A group of enraged anti-Buhari protesters blocked the Abuja Airport Road this morning, obstructing all movement as they demanded President Muhammadu Buhari’s resignation.
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“There’s a big deal about every landmark or milestone we reach in life, because we may as well not have made it to that point. We could have fallen by the wayside or vanished like smoke. The world owes nobody a living. Not individuals, not countries. That is why the Good Book enjoins us to number our days, “that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Nigeria is 61 years old as an Independent country. And so what? What’s the big deal about it? That is what some people will say, arguing that all we have seen is flag independence and no true emancipation for the citizens.
There’s a big deal about every landmark or milestone we reach in life, because we may as well not have made it to that point. We could have fallen by the wayside or vanished like smoke. The world owes nobody a living. Not individuals, not countries. That is why the Good Book enjoins us to number our days, “that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12).
The cynic, sceptic or scoffer may say what is there to celebrate about Nigeria, with all its troubles. A country yet to realize its potentials at 61, an adult condemned to a perpetual life of crawling. They will mention the negatives: massive insecurity, insurrection agitations, millions of jobless youths, the struggling economy, humongous corrupt acts, and others, which have all characterized national life.
Yes, you can dwell so much on the storm, that you never get to enjoy the rainfall and its soothing effects. Nigeria is also the land of a resurgent economy, with the indices looking up and promising to get better. It is a country where stealing has become corruption and graft is being robustly fought, and it is a polity that is wiping out enemies of its soul, cleaning up the forests, cities, towns taken over by terrorists and bandits, with the prospect of restoring peace at the shortest possible time. It is the land of renaissance in infrastructure: rail, roads, bridges, airports, and others.
Sadly, some people do not want peace for Nigeria. They do not only promote but celebrate rupture of tranquility, repose or serenity. They are glad when our troops suffer reversals on the battlefield. When they make advances, giving enemies of our country bloody noses, they pretend not to see. But when bombs go off, killing and maiming innocent people, when bandits sack villages, or invade schools and abduct students, they quickly shout ‘security architecture,’ and alleged incompetence. They trumpet negatives, and close their eyes to positives. And in the blind search for power and relevance, they even subterraneanly bankroll terrorists.
Some others, with giant sized grudges against the polity, plot to dismember it. But I ask: who does not have one grievance or the other against Nigeria? Is there any ethnic group that does not have one angst or the other? But if we have worries or perturbation, is then the next option a pulling down of the roof? Do we crash the superstructure? Do we turn the country into a tailspin, simply because we are disaffected? Do we break the eggs of the chicken, because the bird upended our medicine pot?
As we celebrate Nigeria at 61, I join William Cowper, who said, “England, with all thy faults, I love thee still; my country.” Nigeria, with all thy faults, I love thee still; my country.
I don’t know how it is with you, if you are a frequent traveler. The best I enjoy a foreign land is one week, after which I begin to miss good, old Nigeria. The smell. The flora. The fauna. The cuisine. The sense and sensibility. I pray I never get sentenced or consigned to life abroad, wittingly or unwittingly. Nigeria, with all thy faults, I love thee still; my country.
Lack of peace seems to be the greatest bane of Nigeria today, despite wonderful showing in many other areas. Peace has turned tail, and fled. But I venture to say that with the resolve of good people, and the commitment of government, Nigeria will yet know peace. If the country unravels, as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said recently, we shall all be losers. Nobody gains. Nigeria will, therefore, have peace. It must have peace. As the Hausa phrase goes, it is Lafiya Dole. Peace by Force. We must have it, and we will get it. And we don’t have to necessarily spill blood for it. It is the enemies of peace that will lose and must lose out.
A country of about 200 million people, troubled by a sprinkling. Will they succeed? Never. We fought a war of unity, in which about two million people perished. Did we do all that, only to eventually allow ourselves to be splintered by people with blinkered ideologies? Never! Nigeria will have peace, and must have peace, even as she turns 61. It’s Lafiya Dole. Peace by Force. And I say again, we can achieve it without bloodletting, if some forces let reason prevail.
I am happy that the Good Book supports me. “Now, may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians, 3:16). Peace by Force. Lafiya Dole. Even the Holy Bible supports it. Peace at all times, and in every way. We will have it. The higher powers back it. Therefore, there’s no room for caterwauling, endless wailings on what has not been done, ignoring the lot that has been accomplished. Nigeria will have peace. By Force. That is my prayer for the country at 61. Amen.
*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
According to the African Action Congress (AAC), the Buhari administration has lowered Nigeria’s governance standards.
According to the opposition party, the president has made little progress in fulfilling his campaign promises to combat corruption, insecurity, and improve the economy.
In a statement issued on Friday, ACC spokesperson Femi Adeyeye said the APC-led government has no reason to celebrate the country’s 61st anniversary because it has not improved Nigerians’ living conditions.
The party also called Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign “insincere, inept, and short-sighted.”
“On security, the regime received a score of less than zero. If a map of Nigeria were placed on a table right now, the regime would not be able to boast of 10% of the territory over which it has control and can assert sovereignty,” the statement reads.
“We now have a terrible situation in which terrorists do humanitarian work like NGOs, levy taxes on citizens, and even declare a Governor for the people.”
“The Buhari regime came into power in 2015, huffing and puffing about fighting corruption and uttering slogans like “if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”
“Rather than putting an end to corruption, it has pampered the corrupt. The President’s renowned incorruptible body language now attracts every goat eager to eat the yam.
“The gross failure of the APC-led regime on the economy is visible in the living conditions of Nigerians. To assess the regime’s failure to deliver on these three promises, another measurement instrument, scale, and unit would be required. Buhari has lowered governance standards even further.”
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has stated that his government has performed better than all previous governments since the return of democracy in 1999 in the last six years.
This includes the periods when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Ya’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan were presidents of the country.
Buhari made the claim in a nationwide broadcast to Nigerians on the 61st anniversary of the country’s independence, claiming that no previous president has done as much for the country as he has since taking office in 2015.
“No government has done more in six years to put Nigeria back on track than we have,” he said.
Buhari claims he has improved Nigeria’s infrastructure, social services, governance, and the country’s image and influence in Africa and the international community.
In terms of security, he urged Nigerians to band together in order to save the country.
“Security, in particular, is a top-to-bottom endeavor. We can secure ourselves and our country if we join our hands and hearts,” he said.
“I completely understand many Nigerians’ concerns about their country’s inability to progress from a never-ending potential to a truly great nation.
“Infrastructure, social care, governance, Nigeria’s image and influence in Africa and the international community have all improved significantly in the last six years.
“However, critics confuse incremental progress with stagnation. Despite limited resources, this Administration has taken on our problems head on since taking office. Since 1999, no government has done more to get Nigeria back on track than we have in the last six years.
“We will continue to serve the country by listening to everyone and safeguarding our democracy and country.”
Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has condemned the current insecurity in the region, claiming that the threat is a total war against the people of the region.
In a similar vein, the State Chief Executive has declared that the Indigenous People of Biafra’s sit-at-home order is a ruse to destroy the region’s economic potential.
In an address to mark the 25th Anniversary of the state and the nation at 61, Umahi made the assertion at the Government House in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Thursday.
The Governor congratulated the people on the historic 25th anniversary of the state’s founding and the country’s 61st independence.
*I commend the Founding Fathers of the State because we believe in One Nigeria, where there is Equity and Justice.
The state’s chief executive reaffirmed his position.
The dangers of sit-at-home ordering are well-known, and many people believe it was a ruse.
*Governors are willing to engage in dialogue with youths; leaders have acted on what they have said; Ohaneze and the Governors Forum are prepared to address issues*
Nobody is against agitation, it is natural, but we are against killing someone, Umahi urged the people to disregard this sit-at-home protest.
On behalf of the governors, Umahi appealed to the people to put an end to the killings, saying, “Restricting our people is to destroy us, and I am sure our people understands that.”
*We condemn the insecurity in the south east orchestrated by our people, which has been labeled as “unknown gunmen”*
The Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) congratulated the federal government last month on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The group also asked the federal government for help in protecting oil and gas facilities, particularly in the Southeast.
In a delegation to Vice President (VP) Yemi Osinbajo led by its Chairman, Abdulrazaq Isa, the group congratulated the FG on the enactment of the PIA, hoping that the uncertainty issues and under-investment in the industry that have plagued the industry in recent years would be resolved. IPPG also praised the Vice President’s 2016 Niger Delta peace efforts. The IPPG Chairman stated that Osinbajo has been a strong supporter of the organization, adding that “your intervention assisted in resolving the security situation that we faced in the Niger Delta region in 2016.” According to Isa, the rate of crude theft is unprecedented and becoming unsustainable, particularly on the eastern axis.
While seeking the federal government’s assistance in securing investments in the sector, Isa emphasized the significance of gas in the emerging global energy landscape, stating that “gas should be considered as a transition fuel with deliberate policies formulated to attract investment into the sector.”
Isa reaffirmed the group’s commitment to working collaboratively with the federal government, saying, “IPPG remains committed to working collaboratively with Government in realising its aspiration for the sector.”
In his response, the Vice President assured the group of the Buhari administration’s commitment to the security of lives and property, noting that the government is open to suggestions that would result in a permanent resolution of the issue.
He congratulated the Group and assured them that the government is ready to support their growth and development as key stakeholders in the industry. Osinbajo also urged the Federal Government and other oil and gas stakeholders to work together to advocate for a just and balanced energy transition agenda.
Abdulrazaq Isa led the delegation to the Vice President, which included the Group’s immediate past Chairman, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Chief Executive Officer, FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited; Charles Odita, Director, Midwestern Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited; Roger Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy PLC; and Oyeleke Banmeke, Executive Coordinator, IPPG Secretariat.
IPPG is an association of indigenous upstream Exploration and Production companies in Nigeria that constructively engages government and other industry stakeholders on issues affecting the industry in order to achieve a sustainable petroleum industry and maximize its contribution to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development.
Nigeria was made a British protectorate in 1914. When a strong movement of patriotic Nigerians succeeded in casting off the shackles of colonialism in 1960, the country was liberated from the shackles of colonialism. Nigeria became a republic in 1963, only to fall under military rule three years later, following a bloody coup.
For a country that gained independence 61 years ago, it appears to have led the way in corruption, bad governance, insecurity, lack of patriotism, nepotism, hatred, ethno-religious crisis, and acrimony.
Our country’s motto, “Peace and Unity,” has eroded and may have failed, as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Prof. Wole Soyinka have noted. The words of our national pledge – “to defend her unity, and uphold her honor and glory” – have become hollow, just as the prayers of the national anthem – “the labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain” – have become a hollow wish because of how the country’s leadership is tipping the country over the precipice. Despite all of the country’s economic resources, it is concerning that the country has yet to join the ranks of developed countries.
There is no doubt that the country has been blessed with very strong and dedicated leaders who have served the country with zeal and left an indelible legacy from 1960 to the present. Indeed, Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, has helped other countries get back on their feet by providing assistance when it was needed.
But, on the other hand, the other side of the Nigerian story is that Malaysia gained independence in 1957, three years before Nigeria, and Malaysia is now where we send our children for study and medical treatment.
The United Arab Emirates gained independence in 1971, 11 years after Nigeria. It has grown to be the most beautiful country on the planet, with the tallest skyscrapers.
In order for Nigeria to progress, to stand on its own, to be free of corruption, hunger, insecurity, and insurgency, we must unite and love one another.
In the words of Nigeria’s pledge, each of us must strive “to be faithful, loyal, and honest, to serve Nigeria with all (our) strength to defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory.” This is a collective responsibility; it is a task that we must all work together to make Nigeria great again.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 437 new COVID-19 infections, six deaths, and 582 discharges across 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday.
According to the NCDC, the total number of people infected by the pandemic in the country is now 205,484, with a death toll of 2,701.
“The following are the state breakdowns: Lagos-126, Rivers-76, Kwara-44, FCT-37, Edo-32, Kaduna-30, Anambra-22, Delta-22, Osun-12, Benue-7, Abia-6, Nasarawa-6, Kano-5, Ekiti-3, Plateau-3, Bayelsa-2, Ogun-2, and Oyo-2.
“The report includes 126 cases reported from Lagos state on September 28th (94) and 29th (32); and 22 cases reported from Anambra state on September 28th (12) and 29th (32).” (10).
“On September 24th, 12 rather than 6 recoveries were reported erroneously for Jigawa state.
“In addition, Bauchi and Sokoto States recorded zero cases on Wednesday,” it added.
According to the Public Health Agency, there are 9,286 active coronavirus cases in the country, with a total of 193,496 cases successfully treated and discharged.
The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated at Level 2 continued to coordinate national response activities.
It went on to say that over six million samples of the virus from the country’s roughly 200 million people had been tested.
The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N2.1 billion to finish five projects at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra state.
Following the FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, announced this to state house correspondents.
He stated that the university had previously awarded the projects but lacked the funding to complete them.
“The significance of these contracts is that they were awarded by the university itself, some in 2007, some in 2010, some in 2012, and some in 2015,” Mohammed explained.
“However, due to the university’s inability to carry out these projects, for reasons ranging from a lack of funding to a variety of other factors, they turned to the federal government for assistance in completing the contracts.
“The contract, which was originally awarded for N2.5 billion due to contract variation, has now been increased to N4.6 billion due to material cost increases.
“In other words, the federal government is making N2.1 billion available to the university to supplement the contract, which was awarded between 2007 and 2015 but was unable to complete.
“The five contracts are for the construction of students’ hostels, Type D, in Awka, which was augmented by N120 million, and for the construction of students’ hostels, Type A, in Nnewi, for which we must provide an additional N385 million.
“Construction of students hostel, Type A, Awka; additionally, we have provided an additional N104 million here, and then the construction of the Faculty Building for Physical Science and Biosciences in the sum of N1.2 billion, raising the contract sum from the original N983 million to N2.243 billion.
“Finally, construction and completion of the mini-stadium complex in favor of a different contractor, which we had to supplement with N510 million.”
Mohammed stated that the contracts were awarded through the Needs Assessment — an intervention fund established by the federal ministry of education to assist educational institutions across the country.
The minister stated that the council approved the purchase of landed property for the vice-residence chancellor’s at the Federal University of Dutse in Jigawa state.
“This is a very short memo, which actually sought council’s approval to provide accommodation for the vice chancellor; and, of course, it means the university was purchasing a property in Dutse, which will serve as the vice chancellor’s official accommodation,” Mohammed explained.
“After following due process, including whether the seller has title and whether it was adequately covered by Certificate of Occupancy, the council approved the purchase of a property for the sum of N161, 250, 000, inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT, with a two-week delivery period for the official residence of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Dutse, Jigawa State.”
According to Mohammed, the council also approved a sum of N847,502,000 for the award of a contract for digital interconnectivity among identified ministries and other government agencies via the Local Area Network (LAN).
Waziri Bulama, an architect and former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman of Polytechnics Governing Council Chairmen, speaks on governance, herders/farmers clashes, and restructuring in this interview with select journalists including Akinwale Adedayo. Excerpts:
Even as the former National Secretary of the APC, you have played an important role in the Buhari political story. Would you say he left this country better than he found it?
I can confidently state that President Muhammadu Buhari has left Nigeria a better place than he found it in 2015. The primary responsibility of government is to maintain stability and continuity, as well as to prevent chaos and the breakdown of law and order. That is any government’s primary responsibility. What President Buhari encountered in 2015, and why Nigerians rejected the PDP administration and voted for him, was widespread insecurity in the Niger Delta and the North-east. Many territories were under the control of the government at the time. Second, the Nigerian economy was literally paralyzed because the government was bankrupt. It wasn’t even paying salaries or making purchases. Both federal and state employees were not paid. Nigerians lost faith in that government and voted for President Muhammadu Buhari because he is known as a man of integrity and for his prudence and frugality in the management of national resources.
He went to work, ensuring that peace and security were restored in the Niger Delta, where oil production and other economic activities had been restored. Through his efforts, Nigerian security forces were able to liberate and reclaim territories controlled by Boko Haram in the north-east, and as of today, all organized crime under Boko Haram and ISWAP has been neutralized, with thousands surrendering every day. People are returning to their farms and business transactions now that the peace has been restored.
Third, President Muhammadu Buhari has successfully pulled the Nigerian economy out of recession twice. He has been able to ensure that the government has enough funds to pay salaries at the national, state, and local levels. There is a reasonable level of economic stability. Other things he has been able to stabilize include the energy and fuel supply; petrol, gas, and other fuel oils were in short supply before he came to power. People were buying in gallons all over the country, and in our cities, long lines of four, five, six, or ten hours were common. Fuel is now widely available at reasonable prices throughout Nigeria, saving time and ensuring the smooth operation of business and transportation activities. As a result of these factors, Nigeria was almost in chaos and stagnation in 2014 and 2015. Today, he has been able to fund a reflationary budget for the past four or five years, as well as introduce many iconic policies such as the Economic Recovery and Growth Programmes and massive infrastructure investment across the country.
The country is more peaceful, and the economy is more stable. People are going about their daily lives. Nigeria’s image has improved dramatically on a global scale. President Muhammadu Buhari is well-liked in West Africa and across the African continent. He is also widely respected around the world. He has risen to prominence in international decision-making circles. He influenced the emergence of OPEC’s leadership, Dr. Barkindo. He was able to influence the appointment of Dr. Adesina to the African Development Bank, Amina Mohammed to the United Nations’ Deputy Director General, and Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to the World Trade Organization’s Director General. He has been able to influence many others around the world, so Nigeria’s image as a global citizen has gotten a huge boost under President Muhammadu Buhari. Our relationships with all of the major global players, including Europe, America, Asia, and China, have skyrocketed. Under President Muhammadu Buhari, investments and collaboration with all of these international bodies and countries have grown. So, in all fairness, Nigeria is far better off today than President Muhammadu Buhari found it in 2015.
Even within the country, large investments are increasing. Private refineries are coming online, and local refineries are undergoing major renovations. Many local investors, including Dangote, Olam, BUA, Skipper, and other large corporations, are making large investments in the country as a show of confidence in the economy under President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership. He has brought back stability, order, and the rule of law. He has also been able to ensure that all of the country’s regulatory institutions are operational because he gives them free rein. Just two weeks ago, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics reported that the Second Quarter (Q2) growth recorded this year is five point one (5.1 percent), which was a significant achievement under President Muhammadu Buhari, and we expect this positive growth to continue and spread to other sectors of the economy.
Do you think the APC has done well under President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership?
Yes, the indices used to determine whether a party has done well or poorly can be found in party unity. For the time being, the party is united. Every member admires and respects President Muhammadu Buhari as a leader. First and foremost, the fact that we have remained united in such a diverse country as Nigeria is a major accomplishment. Second, the fact that under our administration, we have been able to achieve all of the deliverables outlined in our party’s manifesto, which have a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians, is an accomplishment. Third, the fact that many Nigerians from other political parties, big players such as Governors, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, former Governors, and other top political figures are joining our party is a huge accomplishment. Fourth, in our recent effort at new membership registration, the number of our registered members has increased from around sixteen million to around forty million, indicating that the party, APC, is doing well under President Muhammadu Buhari. We are all in this together. We are growing and becoming more powerful.
What about the rumors that your upcoming National Convention will be the end of the party due to a conflict of interest among top politicians in the pool?
Of course, we are currently united; we are strong; and we are growing. Yes, there are clearly internal interests and contestations for people wishing to run for positions or for various posts within the party. However, we have seen no indication that these contestations or ambitions will lead to a crisis for this party. Let me tell you, the party’s members are all on the same page. We all respond to the name, APC. We all respect our party’s leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is a rallying figure in the party and has a lot of influence over the party and its decisions. As a result, we have no reason to fear that we will witness any serious crises in the future simply because of convention or divergent interests.
Is it true that there was a zoning agreement in APC, whether written or informal, as was the norm in PDP?
If there had been a zoning agreement, it would have been known. One thing is clear: this is a party based on trust. A party in which leaders from across the country came together consciously to dissolve their respective parties in order to merge into one; the APC. The APC has emerged as a national, progressive political party with a broad base. All of these different parties and leaders decided to dissolve identity-based politics – parties based on region, religion, or ethnicity. This is a monumental and historic achievement in Nigerian political history. As a result, in the APC, we are all one. We don’t consider ourselves to be from this or that region. From either this or that religion. We are a progressive family that came together as equals to form this party to serve Nigeria, and our records show that we have worked to serve the entire country – all of its regions, religions, and zones. As a result, decisions in the APC are made as a family. The APC’s leaders are men of honor, known for their self-sacrifice. Going forward, every decision we make in the APC regarding how to zone positions will, of course, be based on our history of sacrifice for the nation in order to ensure that we treat one another in trust, as brothers, friends, and family in order to continue to implement the APC manifesto. For me, this is my response to the question of whether or not there was zoning, but we clearly have a history because without the formation of this party as a broad-based national platform, we would not have received votes from all parts of the country to reflect the desired constitutional spread to win the presidency. We would always remember the APC’s history and how national unity led to our victory in the center.
What was your personal contribution as a former National Secretary to all that the party and this administration have accomplished?
My individual contributions are numerous. I was present at every turn and junction where important decisions were made in the last few years. I was the defunct CPC’s Director of Strategy, where we managed the Presidential Elections, and after the elections, I became a member of the defunct CPC’s National Executive Committee. We wrote a proposal (Way Forward for the CPC), a blueprint for the CPC to chart its political future, in which we proposed the formation of a broad-based national platform in collaboration with like-minded patriotic Nigerians from all parts of the country.