonance with the provisions of Section 18 (I) (b) of the TDA Cap T8. LFN 2004.

Atiku Predicts Doom For Nigeria If APC Wins 2023 Elections

Editorial staff

September 11, 2022

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has predicted that Nigeria will head to doom if the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is returned to power in the 2023 elections.

Atiku stressed that the 2023 general elections will not just be an election, but a choice between freedom from the clutches of the APC or certain doom for Nigeria in their hands.

In a personal letter to Nigerians today, September 11, the PDP candidate said that the countdown to the general campaign is drawing closer, hence the need for Nigerians to be reminded of what lays ahead.

According to him, since the clock for the take off of the campaigns will soon begin to tick, “It is very important that we use the remaining days to organize our base and establish our strength in all the 176,846 polling units across the country.
“I know that it is not an easy task. But it will be more worrisome to allow the APC remain in office one more day after May 29.“The election that is ahead of us is a choice between the certainty of a better Nigeria and a promise of failures by the APC.

“It’s a choice between freedom and doom. And I trust that you will do your all in ensuring that Nigeria is free from socio-economic hardship.“Recruit your friends as canvassers at the polling units and let’s join hands to salvage the country. As one, we can get it done.”

DSS To Gumi, Others: Stop Unguarded Utterances Over Detained Tukur Mamu

Editorial staff

September 11, 2022

The Department of State Services (DSS) has warned a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and others to stop unguarded utterances over the arrest and detention of the Publisher of Desert Herald, Tukur Mamu, currently in its custody.

Spokesman of the Service, Dr. Peter Afunanya, in a statement today, September 11, said: “The Department of State Services (DSS) has followed, with keen observation, overzealous comments by sections of the public in view of issues relating to the arrest and investigation of Tukur Mamu.

“The Service wishes that it is not distracted with some of the skewed narratives pervading the media space. Instead, it requests to be left alone to concentrate on the ongoing investigations, the outcomes of which have remained mind-boggling.

”Meanwhile, the Service will cease further comments on the subject matter since the Court will determine its course. Consequently, the public is hereby enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances and await the court proceedings. “

The DSS had described Mamu, who was involved in the negotiations for release of victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, as a person of interest.

Sheikh Gumi had, yesterday, September 10, described the arrest and detention of Tukur Mamu by the DSS as an act of intimidation and terrorism.

Soldiers Kill Notorious Bandit leader, Musti, Who Attacked NDA Kaduna, Others

Editorial staff

September 11, 2022

Nigerian soldiers have killed one of the notorious bandit leaders, who led attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna and responsible for the kidnappings of students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, the Emir of Bungudu in Zamfara State, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru and several other citizens in 2021.

The leader was identified simply as Musti, even as the commander of the group, identified as Boderi Isiya narrowly escaped from the fire power of the rampaging soldiers.

It was learnt that soldiers also killed several other terrorists in a recent operation, including those identified as Yellow Mai-Madrid and Dan-Katsinawa.

The battle field, according to the military sources, was around the Tollgate general area of Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.

It was gathered that as the bandits experienced the superior power of the soldiers and scrambled to retreat, they ran into an ambush laid by another set of soldiers in Sabon Gida general area.

Soldiers were believed to have recovered various types of weapons from the scene.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has commended the soldiers for the feat.

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