$1.5 billion rehabilitation for Port Harcourt: A huge scam, over bloated, says Reps Minority Caucus; demands immediate review

Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Minority Leader, House of Representatives. The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, after thorough evaluation has rejected the $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, describing the figure as outrageous and heavily inflated. While demanding an immediate review of the cost, the caucus submitted that a critical cost analysis indicated “a huge scam and a ploy by unscrupulous elements to hide under the guise of rehabilitation of the refinery to siphon public funds” adding that the project can be transparently executed at an amount, far less than the approved over-bloated cost. The lawmakers, in a statement by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, on Tuesday 30th March, 2021, noted that whereas, the caucus is in support of any genuine effort to bridge energy deficit in Nigeria, such should not be used as a ploy by corrupt individuals to fleece the nation. “This over bloated $1.5 billion cost has again brought to the fore the prevailing unpatriotic proclivity of treasury looting and criminal diversion of public funds through inflated contracts by officials of government for their selfish interests. “It is completely unexplainable that the sum of $1.5 billion, belonging to Nigerians, is to be funneled towards the rehabilitation of a non-profitable refinery, which has already been slated to be handed over to private hands. “As lawmakers, we firmly reject this attempt to use the refineries to further defraud our nation. In that regard, our caucus demands an immediate review of the project on a transparent and competitive cost template, while the billions of naira that would be recovered from the surplus, should be directed towards other areas of our national energy need. “Furthermore the minority caucus calls for immediate decisive steps towards providing required incentives to private organizations who have shown manifest interest in establishing refineries in our country, as a sure step to meet our national energy need," the lawmakers stated The caucus therefore, urged the Federal Executive not to release any funds related to the inflated rehabilitation costs until after the review.

Reps Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu Mourns Shola Williams

Late Omatshola Williams. The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has expressed great shock over the demise of Mrs. Shola Williams. Hon. Elumelu in a statement he personally signed, said that the news of the passing of the former Commissioner for Women affairs and Social Development in Delta State, was a sad development, and noted that her death is a great loss for the people of the State. He described Mrs Shola Williams as a great political mobiliser who devoted the better part of her life to the political development of Delta state, and said that by her death, the state has missed a great woman with great love for the people. "I received with great shock the news of the passing of a great woman, Mrs. Shola Williams, who has contributed immensely to the political development of our dear state, Delta. "Mrs. Shola Williams was an excellent golfer, a founding member and one of the most highly decorated players of the Ibori Golf and Country Club. She will be greatly missed for her compassion and selfless service to the Government and people of Delta State. "Mrs. Shola William's contributions to the development of women and the Youth in Delta State are immeasurable and will continue to resound," Elumelu stated Hon. Elumelu consoled the Children, the entire Williams family and indeed the Government and people of Delta State, urging them to remain steadfast in the Lord God Almighty and said that Mrs. Williams lived a godly life worthy of emulation. "Mrs. Shola Williams demise was a sad development, however, she has contributed her quota to the development of humanity, she has stamped her feet on the sand of time and her efforts will continue to resound. "Let us be consoled by this fact and for the obvious truth that she lived for God and has gone to meet with her creator who in His mercy will grant her eternal rest. "May her soul and the souls of the faithful departed rest in the bosom of the Lord God Almighty," Hon. Elumelu prayed.

OPINION - Fulani Jihad: Tinubu’s Appeasement

Bola Ahmed Tinubu. By Olu Akinola In concluding, can l say Asiwaju’s Sword/dagger cut deeper, more painful than Buhari’s; and you too, Tinubu? Ente Brute!” There is no deeper and painful cut than the dagger of a friend, l mean a best friend. On the date Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Roman Senate, of course many drew daggers against Julius Caesar, but of record was that of Caesar’s best friend’s sword, Brutus; hence the cry of pain from Caesar, and you too Brutus! Let’s leave the sad event of the death of Caesar in the Roman Senate for a moment and turn to the Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s letter by a “dear leader” to the long suffering nation particularly, the Yoruba people of the South Western Nigeria. Since Buhari ascended the Presidency of Nigeria, one bad omen that came with it is the Fulani insurgency or terrorism. This Fulani insurgency has been expressed in the Kidnapping of people like Chief Olu Falae; killing of the daughter of Pa Fasoranti, killing of Dr. Fatai Aborode; the sacking of several communities in Ibarapa, Oyo State, Benue valley, the Jos Plateau; Southern Kaduna; indiscriminate raping of our mothers, wives, daughters, aunties, sisters etc, seizure and annexation of territories once owned and lived by the Indigenous population; establishment of Emirates in Yorubaland in particular etc This Fulani insurgency or terrorism found its root cause not in any farmer/herder clashes as wrongfully interpreted in Asiwaju’ s mischief or missive? But the root cause can be found in the continuation of the 1804 Jihad that led to the conquering of the seven Hausa States and a Yoruba city of Ilorin by the Fulani. The cattle crisis is a mere decor. The trouble is not about cattle crisis. It is a jihad for land seizure and control; establishment of Emirates, colonization of the indigenous people of the very territory the Fulani annexed. History is our guide here, if Asiwaju of all people is in doubt. Is the establishment of the Sokoto caliphate, Zaria, Kastina and Kano Emirates which were principal Hausa communities before 1804 farmer and herder clash? Is the enthronement of Zulu Gambari in Ilorin a Yoruba township a resultant of farmer and herder clash? With greatest respect to Asiwaju of Lagos, his analysis of the problem is saying too much, saying nothing; the spade should be called by its name! The Yoruba and in fact the whole Nigeria is under the siege of a full scale Fulani Terrorism and Jagaban is talking about Farmer-Herder’s clash? We are already on the road to Mogadishu and Kigali. We are on the brink of a major civil war in history and it is disappointing that “our leader” is still enjoying the courtesy of appeasing his Northern friends in power! Are women kidnapped and raped and men kidnapped and killed on our roads everyday farmers who are dragging land with Herders? Nothing can be farther from the truth. Terrorism is terrorism! Fulani organization is now a terrorist organization. And this realization is the best way to begin to analyze the problem and provide a genuine narrative that makes sense! The Yorubas who see Asiwaju as a leader, of course, are painfully disappointed with his response. Asiwaju founded APC with his northern friends. This is the reason the same people unofficially referred to Asiwaju as the APC ‘s “National Leader”. As we can see now, it is clear that Asiwaju and his Northern friends have different agenda for Nigeria. And APC the party they both co-founded was bed of strange fellows despite the pretense. While it could be excused for Asiwaju that he had a progressive and development agenda for Nigeria; his Northern friends’ agenda for Nigeria is fulanisation, occupation, annexation and colonization of all the ethnic territories ascribed as Nigeria and establishment of Emirate therein. If this is a Fulani Jihad with intent and purpose already known, why is Asiwaju content with the narrative from the wrong cause of farmer herder clash? Does Asiwaju really want solution to the root cause of this Fulani war on us or just to be politically correct in appeasement of the blood suckers in the villa? The Fulani use different methods to achieve occupation. The Fulani assimilate fast by getting your language, your culture and even bearing your name to get at you; camouflage strategy. All Fulani in the Hausa states speak Hausa fluently, dresses like a typical Hausaman, answers Hausa’s name, eat Hausa foods while Fulani in Ilorin speaks Yoruba fluently, dress like typical Yoruba man, eats Yoruba foods, answers Yoruba name and wants to lead Yoruba in every forum! The Fulani also use cow to drive away people for occupation of the land. Direct attack strategy. The Fulani also use Islam to establish that leadership and make you believe that the Fulani Jihad was ordained by Allah! Spiritual Octopus Strategy. Above all, the Fulani also employ violence to take what does not belong to them. Full Scale War Strategy! That is where we are. These are the questions Asiwaju should be interrogating. How did AK47 got into the hands of the ordinary Fulani herder? Who is funding the bullets, which, of course, is disposable ammunition? Why is the Fulani attack so ferocious now that we have a Fulani jihadist as President of Nigeria? Why is the President Silent on the attack on the various ethnic nationalities and why the frequent rationalization from the Presidency on these spate of brutal attacks on our ancestral homeland? Why did Miyetti Allah proclaimed that the whole Nigeria belongs them and no one can drive them away? Of greater significance is the establishment of 1,200 RUGA settlements of Fulani secretly across Yorubaland, alone! Is that farmer/herder clash? Also why are Fulani establishing Emirate with accompanying throne like that of a King in Yorubaland illegally against the Oba and Chiefs Laws of all the states in the southwest, including Lagos? Why are Fulani not obeying the laws of the traditional host communities they find themselves and set there own separate laws that they can only obey? The Yorubas have cried out as symbolized by the thematic messages of Afenifere, Odua Peoples Congress, Iba Gani Adàms, Sunday Igboho and the Agbekoyas of the cold killings, kidnappings, raping, ransom, village annexation etc in Yorubaland, why the hypocritical silence from Asiwaju’s Northern friends? One cannot fathom the deafening silence from Abuja. Not even a sorry! The silence for one is eloquent and a testament of a message well delivered by the sender! Asiwaju has been accused for months running of his betraying silence too! Now when it is time for him to respond, his statement is not short of appeasement of the very silent emperor who dispatched the deadly message the content of which we are yet to unravel! Asiwaju made it look like it is the fighting of two classes of people; farmer on the one hand; herder on the other hand; and the simple solution is to call both parties and resolve to create a comfort bed to co-exist within the farmers’ community! What a simplistic intellectual hypocrisy! The peal recommended by Asiwaju is dead on arrival. Too little, coming too late and failed to appreciate and apprehend the historical jihad which is going on with the planting of Emirate here and there in Yorubaland including the Emir of Lagos State! Let Asiwaju go back to his drawn board and re-think this problem like the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, would have done in this circumstance, and come with solutions against Fulani insurgency and stop prescribing paracetamol for our collective social deadly cancer – Fulani Jihad! In concluding, can l say Asiwaju’s Sword/dagger cut deeper, more painful than Buhari’s; and you too, Tinubu? Ente Brute!

OPINION - Why Biden Embraces Nigerians and Shuns Buhari

US President, Joe Biden.

President Muhammadu Buhari. By Farooq Kperogi It is by now evident that although President Joe Biden appreciates and identifies with Nigerians (certainly in more ways than Donald Trump did), he has nothing but stone-cold disdain for the inert, isolated mannequin in Aso Rock that pretends to be Nigeria’s “president.” Biden’s first call to an African president (on March 3) after his inauguration wasn’t to the president of the continent’s most populous country; it was to Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta. Even in the aftermath of his electoral triumph in November 2020, Biden also only called South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa. And on February 26, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nigeria’s geographic and demographic heft in the African continent hasn’t caused it to deserve the attention of America’s new leaders. Well, it has to be because Nigeria is now basically leaderless. Everyone who pays attention knows this. I am not surprised that Biden is giving Buhari the cold shoulder. Right from his campaign, Biden made it clear that he identifies with the frustrations Nigeriansfeel with the Buhari regime’s ineptitude and ruthlessness. For instance, while Trump and his campaign looked the other way when Buhari’s regime brutally suppressed and murdered peaceful #EndSARS protesters, Biden issued a statement in support of the protest and expressed horror at the unconscionable barbarities the regime inflicted on protesters. In an October 21, 2020 statement, he urged “President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already resulted in several deaths,” saying, “My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence. The United States must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy.” At no time in America’s history has any candidate for president shown this level of interest in the affairs of Nigeria. It was no surprise therefore that henchmen of the Buhari regime were deeply emotionally invested in Trump’s reelection and in Biden’s loss. As Wall Street Journal’s Africa Bureau Chief Joe Parkinson reported on November 8, 2020, honchos of the Buhari regime had desperately hoped for a Trump win in the 2020 presidential election. “Nigeria’s president was one of the first African leaders to congratulate Biden but privately, some of his key advisors were hoping for a Trump victory and are worried,” he wrote. “The reasons are quite simple and are linked — human rights, the #EndSARS protests, and weapon sales.” Parkinson concluded, correctly it’s turning out, that “President Biden may be much less welcoming to Buhari; much more skeptical about selling weapons to Nigeria’s military and much more forthright in criticising any crackdown on protests. That’s why, despite the tweets, some at the top of the Buhari administration are nervous.” But there’s another reason Buhari preferred a Trump presidency: Trump is an embodiment of— and an enabler of— moral putrefaction and a boon to blood-stained, anti-democratic despots all over the world. The Trump and Buhari regimes also share a lot in common. They both loathe the news media, chafe at the feeblest dissent, are nepotistic, are incompetent and derelict in their duties, are unapologetic in their allegiances to divisive primordialloyalties in their countries, and personify indecency and corruption of the darkest dye. Even if the Buhari regime murders every citizen of Nigeria, Trump wouldn’t care a whit. He doesn’t think Black people’s lives are worth saving and would probably be pleased that there are fewer Black people on earth since, in any case, he has singled out Nigeria as an example of a country he doesn’t want immigration from into the United States. Notice, however, that while Biden obviously disdains Buhari and his regime, he has shown remarkable connection with everyday Nigerians. One of the first people he called after winning his election in November 2020 was a Nigerian immigrant family in Springfield, Illinois. The Nigerian-American he called to thank and invite to the White House for donating $12 to his presidential campaign has been identified as Dr. Francis Abiola Oke who came to the US in 2007 from Iseyin in northern Oyo State. Biden’s wide-ranging, 20-minute phone conversation with Dr. Oke and his two daughters was one of the sweetest, most genuine expressions of warmth I have seen from a politician in a long while. My own children derived so much vicarious joy from watching the video of the call. No American president-elect had ever gone out of his way to reach out to the Nigerian immigrant community in the United States like Biden did. Of course, we also know that Biden’s government has more Nigerian Americans serving in strategic positions than in any government in America’s history. He nominated Adewale Adeyemo as Deputy Treasury Secretary (equivalent to a minister of state for finance), Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo as Associate White House Counsel, and 26-year-old Osaremen Okolo as a member of the presidential COVID-19 response team. So, it’s apparent that Biden has a lot of respect for Nigerians and courts their talent. But, like every sensible person, he just can’t bring himself to respect a government that despises its people, that has given up every pretense to governance, that willfully fertilizes fissiparity in its polity, that looks away while its citizens swim daily in oceans of blood, and that has proved either incapable or disinclined to halt its country’s descent into the world’s kidnap capital. Biden’s symbolic repudiation of the Buhari regime is an acknowledgement that he knows what Nigerians know: that they have no president, that their country has gone to the dogs, that what passes for the “Nigerian presidency” is a disorganized cornucopia of little political fiefdoms that work at cross purposes, and that mindless corruption and insensate cruelty are the governing philosophies of the hordes of swash bucklers who stand in for an absent, insentient, and clueless “president” marooned in Aso Rock. Even Donald Trump, with whom Buhari shares many horrid qualities, reportedly called him a “lifeless” dolt with whom he never wanted to meet again. He was underwhelmed, irritated even, by Buhari’s child-like timidity and taciturnity when they met at the White House in April 2018. If even someone as objectionable and disreputable as Trump can find you unworthy of a second meeting—even after unwisely paying his government $496m upfront for fighter jets you aren’t sure will be delivered—you know there is something fundamentally defective about you. To be clear, a call from the US president is nothing more than a diplomatic nicety. It confers no special status on presidents who receive it and detracts nothing substantive from presidents who are shunned. America’s national interest will always dictate how it relates to every country, no matter who is president. Nonetheless, it bespeaks the international alienation and contempt that Buhari’s rulership has caused Nigeria that most of the world increasingly bypasses Nigeria for even symbolic gestures to the African continent. Most people in the world know that Nigeria’s current ruler, through his actions and inactions, has plunged the country to the nadir of despair. There are now two dominant emotions in Nigeria: resignation and suspended animation. People are either resigned to the possibility that the country is headed for an implosion or hope against hope that it will endure until 2023 when Buhari’s stolen tenure will end to have another chance at a rebirth. Anyone who burdens his country with this weight of hopelessness deserves to be shunned by all world leaders. Source: https://tribuneonlineng.com/why-biden-embraces-nigerians-and-shuns-buhari/

Obaseki seeks upward review of 13 per cent derivation formula

Delta Governor, Senator (Dr), Ifeanyi Okowa (2nd left), Governor of Edo State Mr. Godwin Obaseki,(2ndright), the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr Kingsley Otuaro (left), H.R.M. Matthew Egbi, the Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom during the inauguration of Otu Jeremi / Okwagbe Road in Ughelli South LGA. Tuesday 16/3/21. PHOTOS: TOBORE UMUKORO / BRIPIN ENARUSAI.

The newly completed Owor/Effrun-Otor Bridge in Ughelli South LGA. Edo Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday intensified the call for upward review of 13 per cent derivation formula, saying it had remained inadequate for development of the South-South. Obaseki made the call while speaking with newsmen after inaugurating Effurun-Otor-Ovwor-Olomu bridge and the rehabilitated 34-km Otu-Jeremi-Okwagbe Road in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta, executed by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. He said that the peculiarity of the environment in the South-South had made it quite expensive to develop infrastructure, especially roads, in the area. The governor said that with the quality of projects being executed by Okowa across Delta, it was obvious that he would do more with enhanced funds. He pointed out that the inaugurated bridge and road projects would enhance the economy of the communities and also connect them to other parts of the state. He said that Governor Okowa had moved up from "road master" to "bridge master" and described him as a "brilliant leader who understands the importance of roads and other infrastructure in the economic development of communities". According to him, Okowa is a champion of modern day democracy and represents the ideals of great leadership, particularly with the quality of work he does with the derivation funds. He said that Okowa was not only building physical bridges but also building social, economic and community bridges. Obaseki pledged the sustenance of the age-long relationship between Delta and Edo, and assured that he would invite Okowa to inaugurate projects in Edo in no distant time. "Governor Okowa is a brilliant leader who understands the importance of roads and infrastructure in the lives of the people and communities, and that is why he has continued to prioritise the construction of roads in Delta. "The construction of this bridge and roads will lead to the development of the communities and I must commend the governor for connecting the Urhobos and Ijaws with the Okwagbe road," he said. In his remarks, Okowa said that the Effurun-Otor-Ovwor bridge was one of the major requests of the people when he visited the communities in 2015. He said that the vision of his administration was to connect Delta communities with roads, bridges and other basic amenities, adding that his administration had awarded contracts for no fewer than 500 road projects, with many already completed. The governor commended the contractor of the projects, Obakpor Engineering Limited, for its engineering prowess and assured that he would deliver on the Ovwor hospital project in 2022. "When I came to inspect the bridge while under construction, it was a very exciting moment even more exciting than what I saw today because I saw a traditional ruler walk on a wooden bridge to come and meet me on the other side of the bridge. "Today, I believe that my joy knows no bounds because we have truly brought joy to the people of Ovwor-Olomu/Effurun-Otor. "As the Commissioner for Works did say, we are currently continuing on the Trans-Warri road with several bridges and it is our hope that we will complete that project leading to Ode-Itsekiri in the course of our tenure. "The Ayakoromo bridge is still undergoing construction, the Orere bridge in Ewu kingdom has just started. "We made a promise last year and the project was awarded this January and it will cost the state government over N9 billion. "The Benekuku/Kwale bridge has gone very far and it is about 75 per cent completed. We are hoping that by the end of the year, we should be able to commission that bridge. "That bridge leads across to all the Agip facilities in Ndokwa East Local Government Area where we also have the gas plant and the power plant. "We have also started the Isheagu/Ewulu bridge that links Isheagu town with Ewulu in Aniocha South Local Government and we will continue to do the best we can for our people," Okowa said. Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, had said that the Effurun-Otor-Ovwor bridge was first awarded in 1979, re-awarded by OMPADEC in 1991 and abandoned, and later awarded in March, 2017 by the Okowa administration while Otu-Jeremi-Okwagbe road was awarded in March 2016 and completed in 2019. Augoye said the bridge which was 100 metres and approach road of one kilometre was one of the many bridges that the administration embarked on. Earlier in his welcome address, Dr Kofi had thanked Governor Okowa for placing premium on road construction in the state. He said the succesful completion and inauguration of the Otu-Jeremi-Okwagbe road would restore economic activities in the communities, adding that his administration was inspired by the Okowa's SMART Agenda to embark on the construction of internal roads in the council as well as skill acquisition programmes for youths in the area. The Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM, Dr Matthew Egbi, Ohwahwa 11, had thanked the Governor for transforming the communities of Otu-Jeremi, Eyara, Imode, Oginibo, Okwagbe with a loop to Oghior and Otu-Jeremi He said Ughievwen Kingdom is an investors' haven as a major contributor to the nations oil and gas assets. "It will be recalled that I led a delegation of the Ughievwen people to your office during your first term in office to request the construction of this road. "With the construction of these roads we are now free from the hazards occasioned by the state of the roads until your kind intervention and we are eternally grateful to you our dear governor," the monarch said. Also speaking, Orovworere of Effurun-Otor Kingdom, HRM Johnson Duke, King Duke II, described Okowa as a listening governor who acts on the genuine demands of the people. He said with the construction of the bridge, the communities now have direct, seamless and stressless journey to their various destinations. Representative of Okwagbe communities expressed delight on the inauguration of the road, adding that the community suffered untold neglect and hardship since 1980 when the administration of Professor Ambrose Ali started the project but was abandoned by subsequent administrations.

Murder of late Ubulu-Uku monarch: Absence of Defense counsel stalls hearing; Judge bars Journalists from covering court proceedings

Late Obi Akaeze Ofulue, the late Obi of ubulu-Uku. Hearing in the case of kidnap and murder of late Obi Akaeze Ofulue III of Ubulu-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government of Delta State on Tuesday was stalled by the absence of the defence counsel. This is coming as the trial judge, Justice M.O. Omovie of the High Court, Ibusa, Delta State, inexplicably prevented journalists from covering the kidnap and murder case in his court. In the suit A/20C/2017 and A/198/2017 between the State versus Jamilo Ahmed and three others, Justice Omovie had to adjourn to April 28, 2021 for the next hearing due to the failure of the defense counsel to appear for the accused persons. Four suspects are standing trial for the murder of the late monarch who was kidnapped and then murdered in 2016. The suspects were apprehended by security operatives in various parts of the country with the recovery of the monarch’s stolen phone leading to the arrest of the suspects. Before the commencement of the proceedings, Justice Omoke ordered journalists to leave the court. The court Registrar came to inform journalists that their presence in the court was deemed detrimental y the presiding judge and should they leave or get permit from the Chief Judge of the State before they can be allowed to cover the proceedings. The dozens of journalists who were in the court to cover the hearing in the kidnap and murder case of late Obi Akaeze Ofulue III of Ubulu-Uku, were bewildered at the judge’s decision to prevent them from covering the proceedings for the day. Lawyers and members of the public at the court premises were equally shocked at the decision of Justice Omovie. Those who spoke on account of anonymity expressed their disbelief that a judge of the High Court could descend so low as to give such an order. They noted that journalists are very important in dissemination of information to the general public and court proceedings are not left out. They urged the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshall Umukoro, to call Justice Omovie to order, noting that his action amounted to impeding the dispensation of justice. According to them, the case is high profile one involving the kidnap and murder of a prominent traditional ruler. "The case has been going on for four years and I wonder the judge should be uncomfortable with the presence of media practitioners", one of the journalists said. Speaking to newsmen at the court premises, Chief Ojeigwu of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom, Dr. Samuel Nwabuoke lamented the gruesome murder of the late monarch, adding that the incident still torments the entire community till date. He expressed the belief that justice would be served at the end. Speaking in the same vein, the President-General of Ubulu-Uku Development Council, Sir Jonathan Monye, noted that even though the trial has been lingering since 2016, the people of Ubulu-Uku will not relent in he quest for justice, noting that since the abduction and killing of the royal, the town had nit know peace. According to Monye who also a lawyer, murderous cattle herders have continued to terrorise the community kidnapping, raping women, destroying farmlands and killing farmers. He called for increased security presence in the community.

OPINION - Tinubu rants in the face of staggering realities

Bola Ahmed Tinubu. By Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi This is the reality of the situation Asiwaju tried trivialising through politics. He is playing politics with our history, lives and posterity. "Agba kii wa l'oja k'ori omo tuntun wo", goes a Yoruba adage. Literally meaning, the elders can't be in the market place and the neck of a new born baby will be dangling on the mother's back. A way of saying, elders cannot watch things go wrong without taking concrete steps to correct them. Within the context of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an elder by all standards. He was former Governor of a State like a mini Nigeria, the only National leader of APC, a Statesman whose voice many have expected to hear on the impasse of a one sided crisis of herders molesting farmers and dispossessing them of their ancestral lands. As at the time of this writing several villages have been sacked in Kaduna, Taraba, Plateau, Adamawa, Yobe, Bornu without sparing Kastina the home State of the President. In all affected states, indigenous tribes now live in IDP camps, while herders have settled in their villages and their herds grazing their farms without interference. This is the reality of the situation Asiwaju tried trivialising through politics. He is playing politics with our history, lives and posterity. The pending reality of a full blown killer herdsmen occupation of his ancestral home of Iragbiji in Osun State and his adopted State of Lagos is nothing to rejoice about. His nephew, Oyetola should furnish him with the intelligence report on his table. Tinubu need not give land to the herdsmen. They already have taken over all the forests in Osun. Better late than never is a common saying, but sometimes it may be too late than ever. This was the case with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose political sagacity saw to it that Buhari's many falls on the slippery terrain of politics was brought to an end. His political capital was spent to give democratic hope to the people who have lost same in the candidacy of an unrepentant dictator. Tinubu was undoubtedly one of the architects of Nigeria where a litre of PMS is being considered to be sold at the pump for 212 naira and 60 kobo. Words have been long expected from Tinubu; occasions has provided him the opportunity to speak, but he chose to be silent and his silence was golden until he broke it. Recently, Tinubu visited Zulum, a Governor who has been attacked fiercely on two occasions by Boko Haram. On that visit, Asiwaju said nothing on insecurity. When it was too late in the day to speak, then the stunting coarse voice of the Jagaban Bogu reverberated in emptiness of content. Like threatening thunder and lightning on a cloudy day in hope of rain blown off by the wind without rain, Tinubu was heard saying nothing! Tinubu stuck to the herders-farmers narrative like a story teller having things to hide. The Nigerian story of a tribe at war with the over 300 other tribes was made to look like that of Ife and Modakeke. Herders, he painted as if they are neighbours with farmers. Yes! There are indigenous Fulani who became part of Nigeria by force after the early 19th century invasion. Those ones have become part of the system. One of them is the Sultan of Sokoto who analysed our security situation without bias as a leader should do. He pointed fingers at his tribe; 7 out of every 10 kidnappers are herdsmen. Nigeria is privileged at this time to be presided over by another member of this tribe, who was spot on, having advantage of intelligence when he informed us that killer herdsmen are foreign militia hiding in our forest and wrecking havoc. The intelligence supplied by the President coincided with the 70th birthday gift of Kawu Baraje to the nation. Baraje has said at the occasion that Fulani militias were brought in by APC leaders to help them win 2015 election. The National leader of APC shouldn't have spoken without a response to Baraje. But he did! "Farmers have a right to farm THEIR LAND unmolested. Herders have a right to raise their livestock without undue interference". We should appreciate Asiwaju for recognising and affirming that the land belongs to farmers, but Asiwaju did encourage trespasses by herders when he pronounced their right to raise their herds without ownership of land. Our statesman was at best mischievous when he called for unity and decisiveness to tackle the unabated farmers-herders crisis in the country. If the crisis is unending, then a critical analysis would have been his duty to the nation. If decisiveness is expected,, it is first from the APC administration led by Muhammadu Buhari. The hypocrisy of Asiwaju stinks to the highest heaven by giving the call he should make to his party men and the President, to all Nigerians. Do I need remind Asiwaju that carts are driven by horses and not the other way round. The unity he placed ahead of decisiveness is an aberration. Indecision of the President over the herdsmen expansionist agenda first became obvious in Benue. Our President still left Benue without making any decisions. Our dear Asiwaju admitted that the dispute had taken an acute and violent dimension and had cost too many innocent lives while destroying the property and livelihood of many others. He further amplified the situation without proferring solutions. He went further by saying: "as vital as security is to the resolution of the matter", and back our Asiwaju came, like a reed in the wind, "the nation must realise security measures alone will not suffice". What has Asiwaju said? The matter Tinubu said is not ethnic in factual origin or actual causation although in the minds and hearts of too many it has become ethnic in recriminations and impulsive action. Tinubu spoke on the state of the nation with such wit of words that waved away the current issue of kidnapping and banditry. He spoke louder than the deafening cries coming from the forest of the bandits where Students of Federal College of Forestry and Mechanization, Mandu, are being held. How can foreigners bearing arms be so comfortably admitted by Asiwaju into the commonwealth of Nigeria without process? How can people who travelled hundreds of kilometres have their issues resolved as if, the Itsekiri are at it again with their Uhrobo and Isoko neighbors? How can dispute over land with majorly foreigners be treated like a border dispute between Akwa Ibom and Ikwuano? How can he make it look as if State creation has separated the Tiv of Benue from Jukums in Taraba and they must live together as Nigerians? My fear of the possibility of a political conspiracy was heightened, and I was not disappointed, when he said what he said without saying anything. "When conflict between these groups arises to such an extent, the nation must set forth clear principles and policies to remove the tension, in order to allow both to proceed towards their STATED goal, to live in harmony and according to their respective rights". Tinubu is an extremely brilliant politician who would have eaten his cake and still be having it. But an adage of the Yoruba nation of South West Nigeria says, "s'oro s'oro ko ranti eni to mo oro gbo", meaning those who know how to speak must remain mindful of those who know how to hear and interprete correctly. Within the said, the unsaid intention of the Asiwaju stood naked before the discerning. Of course who doesn't know the STATED goal of the Fulani oligarchy to own land in all the States of Nigeria! This goal the Buhari administration has pursued through cattle colonies, Ruga settlements and lately Livestock Transformation Plans without success. The question Nigerians need to ask Asiwaju is, what are the dynamics their contracted election machineries from Mali, Chad, and Niger, the ancestral home of the President brought into the election? And why are they finding it difficult to go back? Why does a leading Presidential Aspirant in Asiwaju prefer that this people be conferred with Nigeria citizenships without due process? Were voters card issued to them on arrival in 2015? Are there secrets polling units in our forest where this people voted in the last two elections, (2015 and 2019). Asiwaju in beautiful communication skills committed himself to the establishment of herders communities (colonies, Ruga or whatever) in all local government area of Nigeria when he noted that unoccupied public lands could be fenced into grazing areas or ranches and leased out to herders on a very low cost, or no cost the Asiwaju meant to say. For if his presidential ambition will be backed by the oligarchy they will have as much land as their ancestors wished since early 19th century. Bola Tinubu at best wanted to fan the coals of his ambition to flame without addressing the issue. His words became the rain that will extinguish the flicker left of it. He's of course out of page with majority of Nigerians, particularly his Yoruba people of South West Nigeria. This insensitivity has made of him, "adara n'ita ma n'iyi n'ile", a good man outside but without honour in his home. Tinubu is a victim of the 1999 political calculations that made Obasanjo the President without the support of the South West. But Obasanjo was not pretentious. He was known for whom he was at home, a nationalist, and was trusted by others across the country for same. Tinubu however is a tribal lord who is responding desperately to the demands of his ambition to trade whatever need be to become President in 2023. The only known solution to the Nigerian problem is restructuring. For it, Tinubu and his co- progressive travellers shunned 2014 National Conference. But when he spoke there was no mention or reference to it from our would never be President. Whatever has happened to restructuring with our once vocal ambassador is the reason his many words saying nothing should be taken with a pinch of salt. • Source: Sahara Reporters

Okowa calls for sustainable development of youths

From Left: Delta Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa being received on arrival by Bishop Simeon Okah of the Flock of Christ Mission and his wife, Comfort, at the church's 2021 world convention in Enheren ,, Uvwie LGA. Sunday 14/3/21. PIX: BRIPIN ENARUSAI Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for impactful reforms to make youths in Nigeria resourceful and competitive globally. Okowa made the call on Sunday at the Christ Flock World Convention 2021 of Flock of Christ Mission, Enerhen, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state. The governor, who inaugurated the Flock of Christ "Youth Dream Centre" called on youths to make use of the centre to better their lives and contribute meaningfully to societal growth. He said that youths represent the future of the country and called for sustainable efforts to mould them to become better leaders of tomorrow. Drawing inference from the Bible, he urged Christians to preach the word of God to transform individuals to the way of God. Okowa commended church leaders for helping him in charting a path of greatness for people of the state. "I thank God for the vision of our Presiding Bishop, for the idea of building a youth centre for our youths. "More than ever, it is time for us to truly communicate with our youths, not only the youths of this church but the youths of this state, Nigeria and beyond because the temptations of these end-times are numerous. "Communication will help us to grow a better future because there is always a tendency for youths to be misled into unprofitable ventures and if we allow them to continue in that stead, we will be destroying the future of our country. "When individuals are transformed, families are transformed and when families are transformed, the communities are transformed and when communities are transformed the state is transformed and when the states are transformed the country is transformed," he said. He called on men of God to always have the courage to speak the truth to government and those in authority when the need arose. "In everything we do, we must realise that we must give account in heaven and I pray that our church leaders will contine to communicate that to us as leaders in authority to remember that there is a God to be accounted to. "It is my hope and prayer that God will continue to impact on all of us so that in the last days we have good stories to tell." The governor thanked the people of Warri and Uvwie for their patience with government, adding that a solution was in sight to the drainage and road challenges in the area. He said the storm drainage projects in Asaba had been a success story, assuring that the people of Warri and Uvwie would soon heave a sigh of relief from flooding challenges. "Today we have seen major drainage projects all over Warri and Effurun and we thank God that based on the studies done and from the advice given to us, a permanent solution is coming to the flooding in Warri and Effurun. "It is my prayer that we will be able to complete the drainage projects so that we can begin to work on the roads to ensure sustainability," he stated. Earlier, the Bishop of the Church, Simeon Okah, in a message titled "The God that made these days to be your days of blessing" said it was God's intention from beginning that man should live a life of blessings. He stated that Christians were in a time of God's visitation and time of God's blessings, adding that God made everything beautiful at the right time. Okah said that Nigeria was God's project and urged Christians to put their trust in God as their pains and sufferings were temporal. "In all my years of ministering, I have never seen anywhere in the Bible where it was written that those who obey God will suffer. "Jesus Christ suffered for us after he had left heaven to die for our sins to give us a life of abundance," he stated. The cleric prayed for Okowa that God would give him the grace to finish his tenure with great achievements in the state, saying that the governor was God's gift to the state.

Mother’s Day: Reps Minority Caucus celebrate Nigerian mothers

 

Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Minority Leader, House of Representatives.

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has congratulated Nigerians mothers on the occasion of this year’s Mother’s Day celebration, describing mothers as key agents of stability and development in our homes and society at large.

The lawmakers, in a statement by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu on Sunday, stressed that mothers must be appreciated as true nation builders, who are playing a fundamental role in propagating and sustaining the virtues of love, tolerance, honesty, faith and peaceful coexistence, without which our nation cannot survive.

“As true representatives of the people, our caucus celebrates the industry, resilience and energy of Nigerian mothers in their sacrificial roles towards character moulding, family stability and building of a virile nation of productive citizens.

“I sincerely convey our appreciation to women across the length and breadth of our country as they celebrate this year’s Mother’s Day. Over the years, mothers have been the bastion of hope for our nation in every sphere of life and we urge them not to relent.

“As lawmakers, we commend our mothers and assure them of our resolve to redouble of efforts towards legislations and oversight activities that will ensure that they are adequately protected, catered for and empowered for the task ahead.

“We assure our mothers of our love and pray the Almighty God to continue to strengthen them in their sacrificial endeavours of family moulding, nation building and service to humanity”. 

 

Constituency Review: Reps flays INEC for flouting law in motion moved by Elumelu; orders immediate compliance

Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, during plenary.

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission for failing to review division of states of the federation as prescribed by the Constitution.

The Federal law makers in a unanimous decision directed the commission to embark on a nationwide delineation exercise immediately.

The decision was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance to criticise INEC for failing to comply with the law which prescribed a review every 10 years, moved by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, on Wednesday at plenary.

Adopting the motion titled, “Review of the Division of States of the Federation into Federal Constituencies,” the House resolved that “INEC should without further delay review constituency delineation as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended.”

The House stated that in reviewing, “INEC should take into consideration Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in Delta State which has four Local Government Areas and one of the largest federal constituencies in both population and land mass in the entire nation.”

The commission was asked to split the constituency into Aniocha-North/Aniocha-South Federal Constituency and Oshimili-North/Oshimili-South Federal Constituency.

Also, INEC is to break the present Iseyin/Kajola/Iwajowa/Itesiwaju Federal Constituency in Oyo State with four LGAs into Iseyin/Kajola Federal Constituency and Iwajowa/Itesiwaju Federal Constituency.

The House mandated the Committee on Electoral Matters to interface with the leadership of INEC on the resolutions and report back within six weeks.

Moving the motion, Elumelu noted that Section 71(b) of the 1999 Constitution empowers INEC to divide the federation into 360 federal constituencies for the purpose of elections into the House of Representatives.

He further noted that Section 73(1) expressly directed that INEC “shall review the division of states of the federation into federal constituencies at intervals of not less than 10 years, and may alter the constituencies in accordance with the provisions of this section to such extent as it may consider desirable in the light of the review.”

The Minority Leader stressed that Section 49 provides that the House “shall consist of 360 members representing 360 constituency of nearly equal population as far as possible, provided that no constituency shall fall within more than one state.”

Elumelu said, “The House is aware that since the commencement of the Fourth Republic (in 1999) till date, INEC has not deemed it necessary, the compliance with Section 73(1) of the 1999 Constitution, thereby depriving citizens of bloated federal constituencies adequate attention.

“The House is worried that though the Constitution provides a 10-year time frame for constituency reviews, INEC has not done any known review in the last 22 years of the current democratic dispensation, hence the urgent need to call on INEC to be alive to her responsibilities.

“The House is further worried that the reality on ground today, whereby some federal constituencies are twice the size of others in both size and population, is at variance with the letters and dictates of the 1999 Constitution. This is so because INEC has failed to live up to its responsibilities, hence the need to urgently rectify this abnormally for the sake of equitable representation.”

According to the lawmaker, to guarantee effective, quality and adequate representation in the House, INEC should without delay delimit the constituencies and carve out new federal constituencies especially in constituencies covering four LGAs.

“The House is further concerned that the continuous failure for INEC to live up to its responsibilities in reviewing the division of states into federal constituencies does not only portray INEC in a bad light but also the entire government institution, including the National Assembly, for also failing to call her to order and invoking adequate sanctions where necessary, hence the need for this motion,” Elumelu stated.