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OPINION: On journalism and patriotism

Editorial
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OPINION: On journalism and patriotism

By Simon Kolawole

WHAT is patriotism? The definition should be fairly straightforward: loving your country. One of my favourite all-time tunes is the 1988 song, “Nation and the People”, by The Mandators, with the refrain: “Love your country/Your nation and the people”.

They sang passionately: “Some are trying to find solutions to all the problems we have/Some are trying to make it impossible for the problems to be solved.”

The song progresses deeper philosophically: “Must you sell your father’s land for the love of this vanity now?” If I were to start a civic club for secondary school students in the country, this song would be the anthem. It is an immortal call to patriotism.

If patriotism were that simple to define, why should anyone doubt the loyalty of a journalist to his country when he warns that there is danger ahead and demands that the government should act swiftly and decisively to prevent a calamity? Having grown up and started my journalism career under military regimes in Nigeria, I got the impression at some point in my life that “patriotism” means to “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.

That is, turn a blind eye to official impropriety. Journalists who report failings in the system are branded as “unpatriotic” by the state and marked for persecution. Till today, this official mindset has not changed.

I am bringing up the topic of “journalism and patriotism” today because of recent events in the land, particularly the resurgence of Boko Haram and the other security challenges.

They are, again, highlighting the constant battles we journalists fight in the line of duty: the blackmail and the intimidation we have to deal with from the authorities, who hide under their nebulous definition of “patriotism”.

The criteria are so narrow you are forced to wonder what exactly the role of a journalist should be. Is the journalist a thermometer — telling the society its “temperature” — or a thermostat — regulating the “temperature”? We must keep having this debate.

As an aside, I had an amusing experience recently. Sometime in 2017, a whopping fine of $6.5 billion plus $2.3 billion in interests was slammed on Nigeria by an arbitration tribunal in London, UK, in the case brought by P&ID over an alleged breach of contract. Immediately the news broke, I put my team at TheCable, the online newspaper I founded in 2014, on the alert. I asked them to dig up the details and draw out the implications “in the national interest”.

The young guys got down to work. What they found out was disheartening: Nigeria had been handling the case nonchalantly. If we did not take critical steps, our foreign assets — forex reserves not excluded — would be jeopardised.

Personally, I was very disturbed. So I adopted a two-pronged approach: on the one hand, I got TheCable team to stay on the story, highlighting the implications and alerting the government and Nigerians to the looming danger; on the other hand, I leveraged on my contacts in government to push for urgent action because it appeared nobody was really worried about the case.

Early this year, I spoke with the key government people I had access to, warning them that there was fire on the mountain and we must do everything to quench it, even if it meant sitting down with the P&ID guys to work out a much reasonable settlement. To me, $9.6 billion was murderous.

I would, on a good day, define that as “patriotism” if I was writing a dictionary. But you know what? In the last four weeks, at least three senior government officials have told me I have been classified as a “P&ID consultant”.

They said I am “unpatriotic” because of the series of articles we did on the case. In my naivety, I thought the “unpatriotic” people were those who signed that kind of contract, those who failed to defend the country properly in the arbitration, and those did not apply for a review of the award within the 60-day grace in 2017. I didn’t know it was the person running around for a solution without collecting one kobo that would be classified as “unpatriotic”. So it goes.

As a journalist and columnist, I face all kinds of insults, accusations, blackmail and intimidation all the time. I consider them as part of the terms and conditions. If you can’t stand the heat, former US President Harry S. Truman said, get out of the kitchen. Nonetheless, only God knows how many people have been framed up, humiliated or harmed in this country based on spurious security reports, cheap conjectures and irrational suspicion.

The danger, I should think, is that the feeble-minded will be coerced to “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. In fact, those with strong patriotic instincts will be forced at some point to ask themselves: “Who patriotism epp?”

Now, to the main focus today: how should the media report the Boko Haram resurgence? Despite claims that the terror group has been “degraded” or “technically defeated”, the reality is that we are still in trouble. Even President Muhammadu Buhari recently said Boko Haram acquires sophisticated weapons “with ease”. As journalists, are we supposed to continue to report only the victories recorded by the military and black out the blind sides? Is that patriotism?

Would we really be helping our country? Can living in denial — as we are expected to do — solve any problem? No. It can only endanger us all. Returning the issue to the front burner is very critical. That’s patriotism.

I have a story to tell. Sometime in 2014, I was invited as a panellist to the Chief of Defence Staff Conference in Abuja. Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh (late), then chief of defence staff, was there, with Air Marshall Adesola Amosu, then chief of air staff, Mr MD Abubakar, then inspector-general of police, and several other top security chiefs. I was not the lead speaker; I was just a discussant.

But as soon as the officers realised I was a journalist, good God, they feasted on me like a hungry lion on bleeding meat. They did not even bother to ask the lead speaker any questions. All questions were directed at me. That day, I bore all the sins of Nigerian journalists. I was a sorry sight.

What was the issue? One military officer after the other said Nigerian journalists were “unpatriotic” because of the reports coming from the warfront in the north-east.

They said we were enemies of Nigeria. The military was winning the war, they said, but we were painting a different picture to Nigerians. At gunpoint, I still raised the issue of the welfare of soldiers: how they were eating cold lunch and sour dinner, how they were being given only three sachets of pure water per day in the hellish heat of Maiduguri, how they had no sleeping kits and how they were battle-weary and suffering from PTSD — in addition to poor equipment to confront the more sophisticated insurgents.

The way the officers dismissed the issues put the fear of God in me afresh. One service chief said: “There is nothing wrong with the soldiers sacrificing a little comfort in war front… we did not send them there to be eating fried eggs and baked beans.”

When he left office, he was arranged in court by the EFCC for an alleged fraud running into billions — the money meant for the soldiers welfare. He was preaching sacrifice at the conference! Another chief was said to have helped himself with billions while our soldiers were being killed like rats. Boko Haram soon overran three states and started attacking Abuja and Kano with ease. We were supposed to report that all was well.

The question is: who is unpatriotic? Is it the journalists that were reporting the true situation in the north-east or the security chiefs that were lying to their commander-in-chief while diverting funds meant for operation? In their warped definition, the security chiefs were the “patriots” for painting a false picture — while the saboteurs/traitors were the journalists who reported that a false picture was being painted.

General Martin Agwai, former chief of defence staff, came to my rescue that day. He said having spent 37 years in uniform and lived as a civilian for five years then, he could empathise with both sides. It is not simple black and white, he said. I started breathing again.

Before Agwai’s intervention, the police chief had accused Nigerian journalists of not putting the country first. He said he was in Atlanta, where CNN is based, shortly before the conference. He said robbery goes on in Atlanta but CNN will not report it.

Of course, he was incorrect. I watch CNN regularly and they report robbery, murder and mass shooting. BBC reports knife attacks in London and rolls out latest murder statistics. By his logic, we should not be reporting the cases of kidnappings in the country. We should pretend everywhere is safe so that many more Nigerians will walk into the hands of the kidnappers! Is that patriotism? We need to seriously debate this.

In the final analysis, I would argue that journalists should serve the cause of patriotism — but not as defined by the state actors.

There is a space for responsibility and restraint, no doubt; in fact, there are situations that require a journalist to be both a thermometer and a thermostat. It is not black or white. You can accuse Nigerian journalists of being sensational and insensitive at times and that would be in order, but that is a topic for another day.

It is patriotism we are discussing here. Certainly, a journalist’s perspective may never be acceptable to state actors. Painting a false picture, or hiding the real picture, can end up hurting the country. That cannot be patriotism — for sure.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

THUMBS UP

Police have arrested Gracious David West, the alleged serial killer in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, reported to have killed seven young women in different hotels over two months. Their bodies were found in similar conditions: strangled, with a white piece of cloth tied around their necks.

Thumbs up to the police for this all-important arrest! Look at the way they also traced and arrested Hamisu Bala, aka Wadume, the suspected Taraba kidnap kingpin, after he was reportedly freed by soldiers. All the positive news from the police further confirms my pet theory: that if we really want to do things right in this country, we can. We don’t need to import a single talent to help us. Hope.

ADVISERS NOT ENFORCERS

I have never seen a set of appointments by President Buhari being publicly hailed as the ones into the newly formed Economic Advisory Council (EAC). In a different context, the Buhari cabinet could have benefited tremendously from having these eminent economists as ministers.

We must all remember, however, that this is an advisory council and they can only advise, or offer advice, to the president. Advice means advice. Nobody in the world is bound by anybody’s advice. It is, therefore, good to temper our expectations. EAC will offer technical advice but, as we all know, we also operate within socio-political realities. Buhari will bear the brunt, not EAC members. Realpolitik.

N400M QUESTION

I’m not sure many Nigerians are paying attention to the ongoing trial of Major General Hakeem Otiki, the GOC of army’s 8 division, Sokoto. Five soldiers were declared wanted by the Nigerian army after they allegedly absconded with N400 million cash belonging to an unnamed VIP. Otiki was accused of being complicit — although he has in turn protested that Lt General Lamidi Adeosun cannot preside over his court martial because of conflict of interest. I am not even interested in that. The question I have not been able to purge from my brains is: who is the owner of the N400 million cash? Who in the world were the soldiers moving the cash for? Who, please? Who?

FIGHTING BACK

The Nigerian government, having handled the P&ID case with levity for so long until the $9.6 billion looked like becoming a reality, has become more aggressive and has launched legal battles to prove that the gas project was a fraud from the beginning. On Thursday, some directors of P&ID Nigeria were arraigned by the EFCC before a federal high court in Abuja. They pleaded guilty to money laundering and economic sabotage and were summarily convicted. P&ID Nigeria was also liquidated. On this evidence, the federal government hopes to convince the appeal court in the UK to set aside the award because the contract itself was fraudulent from day one. Watching.

 

Simon Kolawole is the founder and CEO of TheCable. He tweets @simonkolawole.

ICIR reporter shortlisted for 2019 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award

Jennifer UGWA
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ICIR reporter shortlisted for 2019 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award

THE International Center for Investigative Reporting, (ICIR), reporter, Amos Abba has been shortlisted for the 2019 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award.

The award, in its 7th year, enables journalists aged 30 and under, from countries with a Gross National Income, GNI, per capita of less than $20,000, to send in their best stories.

His investigation involved going undercover to visit herbal doctors in Abuja who falsely claimed to have a cure for cancer as they extorted unsuspecting patients faced with the unpleasant treatment effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Amos entry was selected as one of the unique ones due to his expose into the alluring ‘faith’ of the cancer patients in the ability of the herbal drugs to provide a cure for cancer which unfortunately led to further health complications.

Stories shortlisted for the award were picked from Armenia, Ghana, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, India and Sri Lanka, which had “won over judges at the foundation with their stories about putting all people first”.

The ICIR  reporter was shortlisted alongside 11 other under-30 journalists from across the world in the award which also included two other Nigerians—Oladeinde Olawoyin of Premium Times and Banjo Damilola of Sahara Reporters.

Others are Aamir Ali (India), Kushane Chobanyan (Armenia), Meiryum Ali (Pakistan), Sarita Santoshini (India), Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman (Ghana), Rubatheesan Sandranathan (Sri Lanka), Bukeka Silekwa (South Africa), Saurabh Sharma (India) and Julius Luwemba from Uganda.

The award enables journalists aged 30 and under, from countries send in their best stories that could revolutionalise their environment or the world.

Amongst the 12 journalists shortlisted, three finalists will be selected who would be flown to London where the winner will be announced during a gala awards ceremony at the end of November.

Amos was also named the second runner up in the best science report category of the Nigerian Academy of Science Awards in 2018.

 

Presidency to UN rapporteur: Your report on violence in Nigeria is biased, disappointing

Nneoma BENSON
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Presidency to UN rapporteur: Your report on violence in Nigeria is biased, disappointing

THE Presidency says it was disappointed by the United Nations (UN) rapporteur report on violence in Nigeria noting that the report was silent on intra-group violence in the country.

“We have read press reports of the UN rapporteur on violence in Nigeria. While we agree that the violence in Nigeria, or in any country, is a major concern and that there is a rippling effect, we are disappointed that the rapporteur was silent on intra-group violence,”said Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in a statement.

“The overall situation that I encountered in Nigeria gives rise to extreme concern”, with issues like poverty and climate change adding to the crisis, said Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard after presenting a preliminary statement at the end of her 12-day mission.

But citing violence in Benue, Taraba, Cross River States and many parts of the country, Shehu explained that most of the casualties result from intra-group, inter-group and community violence.

“Many of the displaced persons across the nation are also victims of these conflicts,” he said.

While admitting  that violence between farmers and herders, which he said has ‘a long history in our country spiked in recent years, the presidential spokesperson noted, however, that the effectiveness with which the Federal and State authorities responded made a big difference.

“Calm has virtually returned to all parts affected by the peculiar violence.”

He said the Federal Government was saddened that the rapporteur did not address intra-ethnic conflicts and cattle rustling as key elements in herder/farmer conflicts.

“In Benue State for instance, the Tiv/Jukun conflict and kidnapping is a major problem. We are glad that local communities have fully realized this, and scholars with a strong motivation for peace and stability in their communities and the nation are trying to address the problem.

“Ignoring the salient issues will not help to solve the problem. If you are going to address violence and the general insecurity in Nigeria, incidents everywhere should be part of the narrative. Not addressing this might make it easier to blame the Federal Government, but national peace and security is community based and a collective responsibility.”

He insisted that arrests, prosecution and locking people up are only small parts of National Security and safety strategy.

Shehu said  the work of a US scholar of Tiv extraction, Professor Dick Adzenge in Benues State deserves special mention for attempting to get aspects of violence addressed.

“The expectation that arresting and putting people in prison is the only credible response to violence is a mistake. Professor Adzenge and a few others like him are working with young people, traditional rulers and communities to seek peaceful resolution of conflicts and encourage peaceful co-existence.

“The sort of effort we are talking about here has so far revealed interesting facts about the problem in Benue State that cannot be ignored.”

He concluded that “it is the sort of support we seek from the UN rapporteur in reporting, not the report that scratches the surface of the subject then ends up blaming the government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

“The UN representative needs to be truthful and even-handed in her assignment,” Shehu said.

 

Money laundering, insulting Buhari, treason… FG finally charges Sowore—but not under anti-terrorism law

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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Money laundering, insulting Buhari, treason… FG finally charges Sowore—but not under anti-terrorism law

AS the court order permitting his detention for 45 days expires, Omoyele Sowore, founder of Sahara Reporters and 2019 presidential candidate, has finally been charged by the Federal Government under various laws.

But from available reports, none of the charges is based on provisions of Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act, under which his detention order, valid till Saturday, was secured.

Rather, the Federal Government, in charges by Aminu Alilu, a Chief State Counsel at the Department of Public Prosecutions, levelled seven allegations against Sowore, including treasonable felony, insulting the president, and money laundering.

He was charged alongside Olawale Bakare, also known as Mandate.

According to Punch newspaper, “In the charges instituted against the defendants, the prosecution accused Sowore and his co-defendant of committing conspiracy to commit treasonable felony in breach of section 516 of the Criminal Code Act by allegedly staging ‘a revolution campaign on September 5, 2019 aimed at removing the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’.

“The prosecution also accused them of committing the actual offence of treasonable felony in breach of section, 4(1)(c) of the Criminal Code Act, by using the platform of Coalition for Revolution, in August 2019 in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, to stage the #RevolutionNow protest allegedly aimed at removing the President.

“It also accused Sowore of cybercrime offences in violation of section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, by ‘knowingly’ sending ‘messages by means of press interview granted on Arise Television network which you knew to be false for the purpose of causing insult, enmity, hatred and ill-will on the person of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’.”

Finally, the paper reported that Sowore was also accused of acting in violation of section 15(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2011.

The section provides for the crime of stealing money or properties got from “illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances” or from “participation in an organised criminal group and racketeering, terrorism, terrorist financing, trafficking in human beings and migrants smuggling, tax evasion, sexual exploitation, illicit arms trafficking in stolen and other goods, bribery and corruption” and so on.

Sowore was arrested at about 11 pm on August 2 by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) for calling for a revolution and “threatening public safety, peaceful co-existence and social harmony in the country”.

Relying on a provision of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act 2013, the Federal High Court in Abuja had, five days later, granted the DSS permission to keep him in detention without trial for 45 days. Sowore’s application to upturn this, in August, was not ruled upon by the court.

On Friday, September 16, Femi Falana filed another application for bail on his behalf.

The anti-terrorism law under which Sowore has been detained since August allows the court to grant such applications only where a person is suspected to have violated the Act.

Sowore’s continued detention has been condemned by various organisations, including Amnesty International and the Nigeria Labour Congress.

NGO recommends how to reform FSARS, suggests alternative police unit

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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NGO recommends how to reform FSARS, suggests alternative police unit

A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation dedicated to improving security governance, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), has suggested ways to improve operations of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).

The organisation also suggested the establishment of an alternative police organ.

In a policy brief released on Friday, the NGO said it decided to present a solution in the light of the”underlying issues of extrajudicial killings, torture, unlawful arrests and extortion which have contributed to making SARS a shadow of itself and a threat to the society it came to rescue”.

To strengthen service delivery, it recommended a unification of the functions of already existing police units, including the Intelligence Response Team, Anti Kidnapping, AntiCultism Unit, Anti Car Theft, and Special Tactical Squad.

READ ALSO:

These, it said, will be brought under a new section that may be called an Anti-Heinous Crimes Section (AHCS).

“This section can take on a semi-autonomous position comparable to that of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), reporting directly to the IGP with the DIG FCID playing a supervisory role,” PWAN recommended regarding its structure.

“At the federal level, it will be headed by an AIG. In the Zonal and state levels, they will be headed by a DCP and ACP respectively, while they report directly to the Zonal AIG and CP commands. The respective heads of the Zonal and State CID will also play a supervisory role.”

The aim of this new establishment, the NGO said, is to instil accountability and efficacy in the force and create a means to purge the police of “bad eggs”.

It recommended that before a policeman is recruited into the AHCS, he or she has to undergo a general screening “to consider criminal, emotional, health, addiction, motivation and other critical personality traits”, be checked for academic fitness, and have his or her character attested to by a senior official.

“The operatives must also be compulsorily trained on tactical operation, intelligence, citizenship and leadership, human rights, constitution, basic legal exposure, counter-terrorism, as well as explosives.

“In addition to the basic courses, there will be local and international refresher courses at least every 12 months, capacity building seminars as often as possible, passing prescribed course examinations to be critical to subsistence in the unit.”

It further suggested that allowances for the members of the section should be captured in the budget of the Nigeria Police. It stressed the need for the reorganisation or outright overhaul of the FSARS to be methodical “—hence the recommendation that the status quo shall be maintained until screening, training and postings are concluded, before the official disbanding of SARS”.

PWAN finally recommended that the police be made financially independent through direct and sufficient budgetary allocations.

“The legislature must ensure that the Nigeria Police budgetary system is devolved not merely on paper in the budget proposals but practically, as the Zonal, State commands and divisional police formations cannot function optimally in securing their communities until they are given financial autonomy that must be transparent and accountable,” it said.

“Leaving the management of Police funds majorly at the apex will continue to diminish the desired efficacy and professionalism expected of an institution such as the Nigeria Police Force.

“The effectiveness of the AHCS upon establishment to deliver on its mandate largely depends on the manner it is run; this goes to all other Police establishments. There is dire need for financial autonomy which paves way for sufficient funding. This can only be actualised through practical devolution
of powers, not only in the section, but across the various arms of the Nigeria Police Force.”

Port Harcourt Killings: ‘Paraded suspect responsible for 5 out of about 9 killings’ ― Police

Lukman ABOLADE
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Port Harcourt Killings: ‘Paraded suspect responsible for 5 out of about 9 killings’ ― Police

ALLEGED Port Harcourt serial killer, Gracious David West,  has admitted to the murder of five women during a parade by the State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, on Friday.

West, 26 was on Thursday apprehended by the police in Portharcourt along East-West Road enroute to Uyo .

Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Omoni Nnamdi confirmed to The ICIR that the suspect has claimed responsibility for five out of about nine recent killings in the state capital.

He further revealed that the police have other suspects in custody who are going to be subsequently paraded the following week while investigations continue.

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Asked if there is any connection between the paraded suspect and the ones in custody, Omoni said, “There’s no connection now but at the end of the day we’ll be able to bring them side by side because we got this one (David West) yesterday. After parading others we’ll be able to confirm from them if they know each other.”

The State Police Commissioner, Mustapha Dandaura stated that the police recovered another corpse along Peter Odili road, Port Harcourt who he said was discovered to be one of the victims of the suspect but the hotel conspired to drop the corpse by the road side so as to avoid police investigation.

According to PM News,West revealed he has an uncontrollable urge to kill women and that he has approached a church to heal him spiritually but to no avail.

He also said he did not kill all of the women he has slept with and after killings he regrets his action but still does it again. West further admitted to have started his killings from Ikeja, Lagos State before moving to Imo State and now Port Harcourt.

“Before I strangulated them after love-making, I would use knife to cut the hotel bed sheets into a semblance of a twine or rope which I used to bind their hands and feet,” he was quoted to have said.

“I used the knife also to threaten them. The kitchen knife was sold to me by an aboki. I threatened that if my victims raised alarm I would kill them with the knife. Out of fear, they would keep quiet while I raised the volume of the television set in the hotel room to dwarf any noise. I never killed with the knife.”

West also confessed that he slept in hotel rooms because he does not have a home. The police questioned him on his means of survival and he replied, “After strangulating them, I would steal their ATM cards, empty their accounts from any nearby ATM machine and move on.”

Emefiele defends cashless policy, says not new in Nigeria

Jennifer UGWA
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Emefiele defends cashless policy, says not new in Nigeria

GODWIN Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says the adoption of the cashless policy is in line with the apex bank strategy to eradicate fraudulent activities in the Nigerian banking system.

Emefiele explained that the policy was not intended as a strategy to disenfranchise businesses as being speculated by Nigerians.

The apex bank, had in a circular dated September 17, 2019 titled, Re: Implementation of the Cashless Policy, addressed to all Deposit Money Banks directed that as from September 18, lodgment of cash by individuals that is above N500,000 will attract 3 per cent processing fees for withdrawal and 2 per cent processing fees for lodgments.

For corporate bodies, it said, withdrawal or deposit above N3million will attract 5 percent processing fees or 3 per cent processing fees.

However, the CBN governor while addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja after the Monetary Policy Committee briefing  said that cashless policy was first launched in 2012 and not a new initiative in Nigeria.

He explained that Nigeria full adoption of cashless policy is in line with the Section 2 (d) and section 47 of the CBN Act as it would promote an efficient payment system that will end charges incurred from cash processing often passed on to customers by Deposit Money Banks, increase transparency in financial dealings and reduce fraudulent activities including ransom payments, extortion and cyber fraud.

Emefiele revealed that at the inception of the policy, that there have always been charges on deposits and withdrawals.

However, “Because there was lots of cash outside the banking industry we decided that there was no need to penalise those that wanted to bring in their cash from outside the banking industry into the banking industry, therefore, we retained the charges on withdrawals and relax charges on deposit.

“After five years, we expect that all the cash that was outside the banking system has been returned. So we think it is time to fully kick start the cashless policy” he explained.

Emefiele also explained that the implementation of the new Value Added Tax (VAT) is a government strategy of raising revenue to meet its obligations which includes the provision of good roads and proper electrification in the country.

The charges on deposits would be in full effect by March 2020 across all states.

He also confirmed the apex bank  will no longer provide foreign exchange for the importation of cassava and its by-products. This development comes few months after Nigeria placed a ban on forex for milk importation also.

 

 

Atiku breaks silence on tribunal defeat, thanks Nigerians for ‘immense goodwill’

Lukman ABOLADE
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Atiku breaks silence on tribunal defeat, thanks Nigerians for ‘immense goodwill’

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the February 23 election, Atiku Abubakar, has finally spoken out after the dismissal of his petition challenging the re-election of Muhammadu Buhari.

The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal on 11 September upheld the victory of Buhari, citing the petitioner’s failure to satisfactorily prove all the allegations brought before it.

According to figures declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Atiku lost to Buhari who polled a total of 15,191,847 votes compared to PDP’s 11,262,978 votes.

In a statement shared on Friday, Atiku said he has decided to seek a remedy in the judicial system in order to ensure “that the votes of Nigerians count and are counted”.

He stated that “those who do not want this as Nigeria’s reality, will use every trick in the book to undermine, discourage, misinform and mislead, but with God’s help and the support of Nigerians, we will ensure that Nigeria makes a course correction away from tyranny and towards democracy”.

The former Vice President urged his supporters to continue to back his ambition, adding that “even if there is little or nothing you can do to ensure that justice is done in Nigeria, just believe that it will happen.”

He further urged Nigerians to pursue “this just cause all the way, so that our judiciary are not afraid to do their jobs and have to be wary of blackmail, intimidation, and victimisation”.

“I note the immense outpouring of goodwill from ordinary Nigerians in every nook and cranny of Nigeria and from all regions, religions and relationships. Once again I thank you all for your support,” he added.

“I also thank the governors elected on the platform of my party, the PDP, as well as the National Executive Committee, for their unanimous and unambiguous support for the judicial phase of this struggle, especially after it was announced that we would go on to appeal.”

OPINION: Now that SA has apologised…

Editorial
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OPINION: Now that SA has apologised…

By Bola BOLAWOLE

NOW South Africa has apologised for the xenophobic attacks that saw to the death of many African compatriots in the hands of South African mobs, have we seen the end of a sad chapter in the history of Black Africa?

Nigeria was one of many African countries caught in the xenophobic web that the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, sent special envoys to apologise for earlier in the week as well as give assurances that all is now well – or, more appropriately – that all will be well.

Can we take his assurances for it? Cyril himself was a fire-eating Labour leader in the last days of the armed struggle against apartheid; so he should know the mentality of his people. A facade of hope that normalcy has, indeed, returned to SA was the fledgling anti-xenophobic movement in SA itself where “wives” of victims of xenophobic attacks were summoning up courage to come out of their cocoons to decry their own losses.

A few other conscionable South Africans have joined in their rank. Will these be enough to stem the tide? Is the SA Government sincere with its apology and can it do the needful? Are the xenophobes now tired, remorseful, been won over by superior argument or they are simply on recess, waiting for the next opportune occasion to strike? Time, as they say, will tell!

As the repatriation of the endangered Nigerians proceeds apace, it is safe to conclude that only a few will venture to return. Many will stay put, the dangers to their life and livelihood notwithstanding, while others will relocate to other countries.

The reasons for this are not far to fetch: The situations and circumstances that ran them out of their fatherland have not abated; instead, they have become more pronounced in the last four years of the APC/President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

While APC leaders have been creating millions of jobs by words of the mouth, the real unemployment situation has gone from bad to worse. Not only are new jobs not being created as claimed by government, those in employment are losing their jobs at an alarming rate. Absence of jobs, especially among the youth, has led to high rate of criminality, such that government now begs criminals to sheathe their sward, having lost the moral right, the wherewithal as well as the will power to fight crimes. Nigerians leave the shores of this country in droves in search of better living conditions.

“Better life”, which was nothing to write home about before, has deteriorated progressively since 2015. Inflation and devaluation have robbed the Naira of close to half of its purchasing power, if not more. Education, health, power supply, and infrastructure have decayed beyond acceptable levels. Corruption today is more mind-boggling than in times past; if in doubt, compare what Buhari spends as fuel subsidy with what Jonathan spent.

To make matters worse, the state of insecurity today – with Fulani herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers, ritualists and cultists rivalling Boko Haram – have left Nigeria worse than Buhari/APC had met it. Recent reports said 60 doctors leave Lagos hospitals every six months (10/month) while 700 (appro. 61/monthly) doctors dump Nigeria annually.

The Yoruba would say “Orisa boo le gba mi, fi mi s’ile boo se ba mi” If you can’t help, don’t make matters worse for me! Not so Buhari/APC!

South African returnees would therefore be returning to a Nigeria worse than the one they left behind. For those who left when PDP/Goodluck Jonathan was in power, they will have the added pains and humiliation of “Operation Crocodile Smile” to contend with.

The war of attrition between APC/Buhari and their allies on the one hand and pro-Biafra forces on the other is yet to abate. Ask Ekweremadu! Ask South-east governors! Few South-easterners, who form the bulk of the South Africa returnees, are proud of Buhari: The president’s bare-faced sectionalism, tribalism and nepotism have not helped matters! Expect a visibly embarrassed South Africa to put obstacles in the way of repatriation to try and squeeze the returnees, make their return difficult if not impossible as well as buy time while mending fences.

Only reason why SA pretends to be remorseful is because it risks isolation. It is doubtful whether Nigeria has made adequate preparation for the returnees. For those returning with empty hands, how do they start life afresh? Shame and fear of disgrace is another reason why some will be unwilling to return. “Iku ya j’esin”, our people will say. Better die than suffer ignominy! The politics of the repatriation, though, is not as much as doing a good job as giving an impression something was done. It is less of substance but more of appearance.

FUOYE: Two deaths too many

What is beyond dispute now is that two students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) died during a peaceful protest that went awry last week. Except for those who still have the milk of human kindness running in their veins in a Nigeria that had since lost all sensibilities and feelings but now has scant regard for human life, this is mere statistics – “only” two lives lost! Yes, “only” two!

Since the advent of APC/Buhari, our attitude to living and dying has become cavalierly. But consider that one of the “only two” were your own son – let our men and women of power consider that “just one”, not the entire “only two” of the FUOYE dead were their own son or daughter!

If you do not appreciate what belongs to others, someone is coming who will not appreciate what belongs to you. If you pay scant regard to the life of the other person, someone is coming who will pay scant regard to your own life or the life of someone you hold so dear.

That is the Law of Karma and the import of Prophet Nathan’s message to King David after he had killed “good man” Uriah and appropriated his wife Bathsheba. The least that Ekiti State’s Gov. Kayode Fayemi can do is to unearth the killers and ensure they are brought to justice if the blood of the dead, like that of Abel, is not to cry out of the ground against him.

As governor, Fayemi is the chief security officer of Ekiti and the buck stops on his table. It is his duty to get justice for those whose life, like Abel’s, Uriah’s and Nabot’s, was snuffed out in cold blood. Failure, he will account, like Dele Giwa minced no words in telling us, if not now then later; if not before man, then, before God.

Fayemi must follow up his instructions to the CP, Ekiti State to unearth the killer-cops. The death of the two FUOYE students, for now, has been woven around the legs of Fayemi’s wife, Erelu Bisi; unless Gov. Fayemi is able to shift the guilt elsewhere, that is where it will remain – and that is where justice shall be served.

Having first driven away the fox, let us now return to speak a word of truth to the FUOYE students: But for the fact that students will always be students, why demonstrate and risk your life over an occurrence as common in today’s Nigeria as power outage? For those of us not students and who also suffer power outrage – and have to pay rapacious estimated bills to boot – where do we carry our own protests, peaceful or violent?

But, then, like they say: “Agba wa bura pe ewe o se o ri!” As an undergrad at Ife, I, too, demonstrated on a countless number of occasions, storming Lagos and screaming “Obasanjo na goat o, na goat o, (Shehu Musa) Yar’Adua barawo ni, o omo eran” On one occasion we vandalised a posh car belonging to Oloye Olusola Saraki, the then Senate President, within the premises of the then Senate Building at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

Thank God, we were not shot by errant security details of power-drunk politicians! It is likely that the Fayemis also demonstrated while on campus at Ife. What if they had been shot?

What is left of VP Osinbajo?
On Monday, the Buhari administration stylishly, even if in characteristically deceitful manner, admitted to the failure of policy and personnel when it disbanded its Economic Management Team headed by VP Yemi Osinbajo and instituted another called Economic Advisory Council (mere semantics!) headed by one Prof. Doyin Salami.

The new EAC got rid of Osinbajo as both head and member. Who does not know that this is an indictment and that Osinbajo is being held responsible for the many astounding economic failures of the Buhari administration?

Osinbajo as VP is not allowed into security meetings; Ministers and other political appointees report to the president through the Chief of Staff; civil servants and parastatals report to the president through Secretary to Government of the Federation; and now, the economic team bypasses the same VP who has the statutory responsibility of chairing their meetings! What is left for – and of – Osinbajo in the Buhari administration? Pity!

Bola BOLAWOLE can be reached through turnpot@gmail.com and 0807 552 5533

 

Former, Legal Director of Petroleum Ministry implicated in the failed P & ID scandal remanded in Suleja prison

Amos ABBA
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Former, Legal Director of Petroleum Ministry implicated in the failed P & ID scandal remanded in Suleja prison

GRACE Taiga, a former director of legal services at Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources was on Friday remanded in Suleja Prison, Niger State for her alleged involvement in the controversial P & ID scandal.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Tiaga before the Abuja Federal High Court on an eight-count charge of fraud among other financial improprieties.

Investigations carried out by the anti-graft agency revealed that Tiaga  had allegedly received bribes to the tune of $20,000 to ensure that the gas supply and processing agreement between Nigeria and P&ID was successful.

At the hearing, the presiding judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, allowed the charges to be read to her.

“That you, Process and Industrial Developments Limited being a company incorporated in the British Virgin Island (convicted), Michael Quinn (deceased), Brendan Cahill (at large), Neil Hitchcock (deceased), and Grace Taiga on or about the 11th January, 2010 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud made a false statement in paragraph 8 (g) of the Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (“GSPA”) to wit:

“The parties are aware that the 24inch Adanga pipeline presently under construction from the Addax operated OML 123 directly to Calabar and due for completion in 2010 which part of the said agreement you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 362 (a) of the Penal Code Law and punishable under section 364 of the same law,” one of the counts reads.

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when it was read to her.

However, Justice Adeniyi remanded her in prison until September 25 when her bail application will be heard.

Taiga’s ordeal is coming a day after a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted two representatives of P&ID for their role in the failed contract while the court also ordered the forfeiture of assets linked to P&ID to the government over tax evasion.

The EFCC has accused Taiga and Rilwan Lukman, a late former Minister of Petroleum Resources of violating the law and awarding the contract without the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) or recourse to the provisions of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act.

 

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