VIOLENT protests have erupted in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, amid the growing frustration and anger among Nigerians over the scarcity of cash and petrol.
The ICIR gathered areas such as Aladesanmi, Fajol and Somorin in Obantoko were overtaken by the protesters, who set bonfires and sang anti-Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) songs.
The Sapon branch of First Bank was also vandalized, and the protesters attempted to set it on fire.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force tried to disperse the protesters, but they regrouped as soon as the policemen withdrew from the scene. The protesters returned with greater intensity and set bonfires with disused tires.
The situation was said to have disrupted vehicular movement, causing motorists and pedestrians to run off the road for safety.
Ogun Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told newsmen the police are monitoring the situation to prevent the further destruction of property and loss of lives.
While saying calm had been restored in Asero, Oyeyemi warned the protesters against causing more hardship for Nigerians, especially by vandalising other people’s properties.
He expressed concerns that some of those leading the uprising do not have money to withdraw from any banks.
“We have talked to them so that they won’t turn the protest into the destruction of properties. Anybody who tries to destroy any property will be decisively dealt with. We have warned them,” he said.
“They are protesting that they can’t withdraw money and there is fuel scarcity. The funny thing is that those who don’t have N5 in their accounts are demonstrating that they can’t withdraw. This is uncalled for. We all have to be calm.”
A similar protest erupted in Akure, the Ondo state capital. Protesters barricaded major roads and frustrated vehicular and human movement in the early hours of Tuesday, February 7.
Palpable tension has continued to rise in various parts of the country over the shortage of cash and fuel, which is affecting daily life and business operations.
The cash shortage followed the naira redesign policy introduced by the CBN with the approval of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that the allocation for a building which collapsed in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja would be revoked.
This was disclosed in a statement jointly released by the FCTA and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) on Tuesday, February 7.
Officials of both organisations had met on Monday February 6, during which a report by the FHA on the circumstances resulting in the collapse was presented to the FCT minister.
According to the statement, three people died as a result of the building collapse. A technical team has been set up by the FCT and FHA to conduct investigations based on the report.
“The meeting resolved that the investigation by the technical team is also aimed at strengthening the internal working mechanism of both agencies and that all those found culpable in the building collapse will face appropriate punishment commiserate with the crime committed.
“The FCT Minister announced that in line with FCTA policy, the allocation of the collapsed building be revoked,” the statement read.
Commiserating with families of the deceased, Bello and the FHA Chairman Lawal Shuaibu, noted that compensation will be provided.
“The meeting also commended the various agencies involved in the rescue efforts that saved 21 lives and stressed the need for cases of contraventions to go beyond mere issuance of “stop work” notices.
“Both organisations resolved to work very closely together to prevent any future occurrence,” the statement added.
On Thursday February 2, a three-storey building still under construction has collapsed in Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Several security agencies had arrived the scene for rescue operations, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Nigerian Police Force (NPF) among others.
Works must have been published or broadcast in 2022. Categories include print/digital, video/TV, audio/radio, multimedia project, photography, social media and engagement, student and emerging journalists.
Entries can be from anywhere in the world but must be in English.
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The deadline for the submission of applications is March 15, 2023. Interested applicants can submit entries here.
THE Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has urged the National Assembly to launch an investigation into the regulatory activities of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
In a statement released on Monday, February 6, the MRA accused the NBC of succumbing to the control of a “politically partisan” Minister of Information to cow broadcasting stations in Nigeria in an effort to prevent them from criticising government officials and powerful political figures.
According to the statement released by MRA’s Communications Officer Idowu Adewale, the organisation is compelled to seek the intervention of the National Assembly in the light of Friday’s imposition of N2 million fines on two television stations, Arise News and Television Continental (TVC), by the NBC for alleged breach of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
MRA described the action as the latest example of abuse of powers by the NBC.
MRA’s Programme Officer Maimuna Momoh noted in the statement that “It cannot be fair or just that the NBC, which wrote the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to create offences, is the complainant in the allegations of violation of the Code by broadcasting stations, investigates the alleged breaches itself, prosecutes the accused stations, sits in judgment on the matter, frequently without even giving the stations any opportunity to defend themselves against the allegations, sanctions them through the imposition of fines, which it collects as part of its revenue. This is clearly an affront to principles of fair hearing, equity and justice.”
In separate letters signed by NBC Director-General Mallam Balarabe llelah dated February 3, 2023, and sent to the Chief Executive Officer of Arise Global Media Limited, owners of Arise News, and the Chief Executive Officer of Continental Broadcasting Service Limited, owners of TVC, the NBC accused the two stations of violating the Broadcasting Code in their coverage of political campaigns and gave each of them two weeks to pay a penalty of N2 million.
Condemning the development, MRA noted that the pattern of abusive behaviour by the Commission has reached alarming levels, adding that “the NBC in most cases is either being used as a weapon by the information minister to impede broadcasting stations from performing their constitutional role of upholding the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people or is on its own turning its regulatory function into a revenue drive, and in both cases, frequently dispensing with the imperative of giving accused stations the opportunity to defend themselves”.
Momoh added, “In recent years, we have seen several dozen examples of such outrageous sanctioning of broadcasting stations, even in the absence of any complaint from anyone and without their being given any opportunity to defend themselves against baseless accusations in many cases as the NBC has turned its regulatory function into a scavenger hunt for revenue or succumbs to pressures from the Executive branch of government to sanction stations which criticize government officials or their actions.
“It is not only ironic but outright dangerous that the NBC is seeking to enforce truth and objectivity in the outputs of broadcasting stations while it is taking directives in so doing from a partisan Minister of Information who is notorious in this country and beyond for his own disregard for truth and objectivity.
“If the NBC is not deterred from this its approach to regulations, Nigerians will be fed only the Minister’s version of the truth, thereby defeating the purpose of Section 22 of the Constitution.
“An established principle guiding the operations of a regulatory authority exercising powers in the area of broadcasting is that it should be independent and adequately protected against interference of a political, commercial or other nature. Contrary to this internationally established norm, the Minister of Information continues to interfere in the regulatory functions of the NBC and frequently deploys it as a weapon with which he prevents broadcasting stations from performing their duty to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people or for punishing those that dare to do so.”
She, therefore, called on the National Assembly to conduct an open and transparent investigation into the NBC and the conduct of its regulatory functions in order to prevent it from ‘completely’ destroying the broadcast sector in Nigeria.
THE Glide is accepting nominations for its new platform that will allow independent journalists to publish their vital work and receive crypto/fiat contributions for it from users.
This platform seeks works from all journalists, especially those on the ground and reporting from the frontlines, those operating under increasing media censorship pressures, and with limited financial support and/or scarce publishing opportunities in their local place of reporting.
THE SBM Intelligence has reported that over 300 civilians were killed by accidental airstrikes by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) in five years.
According to a report released by theSBM Intelligence on Monday, February 6, with the title, ‘Chart of the Week: Nigeria Air Force Mishaps’, airstrikes that caused the death of over 300 people have been carried out by the Nigerian Air Force in pursuit of terrorists.
The report listed Borno, Niger, Yobe, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina as the states affected by the accidental airstrikes.
According to the report, two neighbouring communities in Niger Republic and Lake Chad were also affected by NAF airstrikes in September 2021 and February 2022, respectively.
“At least 20 people said to be fishermen were killed in a NAF airstrike that occurred in Kwatar Daban Masara in Lake Chad.
“NAF airstrike targeting bandits killed seven children and wounded five others by mistake in Nachade Village, Niger Republic,” the report said.
The report further noted that the NAF failed to acknowledge the airstrikes.
The SBM Intelligence also observed that the Air Force failed to carry out comprehensive investigations and compensate victims’ families.
“Since 2017, more than 300 people have been killed in airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian Air Force in pursuit of terrorists. Within the last two years, the instances of such ‘mistakes’ have soared, but sadly with limited acknowledgement from the Air Force. It has also failed to carry out comprehensive investigations and has not paid compensation to victims families. Late January’s airstrikes on herders in Nasarawa continued the pattern of impunity that has come to colour military operations in Nigeria,” the report said.
Among incidents listed in the report, IBM Intelligence noted that a Nigeria Air Force jet mistakenly bombed an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp near the Cameroonian border in Rann, Borno State, resulting in the death of at least 115 persons and more than 100 injured.
The report also noted that a total of 12 airstrikes were carried out within the last two years in the country.
The ICIR earlier reported that the Nasarawa State Police Command is yet to identify those responsible for the airstrike that claimed the lives of more than 30 herders at the Nasarawa-Benue border.
“I can confirm that there was an airstrike at Kwateri village, Nasarawa/Benue border. Twenty-seven corpses were recovered. Security have been deployed to the area and investigation has since commenced. We are yet to know who carried out the airstrike,” spokesperson of the Command Ramhan Nansel said in an interview with The ICIR.
MULTIPLE earthquakes and aftershocks that struck eastern Turkiye and neighboring Syria on Monday, February 6, have killed more than 5,000, as search and rescue operations continue.
An initial 7.8 magnitude quake struck close to Gaziantep, followed by another 7.5 magnitude earthquake several hours later, bringing down hundreds of buildings.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared seven days of national mourning.
The quakes, which were centered in Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, sent residents of Damascus and Beirut rushing into the street and was felt in four countries including Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and Syria.
Many have reported their relatives remained trapped under the rubbles and authorities fear the death toll will keep climbing as the rescuers look for survivors among tangles of metal and concrete.
At least 3,419 people were killed in 10 Turkish provinces, with over 20,000 injured, according to Turkish authorities, while on the Syrian side, the affected area is divided between government-controlled territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, which is surrounded by Russian-backed government forces.
The death toll in government-held areas of Syria is reportedly over 812 people according to the Health Ministry, while at least 790 people have died in the country’s rebel-held northwest, with over 3, 600 persons injured.
The UN General Assembly observed a minute of silence in tribute to the victims and its Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the international community to help thousands of families affected by the disaster, many of whom were already in dire need of humanitarian aid.
United States President Joe Biden called Erdogan to express condolences and offer assistance to the NATO ally. The White House said it was sending search-and-rescue teams to support Turkey’s efforts.
National security spokesman John Kirby said the United States was sending two search-and-rescue teams of 79 people each, while the Pentagon and USAID were coordinating with their Turkish counterparts.
Other countries like Germany, Greece, India, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and India have also expressed readiness to provide necessary assistance to overcome the consequences of the disaster.
ON Wednesday, February 1, one dark-skinned, rotund customer had come into the hall of the Stanbic IBTC branch on Market Street, Somolu, Lagos State. She was hoping to withdraw N30,000. What she got was the shock of her life: she could only get N1,000, and in only N5 notes. The shock distorted her facial expression into a horror. N1000 in N5 notes?, she exploded. Who wanted that denomination that had virtually gone into extinction? But the bank teller was firm; there were no other notes It was either the customer acquiesces or walk. She chose the latter.
As The ICIR later discovered widely, the N5 banks’ issue to customers is a national development. Following the initial directive from the CBN to stop issuing the old N1000, N500 and N200 notes as withdrawals across the counter, banks, a staffer at the Stanbic IBTC branch told our correspondent, had no option but to be giving out the lower denominations they had.
But, actually, beyond that, the CBN issued a release directing banks to be paying customers in whatever denominations they had, including the scorned, unwanted N10 and N5 notes. It is an opportunity for both the CBN and commercial banks to do away with those notes that Nigerians had been gradually sending into extinction, as they permanently did coins.
The initiation of the policy, there has been distortions in the economy, with businesses facing scarcity of cash from both deposit money banks and Point-of-Sales merchants.
The gaps in the policy since its initiation has led to the scarcity of both the old and new currency, which has led to more than 100 per cent hike in the transaction cost for withdrawal through PoS.
On heels of this development, many businesses are grounded to a halt as they complain of scarcity of cash for their business transactions.
Besides businesses, families are complaining of lack of cash, throwing them into avoidable difficulties.
***
THESE are, indeed, unusual times. For many years, they had been off the streets in protest, which was not their wont, especially during the dictatorship years of military rule. But on Thursday, February 2, members of the human rights body, the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), deemed it fit to get back to the streets, this time to stage a protest to tell the Muhammadu Buhari administration how its policy on three redesigned naira notes are hurting the citizens.
In a video that went viral, the protesters could be seen carrying banners and singing, “All we are saying, give us new notes.” The redesigned naira notes, that is.
The protest cannot capture enough the agonising developments that have emanated since new redesigned notes of N1000, N500 and N200 came into circulation on December 15, 2022.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had announced on October 15, 2022 that it would be redesigning the three notes with a view to mopping up unregulated money outside the banking vault, which the CBN estimated to be 80 per cent.
A collage of the new naira notes.
The CBN initially fixed January 31, 2023 as the deadline for accepting the old three designs being rested. But as that deadline dawned last week and the new notes still as scarce as hen’s teeth, there rose appeals from different bodies to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to extend the deadline.
Emefiele had initially waxed unshaken, insisting the deadline remained inviolable. But federal legislators waded in on the agitations, with many of them narrating the woes of their constituents in obtaining the notes. A threat from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to arrest Emefiele over the issue might have contributed to making the apex bank chief budge, for on January 29, he announced the shift of the deadline to February 10.
But there has been no succour for the citizens. If anything, the scarcity of the notes has worsened. And with it have emerged unusual spectacles that bank customers have never experienced.
Nigerians and difficult experiences
A bank customer Ifeanyi Obodoeze while narrating his ordeal, said, “My search for the new naira notes started on Sunday-January 29,2023 and it has not been easy.
According to him, Providus bank, located at 62 Lobito Crescent, Wuse II Abuja, however, made it very easy for its costumers.
“For the past two weeks or so, the personnel in charge of their ATM kept the 3 ATMs in full service; filing them up with cash several times in a day.
” The bank reserved two of the three for only their customers while one is for others.
The queue there today is something else on that general one which is the same situation across the few functional ATMs in the FCT just as I saw now at FCMB, Garki II.
He noted, however, that the Zenith located opposite the Providus branch has its ATM out of service since this year.
He alleged that managers are probably hoarding these new notes for whatever reason, while stressing the importance pointing out those few banks who truly cared for their customers.
He observed, however, that the PoS operators are a different story entirely, as many of them rose on the situation to increase transaction cost arbitrarily, even above 200 per cent.
Also, a family man, Ekene Obike, told TheICIR that he had to queue at the Automated Teller Machine, ATM for 4 hours to access N5000 cash for the family.
“I don’t have any money at home, I had to be at the queue since 4am in order to access cash for my family up keep.
Businesses share concerns
A restaurant seller in Utako, at the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Helen Osigwe told The ICIR that she had reduced the quantity of the food she cooks, as customers complain of difficulty in accessing cash.
“I have since reduced my daily restaurant sales by half, since the issue of this scarcity. Many of my customers send transfer when they come to eat, however, I find it difficult to get the money from commercial banks and PoS. The banks complain they don’t have the new notes, the PoS charge high transaction cost, while complaining of scarcity,”she said.
Another restaurant owner, Oluchi Okafor located in Dei-Dei, at the outskirt of Abuja City, told our correspondent that she had to also readjust the quantity of food he cooks per day following the uncertainty that characterised the current situation.
“I accept only cash from my customers. I try to explain to those who want to make a transfer of the difficulties faced in getting cash for business. We pay higher costs to get our money from PoS operators get our money,” she laments.
Besides, some PoS operators told The ICIR that the hike in the transaction cost is a result of the scarcity of cash from commercial banks. They complained that they had to rely on super agents, many of whom had raised the transaction costs for them.
“I get my money for my business from a super agent since it’s difficult to get from the banks. For a N500, 000 worth of the newly redesigned cash, we pay N50, 000.
I get my money for my business from a super agent since it’s difficult to get from the banks. For a N500, 000 worth of the newly redesigned cash, we pay N50, 000.
She stressed that many businesses now don’t deposit cash because of uncertainty that characterises the process.
“We charge higher costs because we don’t have it easy getting cash from the super agents. The probability of getting cash now from deposit money banks and super agents.”
On the concerns of the poor circulation of the redesigned currency, the apex bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, has assured Nigerians that banks will continue to accept the N1000, N500 and N200 notes being rested after the February 10 deadline.
Emefiele gave the assurance on February 1 2023, when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on the currency redesign and naira swap policy.
Last week, the House invited the CBN governor for discussions as worries mounted across the country over scarcity of the redesigned N1000, N500 and N200 notes and the January 31 deadline dawned.
When Emefiele failed to honour the invitation last Thursday, the House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, threatened to arrest him.
Emefiele announced a 10-day extension to the deadline, with the old notes acceptable as legal tender till February 10.
Despite the extension, there has been outcry in several quarters about the gaps in the policy and how it has created problems for businesses.
Adamu in Suleja, Niger State complains of drop in Sales, citing currency redesign.
For Adamu Mustapha, a carrot and tomato seller in Suleja market, he told our correspondent that he makes an average of N80,000 sales daily. However, he complained that his sales dropped by over 40 per cent since the currency redesign deadline extension.
“I deal on cash and pay to my suppliers once I close for the day. I noticed a sharp drop in my sales since the deadline extension of this policy. It has distorted our market and sales. The little cash I have, I cannot deposit because I might struggle to get it back,” Adamu said.
A dealer on women’s wears at Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Ifekudu, who spoke to TheICIR said the trend at the market has been, “Madam you get cash?”, “Oga you get cash?”
It is so disturbing.”
When prodded further on how the policy is affecting the market, he said, “everywhere is so dry. There is no money in circulation, and no one is buying.”
Deserted PoS Centre at the Central Market in Kubwa for lack of cash
Protest on the Policy
The situation is not just affecting businesses alone, in Abuja and several other parts of the country, Civil Liberty Organisation, CLO are protesting the policy and its harsh effects on Nigerians.
Already, there were recorded protests in some parts of the country over the current naira scarcity, both with deposit money banks and PoS across the country.
In Lagos, a group under the auspices of Civil Liberty Organisations for Good Governance staged a protest Lagos State over the scarcity of an Naira notes(Old and new)
The Executive Director of the AFRICAN Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, CLSD, Monday Osasah told The ICIR that the loopholes in the policy is what is currently causing the present crisis and distortions in business.
“The apex bank would have come up with this earlier and allowed it to run for six months side by side to gradually face out the old notes.
He pointed out that the policy has put Nigerians into lots of avoidable hardships, which could have been corrected with better plans.
A Lawyer and Lead Partner, Centre for Social Justice, CSJ Eze Onyekpere told The ICIR that the policy has several gaps and is putting Nigerians into suffering.
Eze Onyekpere, said Emefiele misled Buhari and Nigerians
Sharing his personal experience, he said, “Emefiele has misled the President and the entire Nigerian community.
“What Emefiele and the CBN are doing has the consequences of reverting Nigeria back to deep recession or crashing whatever is remaining of the economy.
“I was looking for money yesterday, where I found money they told me they are going to charge me N5000 to give me N20 000. What do you expect if the business have come to a halt, no one is selling, no one is buying, people are exercising undue caution with the little cash they have, “he stressed.
He also noted that both rural and urban economy is affected, and many people are postponing business transactions.
Government says there is end in sight
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has expressed concern over Nigerians’ scarcity experience over the new naira notes.
The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed told State House Correspondents that the President is not happy with the situation, while assuring that it would be under control soon.
She noted that President Buhari is not happy with the difficulties Nigerians arw facing in accessing the new cash.
“Of course, we are worried; we are not that happy that citizens have to queue and struggle at bank ATM to be able to get their cash, but this is a temporary solution.
“Let me just give you an analogy; if you have a wound, for your to be able to heal that wound, it needs to be dressed; sometimes, when you go to the hospital, they put iodine and it is very painful but it is necessary to that to get the wound to heal.
“So, it is not easy, and the president is not happy that the citizens are really suffering; but we are convinced that it is something that needs to be done this time.’’
According to her, the CBN has been responsive in terms of providing some extension.
Rasheed Monguno, Director Consumer Protection for CBN, Rasheed Monguno while speaking on the fate of the rural underserved areas in the country said the cash swap initiative of the CBN is taking care of those.
“We are targeting those in rural areas and working with the collaboration of the super agents to reach the unbanked,”she said.
In addition, the president has asked for seven days to look into the issue.
In desperation, the Lion of Bourdillon roared again in Abeokuta.
We can’t forget it was in Abeokuta shortly before the party’s primaries last year that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, having read the body language of some All Progressives Congress leaders that he coined the phrase, “Emi Lokan”, meaning it’s my turn now to be President.
Addressing a mammoth crowd at the MKO Abiola Stadium last month on the campaign trail, he accused fifth columnists in his party, the APC, of being responsible for the fuel scarcity that has gripped the nation for several months.
This is aside from the redesign of three of the currency notes of the Naira, and the attendant pains the policy has inflicted on hapless Nigerians. The three top bills of the Naira were to stop being legal tender by January 31. Now, a 10-day extension has been granted. Whether it would be enough is another matter.
For many Nigerians, spending endless hours at Banks’ ATMs without success is now a whole day’s work. And we’re not talking of the challenges being faced by those trying to buy fuel for their vehicles and to power their generators.
It’s unbelievable that an incumbent President would allow the prevailing chaos to be the defining climax of his two-term tenure. On a State visit to Imo, in the southeastern part of Nigeria, late last year, President Muhammadu Buhari wondered aloud why those who should be trumpeting his achievements in office weren’t doing so.
The current presidential campaigns offer a good chance for all members of the party led by the incumbent president and Tinubu, the party’s candidate, to shout to the rooftops whatever the APC has achieved in eight years. Definitely, in several parts of Nigeria, there has been remarkable improvements in road infrastructure. The second Niger bridge is almost completed. New milestones have been achieved in rail transportation. Though it’s alleged to be corruption-ridden, thousands of Nigerians are said to have benefited from the Social Investment Programme.
Even though, food prices have soared, agricultural harvests, against all odds, have been good. Against this backdrop, it’s curious that Mr. President has been missing on his party’s campaign trail, which would have afforded him the opportunity to blow his own trumpet.
On one occasion, when he was expected to put up an appearance at one of the campaigns, he chose to go to Dakar for an engagement. His indifference and nonchalance to the campaigns are understandable to those who have been keen watchers of his administration. He never seems to do anything with passion.
And if a President refuses to be passionate about his achievements in office, why should anybody else blow it for him. Not even the candidate of his party, who probably can’t see anything tangible to merit shouting Hallelujah.
In Yorubaland, when a king is going to appear in his court, he is heralded by his trumpeters and drummers, who use the occasion to sing his praises and regale the audience as to his achievements, some of them outlandish in the main. The bottom line is the King would be there in person. Thus, while TInubu, as he moves from one campaign ground to the other, should be the lead trumpeter and drummer of Buhari’s achievements in office, when the principal is missing in action, it means anybody blowing his trumpet does so at his own peril.
On several occasions, Tinubu has described Buhari as his friend. And the kind of friend you have clearly shows who you are. So, if Buhari is really Tinubu’s friend, some people would conclude that the latter doesn’t need an enemy.
Because of his taciturnity, it’s Buhari’s body language that many Nigerians, including some of those in his kitchen cabinet, turn to in order to know what’s going on in his mind.
Although, the APC has a presidential candidate, Tinubu, the flag-bearer is definitely not Buhari’s candidate. It showed clearly in the race for the APC ticket. Aside the large number of aspirants, 23, many of Tinubu’s kinsmen and supposed allies were encouraged to vie against him. And when it was glaring that Tinubu might win, a few days to the Primaries, Abdullahi Adamu, chairman of the party issued a press statement that claimed Ahmed Lawan, Senate President and one of the contestants, had been made the consensus candidate. Tinubu, strongly backed by APC northern governors, issued a rebuttal. The rest is history.
Therefore, if APC loses this election to the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP candidate’s Atiku Abubakar, Buhari won’t lose any sleep. And that would be a confirmation of the so-called Fulani agenda, to hold Nigeria’s leadership in perpetuity.
After all, there are claims out there on the streets that the outgoing President is the leader of the Fulani ethnic group in West Africa, and for a nomadic people who have no place to call a homeland, they have finally decided to settle in Nigeria. While there’s nothing wrong in that choice, what galls other ethnic groups is that they want to do it strictly on their own terms.
Since independence, Nigeria has seen the best of times and the worst of times. And one of the worst of times was under a General, Sani Abacha, a man very much after Buhari’s heart. Even as cruel as Abacha was, he once noted that if an insurgency cannot be put down within 24 hours, then it’s not unlikely that those in power are involved. It’s against that backdrop that many have come to view the insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and all kinds of criminalities that abound in the Country today.
There’s no doubt that these last few months of Buhari’s tenure, which is already tension-soaked are a make-or-mar moment for the Country. The forthcoming February 25 presidential election has put all on tenterhooks. Whoever wins, if it’s considered free and fair, the tension may die down. But if there’s a perception that it was rigged, then the Nation’s heart may head for its throat again. And that would not be the first time.
Like in the past, the tension may abate for a while, but the centrifugal and centripetal forces contending for the Nation’s jugular would be back in full force sooner or later. And the giant with all its potential would remain glued to the same spot where it has been for decades; to put it in street lingo, “ e no pass, e no fail, and it’s refusing to leave the class”.
Yet, something tells me, that in line with the optimism of Nigerian youths and millions that are not so young, this country of 300-odd ethnic groups may yet claim its rightful place in the Sun, among the comity of great Nations. When that dawn comes, and with President Buhari having succeeded in his eight years in office in widening the gulf between his Fulani kinsmen and other ethnic groups, can his legacy assure him a positive mention as one of the heroes who built a modern Nigeria?
Akinkuotu can be reached via akinkuotuayodele@gmail.com
THE Obi-Datti Media Office said it has uncovered a multi-million naira fake news plot designed to smear the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi by his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of this presidential election.
Head of Media, Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Diran Onifade, who made this known in a statement on Monday, February 6, said the multi-million media campaign is titled “Killer Punch”.
Onifade said the fake news campaign is part of Tinubu’s plan to spread false information about Obi.
He said anti-Obi elements have been contacted for a role in the “Killer Punch” documentary.
According to Onifade, N500 million has been budgeted for the smear campaign.
“Already, they have been releasing snippets of the documentary on social media, without getting any attention, as people already know about their desperation to drag down Obi, who they rightly know, is far ahead,” he said.
“This documentary of lies and falsehood, which they have fabricated, attempt to portray Mr Obi as a drug peddler, killer and sexual pervert among other innuendos in their fertile imagination.”
The Obi-Datti campaign team claimed that the APC campaign has been faltering and Tinubu is becoming increasingly frustrated with his media handlers.
According to Onifade, Tinubu had reportedly accused his media handlers of not doing enough to halt Obi’s progress and has instructed them to spread more propaganda against his opponents, regardless of ethics or morality.
Onifade noted that Obi has been the most fact-checked among the top four presidential candidates due to his issues-driven campaign.
In the same vein, Onifade called on Nigerians to ignore any doctored or fake media news items about Obi.
“The elections are just a few weeks away as Obi-Datti is growing by each second, let’s keep working hard, for the victory that will change our Country, for good,” Onifade added.
