The Problem With Buhari As President And Petroleum Minister On Nigeria’s Economy

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is working to defeat Boko Haram militants, root out government corruption and overhaul the country’s large but fragile economy, among other things. And now the 72-year-old leader plans to add to his to-do list running Nigeria’s petroleum ministry, one of the most powerful and controversial posts in the presidential cabinet.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari, who previously served as petroleum minister, has vowed to halt corruption in the nation’s powerful oil sector. But experts said the Nigerian leader isn’t an oil expert and keeping the crucial portfolio for himself will divert attention from his presidential duties at a time when Nigeria needs to revive its economy and end the Boko Haram insurgency. Appointing himself as petroleum minister also raised concerns the ex-military ruler might wield too much power.

“Being petroleum minister will take away his gaze from other areas of the economic and, of course, political system in the country that he needs to focus on,” said Omolade Adunbi, a professor of African studies at the University of Michigan who specializes in oil and natural resource politics. “He’s going to be dividing his time between looking at the petroleum sector and governing the nation, which I think is not the appropriate thing to do when the economy is in deep crisis.”

Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki said Wednesday Buhari submitted the names of ministerial nominees for his new cabinet to the upper chamber for approval. Saraki gave no names of those on the much-awaited list, which he said will remain sealed in an envelope until the senate meets next week. But Buhari said Tuesday he will appoint a minister of state to oversee the daily running of the petroleum sector while he keeps the oil portfolio for himself.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and the industry provides more than 90 percent of the country’s foreign exchange revenue and about 70 percent of government revenues. This dependency on oil has put the Nigerian economy at risk, not just from massive and chronic oil thefts, but more recently from falling crude oil prices. The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics said in August the West African nation’s annual economic growth in the second quarter plunged to 2.35 percent from 6.54 percent a year earlier, Reuters reported.

‘He Doesn’t Have The Time’

Buhari was appointed as the federal commissioner, now called “minister,” of petroleum and natural resources in March 1976 under military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo, who was democratically elected president in 1999. When Nigeria’s state-owned oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was established in 1977, Buhari was also appointed as its chairman and held both posts until June 1978. During his brief tenure, 2.8 billion naira ($14 million) apparently went missing from the oil company’s accounts in the United Kingdom. Former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida accused Buhari of the theft, but an investigation found no truth to the allegations.

“To be brutally honest, I do not recollect Buhari being an effective petroleum minister. A very honest one, though,” said Sola Kasim, research fellow in energy economics at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, who previously was an energy consultant to the Nigerian government. “I venture to postulate that Buhari is the cleanest, least corruptible, petroleum minister Nigeria ever had.”

There’s no evidence that Buhari enriched himself while overseeing the country’s petroleum and natural resources, and the Nigerian leader has sold himself as a tough-talking general who will show no mercy when it comes to graft. Buhari, who took office in May, has vowed to straighten out Nigeria’s crooked oil industry and recover a “mind-boggling” sum of money looted over the years.

However, Buhari’s lack of expertise in the oil business might allow others below him to continue stealing money without his knowledge. “Buhari is not a petroleum engineer. He is not a technocrat. He is not a specialist on oil. So people can still successfully [steal] without him knowing,” Adunbi said Thursday. “That’s why it’s important for him to appoint someone who knows the economics of oil as well as the politics to manage the industry and move it from where it is right now to where it can be an agent for growth.”

Apart from corruption, Buhari has promised to tackle education reform and create more jobs. But experts said these processes could get delayed because Buhari will have to split his time between overseeing the country and controlling the petroleum ministry if he appoints himself. Nigeria’s unemployment rate increased to 8.2 percent in the second quarter of 2015 from 7.5 percent earlier this year, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.

“Being the president, he doesn’t have the time,” said Alexandra Gillies, director of governance programs at the Natural Resource Governance Institute, a policy think tank in New York. “It worries me from the scale of things that need to be done … If you don’t delegate, you’re not going to be able to make progress on all of those urgent fronts.”

‘He Sees Oil As The Bedrock Of The Economy’

The scale of corruption within Nigeria’s state-run oil company was revealed in a  report published in August by the National Resource Governance Institute, an international watchdog in New York. The report found the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has stolen a virtual fortune from the Nigerian treasury. The company, which did not responded to requests for interviews, withheld about $12.3 billion from the sale of 110 million barrels of oil over 10 years.

Buhari, who was elected in March on an anti-corruption and anti-terrorism ticket, split the company into two entities earlier this year and said Tuesday he was considering breaking it up further to improve efficiency and eliminate graft. He said he would revisit the matter in about 18 months.

“I haven’t absolutely made up my mind about that. We want to see what we have done in reducing the size and redeploying most of the management. We want to see the impact of that before we decide further,” Buhari said Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Experts said Nigeria desperately needs a diversified economy, but Buhari appears keen to continue relying on the country’s natural resources and export commodities.

“All his actions indicate he sees oil as the bedrock of the economy and that is the only way things can continue, and I don’t think that’s right,” said Adunbi, who has lectured at several Nigerian universities. “It is highly imperative for him to start to think of life of the Nigerian state outside of oil and he has the opportunity to do that right now.”

‘It’s Not Ideal’

Buhari, who seized power in a 1983 military coup and was thrown out 18 months later, is also aiming to end a six-year Islamist insurgency in northern Nigeria. A regional offensive by Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon earlier this year forced Boko Haram jihadists to retreat from much of their territory in the north. But the insurgents have struck back with a renewed vengeance. More than 1,260 people have been killed since Buhari took office May 29, vowing to crush the rebellion. At least 17,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million displaced since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009, according to AFP news agency.

While some of Buhari’s objectives may be put on the back burner to lead the petroleum ministry, experts said Buhari will likely stay on top of security issues. Within his first 100 days in office, the former major-general replaced his top military brass in a fresh attempt to take on Boko Haram.

“I would be very surprised if Boko Haram did not remain atop his agenda,” said Darren Kew, associate professor of conflict resolution at the University of Massachusetts Boston and executive director of the Center for Peace, Democracy and Development. “It was his primary campaign promise. He promised to rid the country of the insurgency within several months’ time. Clearly, we’re pushing up on that deadline.”

Keeping the circle of power small by not appointing an individual petroleum minister might enhance transparency and save on administration costs. However, as both president and petroleum minister, Buhari could risk the vital, democratic system of checks and balances that help keep a government from getting too powerful.

“From a governance standpoint, it’s not ideal,” Gillies said during a telephone interview Thursday. “You need that [petroleum] minister to balance it out.”

Source: International Business Times

Delta Guber: INEC Closes Case Against L P, OGBORU, As Tribunal Fixes Oct. 13 FOR Adoption Of Final Addresses

By David Diai

Gov. Okowa (left), and Ogboru

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Friday, October
2, 2015, closed its defense against the petition filed by the Labour
Party, LP and its governorship candidate, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru,
challenging the declaration of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP, as
the winner of the April 11, 2015 Delta State governorship election.
In a proceeding that lasted less than 20minutes at the resumed sitting
of the Delta State elections petitions tribunal sitting in Asaba,
Delta state, INEC lead counsel of the day, the well respected Dr.
Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, told the Tribunal that the witness he intended
to call had already been called by the petitioners as PW2, who was
subsequently declared by the Tribunal as a hostile witness, and
relying on his evidence as well as other duly certified INEC documents
already tendered and admitted as exhibits in the trial.
Tribunal watchers and followers will recall that the said witness was
one Mr. Felix Enabor, a civil servant with INEC who had been
originally subpoenaed by the petitioners as their second witness to
give evidence against Okowa, PDP and INEC on September 1, 2015.
Mr. Enabor had subsequently been declared as a hostile witness by the
three-man election panel headed by Justice Nasiru Gunmi, based on the
very robust argument presented by the lead Counsel of that day, Robert
Emukperuo Esquire, urging the Tribunal to declare his own witness, Mr.
Felix Enabor as a hostile witness, following the discovery that
certain sections of his witness statement was at variance with the
position of the petitioners and as a result was not a true reflection
of the position and case the petitioners were prosecuting in the
tribunal.
It was on the strength of this backdrop therefore, that Ikepazu had
told the tribunal, “My lords, our witness has already been called by
the petitioners as PW2, who was declared by this honourable tribunal
as a hostile witness and relying on his evidence, including his
documents, as well as the certified true copies of all INEC documents
already tendered and admitted as exhibits before this tribunal, we
hereby rest our case, my Lords,” the learned SAN said.
Justice Nasiru Gunmi, chairman of the three-man election tribunal
panel promptly pronounced the INEC case closed and following an
agreement on the dates for the filing and responses of oral addresses
by A.T Kehinde, SAN (PDP), Akin Olatunji Esquire, who was appearing
for the first time as the Petitioners lead counsel for Labour Party
and Chief Ogboru, as well as Prof. O.O Ohaegbu Esquire, a member of
the first respondent (Okowa) legal tean who stood in as lead counsel
for the day and O. Anumonye (INEC), the tribunal subsequently
adjourned till October 13, for the adoption of final addresses by all
the contending parties.

Bombings in Abuja kill 15, says NEMA

ABUJA Oct 3 (Reuters) - At least 15 people were killed and 41 injured in a rare double bomb attack in a Nigeria's capital Abuja on Friday evening, the National Emergency Management Agency said on Saturday.

A bomb went off near a police station in the satellite town of Kuje, not far from the capital's airport, and the other in the suburb of Nyanya on Friday evening - the first attacks on the city in more than a year.

The blast in Nyanya went off in a crowded area not far from the site of two blasts in April and May last year that killed at least 90 people. Before then, there had not been an attack on the capital in two years.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist group have lately been concentrated in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state, the birthplace of the insurgency, and the northern parts of neighbouring Adamawa state.

Boko Haram has been trying to carve out an Islamist state in the country's northeast since 2009, killing thousands and displacing 2.1 million people.

Since losing most of the territory it took over earlier this year, it has reverted to hitting soft targets such as markets, bus stations and places of worship as well as hit-and-run attacks on villages, mainly in northeastern Borno state. (Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Alison Williams)

Ex-Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, arrested in London

Mrs. Alison-Madueke

Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former minister of petroleum resources in the Goodluck Jonathan led Federal Government, has been arrested, with four other persons on Friday morning, in London.

The arrest said to have been effected by the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, is believed to be on the suspicion of corrupt practices. The British High Commission in Nigeria through its Press and public Affairs Officer in Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Abuku, merely confirmed that some arrests were made, however, refused to make known the identities of those arrested.

 “This morning, five people between the ages of 21 and 60 were arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption offences. The crimes are being investigated by the National Crime Agency.

“The National Crime Agency does not confirm identity at arrest nor provide information that could be used to corroborate the identity of an arrested individual,” Abuku said. However, the source in London confirmed the arrest of the ex minister.

It is not clear now if and when the ex-minister would be extradited to Nigeria. But President Muhammadu Buhari had in his Independence Day address to Nigeria said he was intent on ridding the petroleum industry of corruption.

He said that already preliminary steps had been taken to sanitize the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum level.

“Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped,” he said.

According to him, in addition to sanitizing the NNPC, his administration has ordered for a complete audit of other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation.

The president stressed that prudent housekeeping was needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices.

“It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.

“We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted.

“The new APC government is embarking on a cleanup, introducing prudence and probity in public financing,’’ he added.

On power, the president said government officials had held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way.

He noted that the current improvement in the power supply was moderately encouraging.

“By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country.

“All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better,’’ he said.

Buhari further reassured that his administration would continue to address challenges facing the three tiers of government to ensure peace and speedy transformation of the economy.

He noted that at an early stage, the Federal Government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation, he said, was capable of degenerating into social unrest.

·         Source: The Guardian, Nigeria.

Russian warplanes bomb ISIS targets, say activists

Syrian anti-government activists said Russian warplanes carried out a third day of airstrikes Friday, possibly hitting targets held by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, for the first time.

Russia said its airstrikes in Syria will only intensify and could last four months, reports CBS News correspondent Holly Williams.

Moscow joined the Syrian civil war claiming it would target ISIS, yet many of the Russian airstrikes so far have hit areas well outside of ISIS control.

However, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russia conducted air raids on Qaryatain, a predominantly Christian town recently captured by ISIS, late Thursday night.

In northern Syria, Russian war planes have pounded groups linked to al Qaeda, but also so-called moderate rebels, who are supported by the U.S.

One video posted on the Internet appears to show the aftermath of a Russian strike on American-backed opposition fighters.

Syria's deadly civil war is now even more dangerous with both the U.S. and Russia launching airstrikes, but supporting different sides.

Col. Abdul Jabbar al-Akaidi is a rebel commander in Syria's U.S.-backed opposition.

"The Russians are occupiers," he told CBS News. "They're attacking anyone who's fighting against the Syrian regime, but not ISIS."

Yet even as Russian airstrikes target U.S.-backed rebels, Col. al-Akaidi told us he's given up hope that America will intervene.

"I don't think President Obama is sincere," he said. "The Americans let us down, and I don't trust them."

U.S. and Russian officials spoke yesterday in an effort to reduce the risk of an accidental collision in Syrian airspace. Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Paris Friday with the leaders of France and Germany, both of whom have called for Russia to stop its airstrikes on Syrian rebels.

FULL TEXT OF THE 55TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON OCTOBER 1, 2015

October 1st is a day for joy and celebrations for us Nigerians whatever the circumstances we find ourselves in because it is the day, 55 years ago; we liberated ourselves from the shackles of colonialism and began our long march to nationhood and to greatness.

President Muhammadu Buhari

No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet. We have in addition:

· Arable land
· Water
· Forests
· Oil and gas
· Coastline
· Solid minerals

We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress.

Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.

Nonetheless, that we have remained together is an achievement we should all appreciate and try to consolidate. We have witnessed this year a sea change in our democratic development. The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system. Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.

As I said in my inaugural speech, I bear no ill will against anyone on past events. Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.

My countrymen and women, every new government inherits problems. Ours was no different. But what Nigerians want are solutions, quick solutions not a recitation of problems inherited. Accordingly, after consultations with the Vice President, senior party leaders and other senior stakeholders, I quickly got down to work on the immediate, medium-term and long-term problems which we must solve if we are to maintain the confidence which Nigerians so generously bestowed on us in the March elections and since then.

As you know, I toured the neighboring countries, marshal a coalition of armed forces of the five nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram. I met also the G7 leaders and other friendly presidents in an effort to build an international coalition against Boko Haram. Our gallant armed forces under new leadership have taken the battle to the insurgents, and severely weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities. Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places.

On power, government officials have held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way. In the meantime, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging. By the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country. All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better.

Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum. Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation. Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.

We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.

At an early stage, the federal government addressed the issue of salary arrears in many states, a situation capable of degenerating into social unrest. The APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the owing states and enabled them to pay off the backlog and restore the livelihood of millions of Nigerians.

Fellow Nigerians, there have been a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers. There is no cause to be anxious. Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over. Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes. It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course. Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for CHANGE is all about.

I would like to end my address this morning on our agenda for CHANGE. Change does not just happen. You and I and all of us must appreciate that we all have our part to play if we want to bring change about. We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.

Happy Independence Celebrations. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. (NAN)

Soccer:This the worst period in my career, says Mourinho

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he is going through the worst period of his managerial career with his team winning just four of their 11 matches this season.

Jose Mounrinho, Chelsea Manager

The Premier League champions currently sit 14th in the table after seven games, having just won twice in the league.

It is the kind of position they regularly occupied before the arrival of billionaire Roman Abramovitch in 2003, but one that younger Chelsea fans are unused to seeing them in.

Chelsea, who kept 17 league clean sheets last season, have kept just one so far against Arsenal, and have conceded 14 goals. Only Sunderland, who are bottom, have let in more in the league.

No team has allowed their opponents more shots on target than Chelsea, while Saturday's opponents Southampton have allowed the fewest in the league this season.

"I define this as the worst period in my career. It's a fantastic experience, even though I don't want to repeat it again," Mourinho told reporters at the club's training ground at Cobham, south of London.

"Players know when they make mistakes. I don't know what it's like in your offices, but nobody seems to care about your mistakes," he said.

Mourinho refused to be drawn on the subject of Eva Carnero, the former first team doctor who quit after being criticised by the manager. Although he was cleared by the FA of discriminatory charges against the doctor, FA chairman Greg Dyke said on Thursday Mourinho was in the wrong and should have apologised.

"I'm not going to comment, one day I will but not today," the 52-year-old said.

Branislav Ivanovic has been heavily criticised for his performances this season, but Mourinho continued to back the player, saying the Serbia international is the best right-back in the league, but conceding that his form must improve.

"I have no doubt Ivanovic is the best right-back and also no doubt he needs to improve his form.

"He likes to speak with me about mistakes. He doesn't cry about it like some newspapers," he said.

"There is open communication between everyone here, with no crying and no prima donnas," the former Real Madrid manager added.

Mourinho, who will be hoping to maintain his perfect league record against Southampton, said he no fresh injury worries after the 2-1 midweek Champions League loss to Porto.

Thibaut Courtois' recovery from injury is going well, with the keeper expected back in December, the Portuguese said, while confirming that he was hoping to sign former Italy keeper Marco Amelia, who has been training with the team.

Apart from the poor results, the other issue troubling Chelsea's fans has been the absence of club captain John Terry from the starting lineup.

Terry has been an unused substitute four times in the last five matches, with the Chelsea faithful chanting "we want our captain back" after their defeat at Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Asked about Terry's situation, Mourinho replied: "I am happy they sing and support John. It is more important they support John when he is not playing. He is ready to play every game, even when I leave him on the bench, he is ready to play."

·         (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar and Simon Jennings in Bengaluru)