Nigerian Newspapers
ACN under threat i in Ogun –Senator Kaka
By OMONIYI SALAUDEEN
Another Democracy Day is here again. As an annual ritual, all the present elected public officers would be giving account of their stewardship to the electorate on May 27. In this interview, Senator Sefiu Adegbenga Kaka takes an appraisal of the mid-term administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun in Ogun and concludes that there is too much concentration of resources in the urban centres at the expense of the rural communities. He also warns of the imminent danger of the ACN in the state splintering due to non-inclusive pattern of the Amosun-led leadership. Excerpts…
You have been going round various constituencies to garner inputs of the people on the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution. What has been the experience so far in terms of contribution from the people that really matter?
The people that matter can be defined in two forms. There are those who are socially conscious and those that are not socially conscious. For the latter category, they are always indifferent to whatever goes around them. So, it is only those that are socially conscious that came up to either put forward different memoranda on what they think a constitution should look like. By and large, people have made useful contributions and all these will be looked into by the House committee on the review of the constitution.
With all that happened during the immediate past administration of the PDP, would you say that Ogun State is better for it now that it is under the control of the ACN?
The taste of the pudding is in the eating. And he who wears the shoe knows where it is pinching. I will sincerely advise that you go to the electorate to feel their pulse. I am not saddled with the administration of the state; I am at the national level. But the people who bear the brunt should be able to tell you what actually they are going through. To me, the governor or any elected individual should be able to account to the people. And, of course, the people have the opportunity to determine whether they want to extend the tenure of the administration or terminate it. It is the people that will take the decision at the appropriate time. But comparing one regime to the other, I wouldn’t engage myself in such an exercise. It is only those who are in charge that know where the shoe pinches. Obviously, the last administration had its own strength and weaknesses. The present one too has its own areas of strength and weakness. We can only hope that they will concentrate more on the areas of their strength and play down the areas of weakness.
But as one of the opinion leaders in the state, what suggestion would you like to make to the present government to improve the quality of life of the people?
I will advise him to go back to the rural areas. Having spent so much to develop the urban centre, they should use the remaining two years to go back to the rural areas where the wealth resides, where agriculture and industrial development can be guaranteed. By so doing, they will give the people a sense of belonging and at the same time the source of revenue for the state can be enhanced. A situation where you concentrate development in the urban capital will only give rise to urban slum. By over concentrating development in the capital to the neglect of the rural areas, we are inadvertently increasing urban slums and making the rural areas to be desolate. If there are portable water, healthcare facilities in various communities, good road network, electricity and other things that would make life bearable, people would be willing to stay in the farm where they would be gainfully employed.
Do you foresee the possibility of what happened to the PDP in the South West happening to the present ruling ACN government in the region?
It is the choice of the electorate to decide the type of government they want. So, we cannot rule it out unless we manage the affairs of the party well. Already, in Ogun state, ACN is under threat.
Threat of what?
Threat of none inclusiveness. In fact, some members of ACN are already warming up to leave for the Labour Party (LP). They are planning to abandon the party because the administration in the state is running a non-inclusive administration and they are disenchanted with it. They are aggrieved and they have made their representation, but we are trying to assuage their grievances and still appealing to them so that we can jointly remain within the party and make sure that the mandate given the party will not be in vain. But I cannot blame them because what they have gone through in the last two years is despicable. Notwithstanding, I believe they need not go to Labour Party. As committed party members and as people who want to see changes in our society, they should remain in the party and fight the power-that-be to a standstill. This is not enough for them to leave. I am appealing to them to come back. I am also appealing to the power-that-be in the state that they should reassess their style of administration and learn to run an all-inclusive government that will touch the lives of the people. They should carry along everybody that gave them the mandate in the scheme of things. Again, whatever programme that is being executed must be made to have human being as its focal point. It must be capable of creating wealth, generate employment, and bring succour to the people of Ogun State. There must be a deliberate effort to reverse rural urban migration that often results in the urban slum. What they now term as urban renewal will only create urban slum if the rural areas are not given enough attention. The only solution is to develop the rural areas where the wealth is being created. They should make the rural areas attractive not only to the aged people that are there now, but also make it conducive for the younger generation that are still very agile and productive. Such things as basic necessities of life like water, electricity, and good road network that will encourage them to stay in the rural areas should be provided. Facilities that would enable farmers to bring in their inputs and evacuate their output to the market are the things that are needed rather than concentrating development in the urban centres.
It is now a common trend among the states in the South West to take bonds to finance projects in the name of urban renewal. What is your take on this?
There is nothing wrong in anybody taking loan, especially under inflationary trend that we have in Nigeria today. But a lot is wrong when loans are taken to execute white elephant projects that add nothing to the lives of the people or create wealth for the desired growth. Development without growth is not development. So, one would expect that whoever takes loans should be able to tell the people how much the state is owing, how much loan he has taken since inception, how much he wants to take, what he wants to use the loan for. Is it for productive venture? How is execution going to be? What is going to be the payback period for such loans? Will it be co-terminus with the tenure that has been given to him? For me, payback period for any loan taken must be terminated with the tenure of any administration that has taken the loan. If not, it will create a kind of indebtedness that will mortgage the future of generation yet unborn. If it is going to create indebtedness, it must be discouraged and people must resist such unbridled sources of loans that are not going to improve their lives. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing bad in anyone borrowing to embark on any worthy project. In fact, from the little economics I studied, it is better to borrow money for investment when you are under inflation, especially the type of perpetual inflation we have because by the time you will pay the money back, the values of the money will be less than what you borrow. So, it is to the advantage of the borrower to borrow. But a situation whereby you borrow money that will add no value or quality of life of the people, there is a danger there. It becomes a squander mania approach to governance. And that is why I said, if anybody is borrowing money, they should be open with the money they are borrowing. They should let the world know how much is the state’s IGR and how much indebtedness we have now.
Do you also have governorship ambition?
By all standards, I am qualified to be the president of this country. So, if I am qualified to lead the country, why can’t I aspire to the governorship position of my state? Politics is about the people; it is about service. I will contest if it is the desire of my people to do so. But as a believer, I allow God to decide what is good for me. I believe by the time I finish the present tenure, He will direct me on what next to do.
I read in your profile that you were an Abiku. How many times did you come to this world before you eventually stay?
Before I was born, my parents had male and female issues who could not survive. But then, it is neither here nor there. In those days, the popular myth about Abiku was largely based on sheer ignorance and poor diagnoses. I know that in my childhood, I had a tough battle with life. But I thank God I was able to overcome all the challenges. And I here I am today, I live a normal life and I have no affliction whatsoever. I don’t use any drug other than common paracetamol.
Where do you expect the power to swing in the coming election?
For me, it is not where the power swings that matters, it is what we are able to do to better the lives of the people. So, the sentiment about power must shift or must not shift is irrelevant. Currently, we have a sitting governor and he is entitled to a second term, if he performs well. And who is to judge? The people. The half time is with us already, and in the next couple of months, people will judge the administration. Whether he will go for a second term or not is for another day. But if he is interested, his scorecard will be put before the people and they will judge him accordingly. Even if power shifts, whosoever is coming in must prove that he is capable of improving on what the current administration is doing. Where the performance of the present administration is not up to expectation, the people are sophisticated enough to know what to do.
Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and late Umar Yar’Adua were said to have allegedly wasted N3.1 trillion without anything to show for it. Where does the role of the legislature come in here as a check on the executive?
That is just a tip of the iceberg. By the time a full investigation is conducted on the financial spending of the PDP administration, Nigerians will be shocked. And, of course, you cannot expect anything different since the National Assembly is dominated by the PDP members who merely rubber stamp executive bills. That is why there is a need for a change of leadership that can rescue the country from the present PDP administration.
And do you think APC is a better alternative?
I believe the country will be better governed if there is a viable political platform that can at least alternate power with the ruling PDP. And APC has all its takes to bring about the desired change.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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