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Analysis: Trump or Biden win at US elections could be a lose-lose for Nigeria

Amos ABBA
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Analysis: Trump or Biden win at US elections could be a lose-lose for Nigeria

WITH the US presidential elections results due in a matter of a few days, countries around the world are monitoring the race closely as the outcome could mean different things to different nations.

President Donald Trump, though, perceived in some quarters as a polarizing figure, his brand of politics and foreign policies have favoured countries like Isreal and Sudan amongst others. 

For Joe Biden, the Democratic Party hopeful, if he wins, his victory could usher in a breath of fresh air to several countries who are hoping for relief from the crippling sanctions by Trump administration.

However, based on the positions of both candidates during the Presidential debates, America’s foreign policies may not be significantly favourable to Nigeria.

On October 22, when Biden was asked if he would weaken the US oil industry to pursue a more environmentally friendly energy policy.

“I would transition away from the oil industry, yes. The oil industry pollutes, significantly…It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time,” Biden stated.

A Biden-win with a preference for a diversified energy option will certainly affect the fortune of Nigeria, a country that relies majorly on oil revenue.

However, President Trump’s administration has already seen an increased US oil production at its peak, lifting a 40-year ban placed on oil importation and stopped the imports of crude oil from Nigeria.

The energy policies of President Trump and Biden do not involve Nigeria in its scheme considering its preparation for a post-oil future.

Nigeria boasts of the world’s ninth-largest proven gas reserves but a potential Biden administration could settle on the possibility of deploying natural gas as a transition fuel to a low carbon emissions economy.

In January, President Trump expanded his administration’s travel ban to include Nigeria, along with five other countries its likely with a Trump win the immigration restrictions will still be in place.

The ban on Nigerian immigrants which took effect on Feb. 22, would not prevent travel by Nigerians coming to the US on student and employment visas.

A question most Nigerians have ahead of the US election is who will be most likely to rescind the US restrictions on immigration from Africa’s most populous nation.

According to a  Gallup poll in July, despite the immigration ban placed on Nigeria by the US, a majority of Nigerians have a positive view of the U.S.’s leadership.

Though Biden is yet to pick interest in Nigeria from his position during the debates but apart from revoking the travel ban on Nigeria it is hard to know his stand on US interests in Nigeria.

Joe Keshi, a former Nigerian consul to the US who spoke on a breakfast programme on Arise TV said Nigeria’s interests will be largely represented if more American – Nigerians seek for elective positions in the US.

“The Democratic Party has a liberal-leaning towards countries where they have strategic interests but I have always advocated for Nigerian – Americans to seek elective positions in the US that is the only way we can retain Nigeria’s interests in the US,” he said.

Corroborating his stance, Pat Utomi, a Professor of Political Economy in an interview said today’s Nigeria would be marginal to U.S.’ strategic interests, except concerning terrorism and regional security interests.

He stated the scenario would change, “if the considerable number of Americans of Nigerian descent vote as a block, then they are consequential in affecting outcomes.”

In recent times, the US has consistently revealed that its protectionism policy of placing America’s interest first before other countries under President Trump has not put Nigeria’s interest in its crosshairs.

This has seen the US under President Trump opposed Adewunmi Adesina’s re-election bid as President of the Africa Development Bank, AfDB

Adesina’s re-election bid as President of the AfDB was threatened by the US request for an independent probe into whistleblower allegations levelled against him despite being absolved by the ethics committee of the bank’s board of governors.

The findings of the independent probe panel exonerated Adesina and cleared him for the elections which he won by a landslide victory.

In the build-up to the race to succeed Brazil’s Roberto Azevedo as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO took an unexpected turn last week after the US rejected Nigeria’s candidate, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Okonjo-Iweala has gathered support from most WTO member countries, but the US-supported her only opponent, South Korea’s Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, indicating her skills and experience in international trade dealings.

This shows that US policy under President Trump favours countries always entail enormous lobbying efforts built on goodwill.

President Trump’s trade policy of prioritising the US interests first has resulted in a low volume of trade between Africa and the US, which continues to diminish as the US also grows less reliant on Nigeria’s oil exports.

Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State in a New York Times report stated its security ties between both nations, exemplified after the US sold 12 combat propeller planes worth $500 million to combat insecurity in Nigeria.

“Nigeria has room to grow in sharing important national security information. I am optimistic that’s going to happen,” Pompeo said.

The security ties between the US and Nigeria has been strained in recent times but it had improved significantly under the Trump administration.

In 2014, the Barack Obama administration had blocked a transfer of US-manufactured military helicopters from Israel to Nigeria due to human rights
concerns under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

US security cooperation with Nigeria improved after the 2015 inauguration of President Buhari, who pledged to investigate the abuses.

The Obama administration had sought congressional approval for the sale of 12 A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft to Nigeria but stopped the sale after a Nigerian jet struck a camp for displaced people during a bombing raid.

The Trump administration had revisited that decision, and in late 2017 approved the sale, despite opposition from some members of Congress.

With the US elections result due in a few days,  a Biden or Trump win does not guarantee any significant gain for Nigeria.

PDP tackles APC over renewed plans to regulate social media

Vincent Ufuoma
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PDP tackles APC over renewed plans to regulate social media

THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has tackled the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on its renewed plan to regulate social media.

Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday that the plan by the APC-led government is unconstitutional, anti-people and suppressive designed to “asphyxiate” Nigerians.

While stating that there are implementable laws in the nation’s law to curb fake news and to punish offenders, the party emphasized again that the move by the APC is targeted against outspoken Nigerians and media houses from demanding accountability from the federal government.

“The PDP asserts that the renewed frenzy to censor the social media is ostensibly targeted at muzzling outspoken Nigerians, particularly the youths, media and civil society organizations, from demanding for accountability and competence, as well as exposing the widespread corruption, unbridled treasury looting, barefaced injustice, human right abuses, constitutional violations and divisive actions of the APC administration,” PDP said.

“Our party rejects the claims that the regulation bill is targeted at checking fake news. This is because our nation already has enough implementable laws to counter the dissemination of fake news and punish offenders.

“It is clear that the APC administration is rather xenophobic of criticisms from citizens against its manifest atrocities that it seeks to surreptitiously reenact the obnoxious military decree 4 to suppress Nigerians.

“Instead of this desperation to gag the citizens and curtail their constitutionally guaranteed rights, our party counsels the APC administration to rather take steps to reassure Nigerians by ending its manifest corruption, treasury looting, abuse of human rights, nepotism and unaccountability for which the citizens demands answers.”

Rather than working hard to regulate the social media, the PDP counseled the federal government to become more accountable, particularly, by ending its arrogance as well as its shielding corrupt officials, especially those allegedly involved in the criminal diversion of funds voted for COVID-19 palliatives.

Controversial social media bill

In 2019, a bill to regulate the social media space was proposed and sponsored by Muhammad Musa, an APC lawmaker representing Niger East senatorial district.

The bill christened the “Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill” better known as Social Media Bill prescribes sanction for abuse of social media was rejected by overwhelming Nigerians.

On Monday, the Northern Governors’ Forum shortly after its meeting in Kaduna, issued a communique issued by  Simon Lalong, its Chairman and Governor of Plateau, to express support for the government’s move to regulate the social media.

The meeting, which said it took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news, called for major control mechanisms and censorship of social media practice in Nigeria.

Ayade presents N277 bn budget of ‘Blush and Bliss’ to State Assembly

Lukman ABOLADE
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Ayade presents N277 bn budget of ‘Blush and Bliss’ to State Assembly

BEN Ayade, the governor of Cross Rivers state has presented the 2021 appropriation bill of N277,708 billion tagged ‘budget of blush and bliss’ to the State House Assembly.

Ayade made this known via his social media page on Thursday saying that the total budget for 2021 stands at N277,708,738, 550.50.

“Today I presented the CRS 2021 budget of Blush and Bliss to the H.O.A which stood at the sum of two hundred and seventy-seven billion, seven hundred and eight million, seven hundred and thirty-eight thousand, five hundred and fifty naira, fifty kobo (#277,708,738, 550.50),” his tweet read.

According to Ayade, the capital expenditure of the budget is NGN85,196,800.00 while recurrent expenditure is NGN192,511,985,550.

Unlike the government’s initial budget proposal in 2020, N911 billion was budgeted for capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure was pegged at N188 billion leading to a total budget of N1.1 trillion tagged ‘Olipotic Meristemasis’.

The ICIR in a data analysis had reported that the budget was unrealistic considering the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state and its allocation from the federal government.

The budget was eventually slashed to N147 billion following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.

The state government said the ‘olympotic budget’ was reduced due to the ‘fall in federal revenue and allocation of expenditure’.

On Thursday while presenting the 2021 appropriation to the Cross River State House of Assembly, Ayade said he would focus on security and neighbourhood watch to combat insecurity in the state.

The previous budgets passed by Ayade administration which many consider as high sounding but deliver marginal public service are:

2021 – Budget of Blush and Bliss
2020 – Budget of Olimpotic Meristemasis
2019 – Budget of Qabalistic Densification
2018 – Budget of Kinetic Crystallisation
2017 – Budget of Infinite Transposition
2016 – Budget of Deep Vision.

#Lekki Shootings: Group threatens Amnesty International, gives organisation seven-day notice to leave Nigeria

Seun DUROJAIYE
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#Lekki Shootings: Group threatens Amnesty International, gives organisation seven-day notice to leave Nigeria

THE Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER), a non-governmental organisation has given Amnesty International, a global rights group, a seven-day ultimatum to leave Nigeria.

CALSER, led by a woman who identified herself as Princess Ajibola, proclaims itself as a body ‘devoted to the restoration of human dignity, honour and safety on earth.”

The group threatened to visit Amnesty International and its staff with weighty consequences if the organisation fails to heed its warning.

“For Nigeria to rebuild, Amnesty must be out of the way and out of the way for good. Failure to leave Nigeria will attract civil disobedience at its offices based in Abuja and in Lagos on a scale that would make the campaign of looting and arson it facilitated appear like child’s play.

“Amnesty International’s offices and those of all its affiliated organisations and known supporters in Nigeria will be set upon the same way that its agents destroyed critical assets of the country.

“Its staffers will be treated the same way that innocent policemen and our children lynched by mobs were treated. The countdown for the seven-day ultimatum begins now,” Ajibola said at an impassioned press briefing in Abuja.

The group’s threat is coming on the heels of Amnesty International releasing a new investigative timeline, in which it details the events of October 20, when #EndSARS protesters were gunned down by men of the Nigerian Army at the Lekki toll gate plaza.

“The timeline – available here – collates photographs and video footage to confirm that Nigerian Army vehicles left Bonny Camp, a military base approximately a seven-minute drive from the toll gate, at 6.29 pm local time on 20 October.”

“Footage then tracks the vehicles to the toll gate. At approximately 6.45pm, the Nigerian military opened fire on the #EndSars protesters who were peacefully calling for an end to police brutality,” the group revealed.

Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International said, “What happened at Lekki toll gate has all the traits of the Nigerian authorities’ pattern of a cover-up whenever their defence and security forces commit unlawful killings.”

Amnesty International has operated in Nigeria since June 1967, expanding its mission of fighting human rights violation and injustice in the country.

Governors express concern over disappearance of police from streets

Vincent Ufuoma
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Governors express concern over disappearance of police from streets

AS the dust that trailed the #ENDSARS protest is gradually settling, some state governors in the country have expressed concerns over the continued absence of policemen on major streets in their various states.

Last week, Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, in a statement signed by Donald Ojogo, his Commissioner of Information, raised an alarm over the absence of police officers on the streets of the state.

He pleaded with the police command in the state on the need to return to the streets for the security of all citizens.

“The general observation across the state shows a very low level of policing which is risky to society”, he said. “Of note, policing is key and can only thrive on a note of mutual trust and respect. We can all, only strive for a better society and brace up to take maximum advantage of lessons learnt from the unfortunate incidents of the last two weeks,” parts of the statement read.

“Saddening as the events appear, there is no doubt that a fresh orientation, perception of self-appraisal as well as an encouraging mood of sober reflection pervades the nation.”

His counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Wednesday, appealed to officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force in the state to return to their duty posts.

Ugwuanyi made the appeal when he visited the command to commiserate with the force over the loss of lives, injuries sustained and destruction of property during the #EndSARS protests hijacked by hoodlums.

A statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant, Louis Amoke, said the governor described the mayhem unleashed by miscreants and hoodlums as “an unusual and challenging period for the Police Force”.

“The self-evident low morale of the Police Force occasioned by the fallout of the #EndSARS protests have, in our judgment, increased the likelihood of crime in the state.

“I, therefore, passionately implore you to fully renew your commitment to the provision of security of lives and property in the state, as was the case before the protests.

“The good people of Enugu State had, before now, enjoyed your excellent policing service and wish that you come fully on stream and return to all the security posts in the state,” he said.

He added, “In our sensitivity to the mood and pains of the society under our watch, the state government has set up an Administrative Panel of Inquiry to determine the loss of lives and other damages.

“We have also taken time to inspect the various degrees and nature of damage arising from the hijacked protests.”

Ugwuanyi added that his administration earnestly awaited the recommendations of the panel, reiterating its commitment to implementing the same with a view to soothing the pains of security personnel and civilians who were victims of the mayhem.

The police authority in a statement on Friday rejecting reports by Amnesty International, that police officers shot at #EndSARS protesters, disclosed that 22 police personnel were extra-judicially killed during the protest while 205 police stations and formations including other critical private and public infrastructure were also damaged by hoodlums.

The developments were said to have weakened the morale of some men of the force who said they would not resume until the government addressed the killing of their colleagues during the protests.

Mohammed Adamu, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, is currently on a tour to the nations police commands to boost the morale of his men and to assess the level of damages caused to police facilities across the country.

Kidnapped Zamfara judges secure freedom after paying N2 million ransom

Amos ABBA
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Kidnapped Zamfara judges secure freedom after paying N2 million ransom

TWO Zamfara State Sharia court judges who were kidnapped by bandits about two months ago have been released after paying N1 million ransom each.

The judges, Sabiu Abdullahi and Shafi’i Jangebe were abducted on their way back to Zamfara after a trip to the Niger Republic, though, it is unclear where exactly the judges were abducted by the bandits.

Initially, the abductors had asked the relatives of the judges to pay N10 million each, but the money was not available.

When the bandits realized that, the judges could not produce the amount after several days in captivity, they finally called their relations and asked them to bring whatever they could afford.

According to a report, a brother to one of the released judges, Hassan Samaru, said the bandits negotiated with him.

“When the bandits realized that we could not meet their demand for N20 million, they finally called us and told us to bring whatever we have.

“We paid two million for the two judges and they were released,” he said.

Speaking to The ICIR, Mohammed Shehu, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Zamfara State did not reveal where the judges were kidnapped when asked why there was no police intervention to secure their release.

“The judges were not kidnapped under the jurisdiction of the police in Zamfara state but what I can tell you is that they have been released,” he said.

Zamfara has faced problems with armed bandits stealing cattle, kidnapping for ransom and attacking communities, which has prompted some residents to form vigilante gangs.

According to a report from the West Africa Network of Peacebuilding, WANEP, from January to December 2019, armed bandits were responsible for more than 1,000 civilian deaths in the Northwest.

The report says this number is greater than civilians killed by Boko Haram over the same period but less than the total number of casualties which includes soldiers and Boko Haram members.

ICC Prosecutor meets with Nigerian journalists

Olayinka SHEHU
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ICC Prosecutor meets with Nigerian journalists

FATOU Bensouda, prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday met with a select group of Nigerian journalists on issues related to the global’s court relevance to the country.

Bensouda whose tenure ends in 2021, is the first woman to assume the position.

The meeting with the elite Nigerian journalists is geared towards having an open dialogue with the participants to discuss the current challenges and successes of the Court, address misperceptions, and answer journalists’ questions from a continent where the Court is currently active in many countries

The prosecutors also used the opportunity to explain the work of her office especially in line with human rights situation in various countries.

Recall that the ICC prosecutor two days after Nigerian soldiers shooting of peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate protest ground had disclosed that her office has received reports of crimes committed during the #EndSars protests and the Court is keeping a close watch on the developments.

“My office has been closely following the events around the current protests in Nigeria and the reaction of Nigeria’s law enforcement and security agencies,” the ICC tweeted.

Bensouda also acknowledged the reported reactions of the Nigerian security operatives during the peaceful demonstration.

“Any loss of life and injury is concerning. We have received information alleging crimes and are keeping a close eye on developments, in case violence escalates and any indications arise that Rome Statute crimes may have been committed.”

She, however, called for restraint from government authorities against the peaceful demonstrators.

Again, FG meeting with ASUU ends in deadlock

Vincent Ufuoma
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Again, FG meeting with ASUU ends in deadlock

THE ongoing effort by the federal government to resolve the strike by the  Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has again ended in a deadlock.

ASUU had in March this year embarked on an industrial action to demand the implementation of agreements and resolutions reached in 2009 and subsequent memoranda of understanding signed in 2013 and 2017.

The union opposed the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) in the payment of its members’ salaries and presented its University Transparency Account System (UTAS) to the government as an alternative.

Though the government has agreed to adopt its UTAS after subjecting it to an integrity test, it however said it does not have the N110 billion revitalisation fund being demanded by ASUU.

Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s minister of labour and employment, revealed this on Wednesday shortly after another round of meeting with the striking lecturers. He said the government could only offer ASUU N20 billion due to the dire economic situation in the country.

“There are three issues and these include the revitalisation fund where the government offered ASUU N20 billion, on good faith based on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) entered into in 2013 as a result of the renegotiation with the then government in 2009. This present government is still committed to it, while we are giving them offers of some fund,” Ngige said.

“This government is not against revitalisation but this government says that because of the dire economic situation due to COV1D-19, we cannot really pay in the N110 billion which they are demanding for revitalisation.

“We offered N20 billion as revitalisation fund. On earned academic allowances (EAA), the government offered N30 billion to all the unions in the universities, making it N50 billion altogether.

“ASUU is saying that the N30 billion should be for lecturers alone, irrespective of the fact that there are three other unions. So there is a little problem there. We do not have any money to offer apart from this N30 billion.

“As you know last week, the minister of communication and digital economy has approved that NITDA gets ASUU system (UTAS) and subject it to integrity test. This test should be conducted without fear or favour and as early as possible. So today, they have submitted the document for onward transmission to NITDA.”

While stating that lack of platform was the reason why the government has not paid the striking lecturers, he said the government side will meet on Friday to review the demands of ASUU and would subsequently communicate to the union if there is a need for another meeting.

Students have stayed at home for more than 200 days since the strike began on Monday, March 23.

Corruption constrains health services in Nigeria as COVID-19 frauds are uncovered

Editorial
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Corruption constrains health services in Nigeria as COVID-19 frauds are uncovered

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to follow through his anti-corruption war with monitoring, investigating and taking punitive actions against public office holders accused of corruption.

The call is coming on the heels of an investigation by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), that indicted MDAs of making inflated payments on Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and award of COVID-19 contracts without evidence of procurement plans.

ICIR’s reporter, Amos Abba led the call during a radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG.

Abba who carried out the investigation accused public servants and MDAs of cashing in on the misfortune brought on the people by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, disclosed that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA) inflated prices of infrared thermometers by more than 200 percent.

Expressing his displeasure at NPHCDA’s overblowing of COVID-19 procurements prices, he added that contracts were awarded to contractors who are not even registered at Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.

“NPHCDA offered lucrative contracts without a fully competitive bidding process to four companies at the tune of N226,167,500 to supply 2,615 infrared thermometers.

“The contracts were worth four times more when compared to retail prices on online retail shops like Jumia and Amazon.

“The contract quoted by the four companies involved showed that the price for a single unit was between eighty to eighty-four thousand naira while in the market you can get it for twenty thousand naira and that is a huge difference,” Abba said.

He bemoaned the continued silence of anti-graft agencies after unearthing corruption in the system while stressing the need for the Federal Government to lead the way in bringing corrupt public officials to account.

On tacking systemic corruption in Nigeria, he had this advice for President Buhari: “Match words with actions and hold people responsible for crimes committed.

“It is not enough to hold press conferences, not enough to say you are fighting corruption. Be deliberate and definite about it and be serious.

“Words without actions will just be a jamboree. That keeps coming every year and we hear the same rhetoric but words are not matched with action,” Abba said.

Similarly, the Convener of Stay Away Corruption Campaign (SACC), Raji Adiba, who also featured on the program asked President Buhari-led administration to invest their energy in monitoring corruption in the public sector and called for more transparency in governance.

According to Adiba, corruption in the health sector at the heat of the pandemic was unacceptable and catastrophic to the wellbeing of the Nigerians, while stressing that bringing corrupt Nigerians to book will send the right signal to others.

A participant on the show identified as Dale towed a similar line. Dale who phoned in during the show expressed frustration that the public officers could endanger the lives of health workers and patients. “The most painful thing is that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will go unpunished,” he lamented.

The syndicated radio program is produced by PRIMORG with support from the MACARTHUR FOUNDATION.

International Criminal Court may open investigation into #EndSARS protest

Vincent Ufuoma
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International Criminal Court may open investigation into #EndSARS protest

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has indicated interest to open an investigation into the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality in Nigeria.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the ICC said it had received information on alleged crimes during the protests, which were organised under the #EndSARS campaign.

The investigation will “assess whether the legal criteria for opening an investigation under the Rome Statute are met.”

In October, thousands of peaceful protesters gathered across major cities in the country to protest against harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killings by police.

The protest which was later hijacked by hoodlums who looted and damaged public and private properties became bloody in Lagos when soldiers fired live ammunition on #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, on October 20.

An eye-witnessed report said that about 15 people were killed during the incident and the soldiers took their corpse away.

The Nigerian Army who had earlier denied its personnel were involved in the shootings later said its men were called upon by the Lagos government to enforce a curfew that was earlier imposed by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor.

Accusing the military of plotting to cover up the killings, Amnesty International said it has proof that the shooting and killing of unarmed protesters were done by state security forces.

However, both the military and police authorities have rejected Amnesty’s report, saying the claim was not true.

The Lagos State Government has set up a panel of enquiry to take complaints from victims of police brutality and also investigate the shooting of protesters at Lekki toll plaza. ICC, however, said it is concerned after following events from the nationwide demonstrations closely.

Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) had earlier acknowledge the reports of crimes committed during the #EndSars protests, saying the Court is keeping a close watch on the developments.

“My office has been closely following the events around the current protests in Nigeria and the reaction of Nigeria’s law enforcement and security agencies,” she tweeted in October.

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