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Breaking: Shoprite begins process to exit Nigeria

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Breaking: Shoprite begins process to exit Nigeria

Shoprite, Africa’s largest retailer chain, is planning to exit the Nigerian market after posting continuous losses from its operations in the west African country.

In a trading update filed at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on Monday morning, the retail giant said it was planning to discontinue its operations in Nigeria.

“Following approaches from various potential investors, and in line with our re-evaluation of the Group’s operating model in Nigeria, the Board has decided to initiate a formal process to consider the potential sale of all, or a majority stake, in Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Shoprite International Limited,” the update read.

“As such, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited may be classified as a discontinued operation when Shoprite reports its results for the year. Any further updates will be provided to the market at the appropriate time.”

Shoprite launched in Nigeria nearly 15 years ago, opening its first store in Lagos in December 2005.

That chain has grown from one to more than 25 retail stores across Nigeria — including some of the biggest retail stores in west Africa.

Edo 2020: Oshiomhole seeking 3rd term under Ize-Iyamu, says Shaibu

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Edo 2020: Oshiomhole seeking 3rd term under Ize-Iyamu, says Shaibu

The Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu, has accused former Governor and Immediate past National Chairman, of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, of covertly seeking a third term in office as the Governor through his ‘surrogate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.’

A statement signed by Shaibu’s special assistant on media Benjamin Atu, said Ize-Iyamu is merely a stooge of the former governor.

“The price that Oshiomhole will pay for projecting Ize-Iyamu is an outright rejection,” Shaibu declared,”

“We need a new kind of politics and policies that reflect the best value of our people. Politics that focuses on bringing people together to work for the common good.

He said, “We have displayed determination to end the culture of government that habitually failed to stimulate investment; provide massive employment for the youth and failed to reduce poverty and hardship in the land,”.

He explained that “Edo people have a choice to choose between policies of the heart by Governor Godwin Obaseki and policies of the head as currently been propagated by enemies of the State.

The Otaru of Auchi, Aliru Momoh Ikelebe III, has urged Ize-Iyamu to keep his promises to the people if elected governor during the September 19, governorship election in Edo state.

Otaru gave the advice at the weekend when he received Ize-lyamu and his running mate, Gani Audu who were at the palace to pay homage and officially deliver copies of his SIMPLE agenda manifesto.

He said truth and justice are important values that leaders must display to bring peace and development in the state.

Southern Kaduna crisis not ethnic cleansing – Military

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Southern Kaduna crisis not ethnic cleansing – Military

The Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo has described the killings in Southern Kaduna as the activities of criminal elements on both sides and not ethnic cleansing as it is being claimed.

General Okonkwo who briefed journalists after the high level security meeting which held at the council chambers of Government House Kaduna last Tuesday, said that ‘’what we have were attacks on some communities and reprisal attacks.’’

According to him, both sides of the conflict have been attacking each other but ‘’the reports are not balanced. Perhaps, most of the media houses don’t know, both sides are actually involved.’’

‘’You have Kataf youths, Fulani militias and the criminal elements of both sides. Some people are also leveraging on the security situation to perpetuate their criminal activities, aside communities involved in the crisis,’’ Okonkwo added.

The commander said that ‘’any incident is enough to spark off crisis in that area, they have been lingering disputes and animosities, banditry and cattle rustling there.’’

General Okonkwo assured that there is going to be improvement because ‘’we have reviewed our operations. We are going to close ranks. We are going to be more robust in the days to come.’’

Okonkwo said that contrary to the allegations that the military and other security agents were not doing enough to contain the attacks, he argued that ‘’if one or two attacks took place, three were prevented.’’

The commander said that although there have been some gaps in their operations, he listed difficulty of the terrain and limited manpower as constraints, adding that in spite of those challenges, they are committed to bringing peace in the area.

‘’But be that as it may, we are going to get more troops. We are strategising, we will deploy as much as possible to shorten our response time. Perhaps, we used to respond a bit late but if we had not responded, we could have had more casualties,’’ he explained.

General Okonkwo said that there is need for the communities to embrace peace, adding that ‘’we will create the conducive environment for them to meet, dialogue and resolve issues so that they can continue to live together as they have been living together.’’

Ka3na, Lilo evicted from #BBNaija

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Ka3na, Lilo evicted from #BBNaija

Ka3na and Lilo on Sunday nght became the first to be evicted from Big Brother Naija Season 5 house.

Their eviction was announced by the programme’s host, Ebuka, during the first BBNaija Lockdown Live show.

Four housemates, namely, Lilo, Eric, Praise and Ka3na, were the initial housemates on the eviction list.

However, the Head of House and Deputy Head of House were automatically saved from eviction.

Buhari: Restoring Nigeria’s Armed Forces Lost Glory

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Buhari: Restoring Nigeria’s Armed Forces Lost Glory

By David Onmeje

The reality in Nigeria on improved security does not need crystalline lens to have a clear sight. Never mind those whose minds are fixated on pulsating or celebrating the odd and the petrifying, which comes erratically for a country adroitly fixing its various insecurity challenges amid schemes of sabs.

But the value of truth cannot be diminished by the media hype of opposition elements, scattered everywhere in the system and only concerned about permutations on how to grab power in the next political dispensation. No one blames them because leadership or power is not donated on a platter of gold to anyone. It is a rough field and all arsenals are recruited either for triumph or defeat of either side of the actors on the turf.

Mindless of the entanglements on field of powerplay, but truth is always visible and palpable enough, in spite of the evil gang-up against it. The Commander-In-Chief (C-in-C) of the Armed Forces of any nation is a serious personality by every rating, whether biased or objective. He holds the ace and accepts every liability or asset in the aftermath.

The C-in-C’s physiognomy is immaterial in the political and security leadership of a nation he bears the nightmarish burden of offering to his people. He is the receptor of everything. He takes credit for good or bad as long as he reigns.

It explains President Muhammadu Buhari’s reasons for painstakingly dedicating of time to carefully scrutinize and appoint capable lieutenants to assist him in the arduous task of governing a complex country like Nigeria. In Nigeria, at least one thing is expressively eloquent enough for all ears. President Buhari, as the C-in-C made no mistakes in selecting his appointees’, especially Service Chiefs. Security is a pivotal component of government in any country globally.

A fortified Armed Forces are the primary strength of any nation. When countries like Israel, America, Russia, Germany, China, Great Britain and several other world powers roar at external aggressors harshly- the countries which threaten their sovereignty and territorial integrity, its because of the might of their Military. The world has never at any time been immune from troubles. It is prophetic and historical.

President Buhari did Nigerians a lot of good which has remained unsung. When Buhari became the democratic leader of Nigeria in 2015, he met a degenerated, polarized, politicized, under equipped, poorly motivated, under-staffed, under-trained and an archaic Military. Nigeria had the infamous chaunt of operating a Military which ducked in the battlefield in the face of menacing enemies.

Boko Harm and other insurgency sects held Nigerians captive in their country and homes for years, right into Abuja. Aware of this situation, what President Buhari never failed his conscience about the leadership Nigerians entrusted to him from the outset was to appoint competent, loyal, patriotic and trusted team of senior Military officers to head the various arms of the nation’s Armed Forces.

The President wanted a total overhaul of the security architecture of the country. It was avoidably the first tonic he discovered as imperative to inject into the Nigerian Military. He allowed the Service Chiefs he inherited to function for nearly two months (May 29 – July 15, 2015) to weigh their performance before taking a decision. If they were truly good, but frustrated by the preceding administration, Buhari was prepared to retain them. He would never have sacked them.

President Buhari gave them the tools and liberty to operate freely for nearly two months. But he didn’t get the required results. Quite disturbed, he relieved these Nigerians of their appointments; thanked them for service to the nation and crowned new Service Chiefs with a specific mandate- to end terrorism in the country as soon as possible.

And among them, a crack professional soldier, patriotic, loyal and a no-nonsense Army General, already used to terrorism warfare, who was serving as Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai was appointed COAS and leader of counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria. It was the genesis of the relocation of Military Chiefs to the theatre of war in Maiduguri, Northeast of Nigeria in compliance with a presidential order.

The insecurity in the region immediately resolved itself because serious senior Military personnel, who are conversant with the asymmetrical style of terrorists’ wars took charge in obedient response to the presidential directive. A lot of gains have been made. The wanton destruction of lives and properties by the Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria has been reduced by at least, 90 percent, even with their bolstered strength by ISWAP.

Today, when some Nigerians malevolently fault the Service Chiefs and playout games to compel President to drop these Military assets to Nigeria for flimsy excuses such as “incompetence,” the President just laughs himself out. It is because he is yet to see where they failed Nigeria or the best to replace them now to effectively dispense results and stick to the earlier stated qualities, especially, loyalty and patriotism. The current internal struggles for leadership in the Military confirms this fear.

Its normal that some Nigerians are sometimes forgetful. The person leading counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria is President Buhari and not the Service Chiefs. The President who has a clearer and better knowledge of the operations of the Military in warfare, knows his Service Chiefs have not disappointed him or the country on this sensitive national assignment and its spiraling into other insurgencies most Nigerians can’t even rehearse in haste. With someone else on Buhari’s seat, it would have been worse for Nigeria.

Whether desperate political power seekers inflaming or aggravating the insecurity problems appreciate it or not, the evidence is palpable or unalterable. And those who for various reasons deny it openly, still admit it in their secret and reflective moments.
Beneficiaries of this insecurity breather as necessitated by President Buhari are also chorusing songs of praise to the Military every day. The journey started quite far and President Buhari prepared for it. He has kept watering the pipe of Military empowerment for excellence in Nigeria.

Under President Buhari, the Nigerian Armed Forces have not botched on security as often irreligiously echoed sentimentally. The brave officers, personnel, men and women of the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Army have all been retrained, adequately equipped and properly motivated for the job. And the morale has ever been high, among air, water or the ground troops of Nigeria.

A combination of these Military personnel constitute the troops cracking the swampy Lake Chad Basin area in final Clearance Operations. It is exactly the last battle ground between Nigeria and the enemy forces of Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists.

And as the Nigerian Military expend weapons every day on the battlefield battling insurgents, so also President Buhari ensures that Military armoury is consistently replenished. It is what has made the Military of other nations like the USA, Great Britain, Russia, China and Germany thick and proud in defending their countries. Nigerian Military is at their doorstep now.

However, anywhere in the world, the Army is the largest and biggest component of the Military. They are the first fighters deployed to the field in the event of a sudden outbreak of war. And the Army is also the last to end field battles with enemy forces. President Buhari, a retired soldier himself realises it; what many Nigerians failed to decode.

Therefore, his anointment and support of a knowledgeable Military expert like Gen. Buratai as COAS and leader of counter-insurgencies in Nigeria has paid off handsomely. The Army Chief has repositioned the Army to accept, absorb, deflate, dismantle and effectively tackle all the insecurity challenges of Nigeria staunchly. Nigerian soldiers now are not just brave, courageous and resilient, but excitedly execute the manifold tasks at the frontlines with Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

But it has come through months and years of strategic planning and prudent application of resources. Gen. Buratai has revived the Nigerian Army to levels where it is confirmatory that not every fighting weapon troops need in the warfront with the latest touch of technological innovations is acquired externally or imported, but fabricated locally. Hitherto moribund Army institutions like Nigerian Army School of Artillery, et al and training institutions like the Nigerian Army University at Biu and the Nigerian Army Aviation School and others, with widely acclaimed world class infrastructures attests to Gen. Buratai’s epochal leadership of the Army.

Beyond these achievements, Gen. Buratai has ensured the return of accountability, probity and transparency to the Nigerian Army through various innovations and reforms championed by the C-in-C who appointed him to supervise the Army.

A soldier reputed as someone ahead of his time, Gen. Buratai by the directives of President Buhari has prioritized the expansion of the Nigerian Army his topmost agenda in other to meet the numerous security challenges in Nigeria. From Nigerian Army’s former six Divisions, Gen. Buratai has added another two to the number. Nigerian Army now has Army Division 6 (Rivers state) and Army Division 8 (Borno state) in addition to countless Forward Bases and Battalions across the country.

Buratai’s almost monthly expansion of the Army also has bold imprints in recruitments of both direct and short service officers for training. It is therefore, not unexpected that the Nigerian Army has won laurels and medals in international organizations, signposts which have restored Nigeria’s lost Military glory in the comity of nations.

The COAS also thinks a soldier deserves economic empowerment; a life of comfort and financial independence. Therefore, and in line with global trends, the Army under Buratai has evolved and implemented an economic development agenda for the convenience of soldiers and their families in tandem with the political leadership vision of President Buhari.

Pointedly, never before had the Nigerian Army boasted of the Nigeria Army Farms and Ranches; Nigerian Army Property Limited; Nigerian Army post- Service Housing Development Limited; Command Engineering Depot; and Nigerian Army Welfare Limited through an organized Guarantee or surety under friendly terms for soldiers. But under President Buhari’s direction and Gen. Buratai’s compliance, the Nigerian Army is a proud owner of these legacy investments and heritage.

When Nigerians read a recent interview Gen. Buratai hurriedly granted a journalist in his makeshift camp at Maiduguri , headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole, while kitting himself to hop into the jungle again, he said; “ I am a soldier; am a highly patriotic soldier; a highly patriotic Nigerian who loves his country so much; who loves the progress of his country, and who loves his profession so passionately and is interested in the welfare of anyone I come across.” Truly, Gen. Buratai came prepared for the task roundly.

Onmeje is a public affairs commentator and contributed this piece from the United Kingdom.

Call for Buhari’s resignation is misrepresentation of facts, mischief by Ikenga’s CUPP- NDF

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Call for Buhari’s resignation is misrepresentation of facts, mischief by Ikenga’s CUPP- NDF

The National Democratic Front (NDF) has rubbished the call for President Muhammadu Buhari’s resignation over insecurity by the Spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Ugochinyere, describing it as a mere mischief and misrepresentation of facts.

According to NDF, CUPP’s agenda is to heat up the polity, especially as its “paymasters are indeed behind the politically sponsored acts of violence in the country”.

In a statement signed by Secretary-General, Abdulkadir Bokaji, on Friday, the NDF revealed that the CUPP have entered a “strategic alliance with some vested interest to cause a distraction in Nigeria by making unsubstantiated allegations” against the president.

The National Democratic Front, therefore, urged Nigerians to ignore CUPP and other groups in the country out to rubbish the noble efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari.

It further warned that CUPP’s campaign of culumny will  gather momentum in the coming weeks and months, through press statements, press conferences and fictitious report targeted at the president, military and Service Chiefs.

The NDF, however, called on Nigerians to continue to support the Federal Government in its efforts at delivering the dividends of democracy.

Read the full statement below:

The National Democratic Front wishes to raise concerns on the plot by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) to heat the polity by calling for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari from office over politically masterminded killings and sponsored acts of terrorism in the country by agents of destabilization .

This call is most uncharitable and a gross misrepresentation of facts and the promotion of fictitious narratives as evident in the press conference where its spokesperson Ikenga Ugochinyere made some aloof statements against the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

We wish to state that the position taken by the CUPP is a function of their disappointment with the prosecution of the war against terrorism and other acts of criminalities in the country by the Nigerian Military.

What the CUPP failed to tell Nigerians is the fact that their paymasters are indeed behind the politically sponsored acts of violence in the country and the tough stance taken by the present administration towards addressing the issues has not gone down well with them hence the disjointed narrative they want Nigerians to swallow hook, line and sinker.

The National Democratic Front is aware that the CUPP has of late entered a strategic alliance with some vested interest to cause a distraction in Nigeria by making unsubstantiated allegations against President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the Service Chiefs in the country.

If this is not the case, we consequently wonder why the CUPP has elected to be ferocious in their messages which are outright falsehoods with recourse to the sensibilities of Nigerians from all parts of the country that are appreciative of the efforts of the federal government towards addressing the politically motivated security issues.

The National Democratic Front not only frowns at such display of idiocy, but it also challenges the CUPP to tell Nigerians what they know about the spate of insecurity in some parts of the country and the amount of monies that have exchanged hands in return for holding press conferences with the overarching objective of rubbishing the noble efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in the critical security sector in the country.

The National Democratic Front wishes to advise members of the general public to be wary of groups such as the CUPP pretending to act in the interest of the country wherein they are serving the script of their paymasters whose ultimate goal is to destabilize the country.

The general public must also be aware that this campaign of calumny against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari by the CUPP would gather momentum in the coming weeks and months, through press statements, press conferences and fictitious report all in a bid to poison the minds of the general public towards the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Nigerian cause.

The CUPP must indeed retrace their steps and put politics aside to act in the best interest of the country and desist from their ignoble campaign to destabilize Nigeria in fulfilment of the goals of their paymasters and sponsors.

This much the CUPP must also admit that the individuals and organizations they are in alliance with have been mostly responsible for the spate of insecurity in the country through the sponsorship of criminal groups across the country to paint a picture of incapacity of the present administration to address the security challenges in the country.

The National Democratic Front also wishes to inform members of the general public that the Nigerian Military would not be spared of the vicious attack through the sponsorship of acts of violence across the country thereby making the Nigerian Military look incapable of dealing with the security challenges in the country and a subsequent call for the sack of Service Chiefs in the country.

The National Democratic Front is using this medium to call on Nigerians from all walks of life to continue to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its efforts at delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Nigeria.

The National Democratic Front is proud of the lofty achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in critical sectors of the economy. We wish to state that any form of distractions from the CUPP and their paymasters would not be tolerated any further.

The National Democratic Front acknowledges the fact that Nigeria is indeed making significant progress under the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration. However, this fact is not going down well with those that are against the development of Nigeria and as such, they have elected to launch and sustain scathing attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari for choosing to stand on the side of the generality of Nigerians rather than a select few that have stolen the country blind in times past.

This is on the heels that under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Military has been repositioned to address the various security challenges in the country. This reality has also not gone down well with the enemies of Nigeria that thought by now; they would have grounded the country.

It is therefore imperative for the general public to be aware of the antics deployed by the CUPP and their sponsors so as not to be misled into believing the lies against the present administration with regards to its commitment to leading Nigeria on the path of sustainable growth and development.

The National Democratic Front owes Nigeria the duty to defend its democracy and expose the nefarious plots of groups like the CUPP that want to see to the disintegration of Nigeria.

Chinese Loan: Buhari, APC Owe Nigerians Apology – Atiku

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Chinese Loan: Buhari, APC Owe Nigerians Apology – Atiku

Former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to apologise to Nigerians over what he described as reckless borrowing by the administration and how the terms of such loans could compromise the future of the country.

In a statement on Sunday, the former vice president said that some managers of the party and even the government had denied the allegations that he raised as well as the warning for caution.

But according to him, just last week, a cabinet minister confirmed the allegations.

“Now, we all are aware that Nigeria’s sovereignty may have been traded for foreign loans and God forbids our inability to service those loans, the lender country would take ownership of choice infrastructure on the Nigerian soil. No negotiation could be weaker than that!

“Nigeria had a total foreign debt stock of $7.02 billion on May 29, 2015. Today, our foreign debt is $23 billion and rapidly rising. Debt, by itself, is not a bad thing. But debt budgeted for such unproductive ventures, like the proposed $500 million upgrade of the Nigerian Television Authority and other sundry bogus contracts, is debt that leads to death. To trade Nigeria’s sovereignty for this type of profligacy is the height of irresponsibility!,” the statement read in part.

Atiku said he has long advocated for a more robust engagement of the private sector and promotion of foreign direct investment as sustainable alternatives through which government could fund infrastructure development.

But on the contrary, according to him, the Nigerian government under the banner of the All Progressives Congress threaded the direction of looking for cheap foreign loans in exchange for the sovereignty for Nigeria.

“Recall that former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration initiated a National Privatization Programme with the sole objective of ensuring that the private sector took some measure of influence in social investment portfolio and, in some instances, provided funding for infrastructure development.

“There was nothing in that plan that traded Nigeria’s sovereignty for some cheap loans which, in the light of unfolding revelations of sleaze in some departments of government, would have ended in private pockets,”.

He, therefore, stated that the government and the APC must apologize to Nigerians and make an admittance of guilt for taking the country through the throes of subjugation to another country.

COVID-19 Death Toll In Latin America, Caribbean Exceeds 200,000

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COVID-19 Death Toll In Latin America, Caribbean Exceeds 200,000

More than 200,000 people have died from coronavirus in Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil and Mexico accounting for nearly three-quarters of those deaths, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources at 0830 GMT on Sunday.

The number of fatalities stood at 200,212 in Latin America and the Caribbean, out of a total 4,919,054 reported cases. The death total doubled in just over a single month.

Doctor Moyra Lopez comforts a terminal patient at the so-called ‘humanized farewell’ room, where patients received messages from their relatives through technological devices, at the Barros Luco Hospital, in Santiago, on July 22, 2020. AFP

Latin America is the second hardest-hit region in the world after Europe, which has recorded 210,425 deaths and 3,189,322 infections.

The United States and Canada are third.

After Brazil and Mexico, the worst-affected countries in Latin America are Peru, Colombia and Chile.

According to virus infection numbers as a proportion of the population, Peru tops the region’s list, followed by Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Panama.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases.

2023: Why Mamman Daura Should Not Be Vilified

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2023: Why Mamman Daura Should Not Be Vilified

By Philip Agbese

In the year 2017, a group of northern leaders felt ashamed by the crop of leaders warming up to take over the mantle of leadership from the current set of leaders that it realised it has to do something about the leadership selection process in the region.

At the end of that summit which held in Kaduna, many of the participants were of the view that the current process which throws up clanish champions as national leaders may not be the best and that something must be done to create a system where competence would be the major criteria for leadership selection.

Three years later, elder stateman, Malam Mamman Daura has come out to hit tha nail on the head about what has been at the base of poor leadership in Nigeria and recommended that competence should be prioritised while zoning should be rested.

But this noble idea has been  shouted down for no other reason than the fact that it is coming from what is considered an inappropriate quarters to voice out such concerns.

The North is always considered as conservative and reactionary and not expected to advance progressives ideas.

Hence, when Malam Daura, a northern elder made the suggestion, the criticism that trailed his comment had nothing to do with merit of the idea, but the perceived undertone that it was meant to favour a particular region.

But while castigating the message because of the messenger, many have failed to acknowledge some historical factors that support the Daura viewpoint.

In both the 1st and 2nd Republics, when the team of what was considered as the 1st Eleven of Nigerian politicians featured, nobody said anything about zoning the prime minister or president position to any particular zone in the country.

Though the dominant parties then had their bases in the respective zones of their party’s leaders, they all went into elections believing that the electorate is mature enough to decide the best based on what the candidates present to them.

The great Nnamdi Azikiwe because of his eloquence,  erudition and the programme of his party, won elections in the Southwest devoid of any ethnic or religious consideration.

In the era of the 2nd Republic, the NPP which had Azikiwe as its presidential candidate won the northern state of Plateau and almost won Benue in 1983 before the coming of the military, while the NPN considered as made up of northern conservatives, won southern states like Rivers and Cross Rivers in the south.

The apogee of such political idealism was when in 1993, MKO Abiola defeated Bashir Tofa in his home state of Kano.

These examples have shown that Nigeria had always preferred merit and competence over parochial considerations.

Step forward to 2020 and elder statesman, Malam Mamman Daura, who has seen it all makes recommendations that Nigeria should go back to its preferred pattern of leadership selection process where competence would be placed above geopolitical considerations and all hell was let loose.

The question is, what is strange in the Malam Daura suggestion to warrant such attacks and misrepresentations when it had always been actually what Nigerians wanted .

The Nigerian electoral body, which is now known as INEC had over the years tried to de-emphasize regional, religious or ethnic politics and that is why it had always made it mandatory that any party seeking to be registered to contest election in Nigeria must have functional offices in at least two third of the states of the federation.

Further than that, the electoral laws also provide that a candidate can only be declared winner of a presidential election if he, in addition to winning the majority votes, also scores at least two third of the votes in at least two third of the states of the federation.

Translated, this means that even the laws governing elections in the country have tried to deemphasize regional considerations as a candidates can only receive such nationwide acceptance based on merit.

This is the point that Malam Daura tried to make when he said the 2023 presidency should be about competence and not based on zoning as the nation had tried zoing about three times and it has not worked.

When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was president between 1999 and 2007, the zone that complained most about neglect was the Southwest and when Yar’Adua succeeded him, the North did not fare better than in the previous administration. Till date, Jonathan is being accused of not doing enough for the South south.

This shows that the idea of rotational presidency does not even help the region the president hails but only puts pressure on the incumbent to look at his region eve  when he had sworn an oath not to use his office to give undue favour to one side.

The fact is, competence is the new order in the world in leadership selection process.That was why America chose Barack Obama, that was why Russia is almost stuck with Vladimir Putin as its leader and that is why issues of where a political leader hails from hardly matter in most advanced countries.

Naturally, people gravitate towards good leadership no matter where it comes from. The first US president, George Washington was offered a third term but he declined not minding whether he was from the North or South.

Rwanda after genocidal war came back and repeatedly elected Paul Kagame, a true leader, who has moved the nation forward despite being from what was considered a minority ethnic group.

It is said that in Tanzania, the people dont even care where their president hails from as he has been able to wield the nation of different ethnic groups into one nation.

Malam Daura has not excluded any zone from contesting the 2023 elections as there are qualified and competent persons from all the regions in the country.

What he is saying is that the best among the collection  should be favoured.

Nigerians should accept this as this as the new world order as zoning has proven to be undemocratic, dictatorial and exclusive.

To continue on the archaic and primordial principle of zoning which has not helped any would be to retrogress.

Besides, it is unconstitutional as zoning denies people their rights and privileges to contest at a given time.

Worse still, the principle has never been respected in the first place as people from other zones usually defy the recommendation to contest with those from the zone it is zoned to.

That is why zoning should be jettisoned since it has always been observed in the breach while competence, like Malam Daura said should be the new thing.

Agbese wrote this piece from Abuja.

Boko Haram/ Banditry: APC UK, Diaspora appreciate PMB, Service Chiefs for leading war with total commitment

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Boko Haram/ Banditry: APC UK, Diaspora appreciate PMB, Service Chiefs for leading war with total commitment

…. set to mobilize international support, resources for Nigeria

Nigeria's elections: APC calls for holistic reform of INEC - Daily ...
Dr. Philip Idaewor, Chairman APC UK Chapter

The APC UK and All-Diaspora Chapters of the All Progressives Congress have hailed President Muhammadu Buhari and the Service Chiefs for exhibiting “extraordinary patriotism and commitment” in the war against terrorism.

Owing to their sacrifices to end the insurgency, the APC groups in the diaspora have vowed to mobilize international support and resources to complement the Federal Government’s tremendous effort in the final clearance operation.

After a thorough review of the happenings in the North-East, the APC groups affirmed that significant progress has been made by the troops since the relocation of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai to the theatre of operations.

In a statement signed by Dr. Philip Idaewor, Chairman APC UK Chapter and Chairman Committee of Diaspora chairmen, the groups recounted how several high profile Boko Haram/ISWAP commanders were killed and many others injured, fleeing to neighbouring countries.

” We note that the Nigerian Military made significant gains against Boko Haram terrorists following the relocation of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General TY Buratai to the war front, which resulted in the war being taken to the camp of the terrorists. This onslaught led to terrorist camps being destroyed and several high-ranking commanders of the abhorrent group being killed while other terrorists fled into neighbouring countries as they always do,” Dr Idaewor said.

“We equally note that Boko Haram resorted to abducting aid workers and murdering them. Our reading of the situation is that this is a desperate ploy to court attention after they have suffered serial losses to the Nigerian Military. Other forms of desperate attacks calculated at inflicting terror and shoring up the morale of terrorists appear to have been ordered by commanders of the terrorists.”

While admitting that the terrorists have been beaten to its lowest point in history, the Nigerians in diaspora added that it is crucial to capitalize and completely wipe out the remnants from the continent.

However, with Nigeria almost in the battle alone with minimal support from neighbours and the international community, the APC groups reckoned that this may be a tough ask.

” We further noted that even though the terrorist group has been beaten to its lowest in years, there is an urgency to completely wipe out this scourge from Africa so that the people can live in peace and return to normal community activities. If the remnants of the group are not eradicated with a scorch-earth totality then there is the risk that they will regroup, rearm and return to be a threat to everyone,” he said.

“We observe that Nigeria is practically going the war on terrorism alone with minimal or no military input from countries that ordinarily present themselves as friends of Nigeria. Assistance from such countries at the moment is mostly in the form of humanitarian work, which some have even used as a cover to funnel support to the terrorists and further undermine Nigeria.”

The APC UK Chapter and Diaspora Chapters, therefore, vowed to rally for support from the international community and fellow Nigerian professionals in the diaspora to put a final end to the challenges of insecurity at home.

The groups further called on “Nigerian professionals in their various fields to help in changing the narrative and bringing about the needed peace and security in the country”.

“The United Kingdom (UK) and Diaspora Chapters of APC are convinced that time is running out for the international community to pitch in and collaborate with Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram/ISIS. The reality is that the Nigerian Government and the Militarily require international collaboration and support to Defeat Boko Haram,” Dr Idaewor acknowledged.

“Our recognition of this imperative has made us embark on mobilizing international support for the war against insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria. Winning the war against terrorism in all its colour in Nigeria and Africa should now detain international attention in order to attain global peace and minimise dangerous transcontinental migration. The COAS and other Security Chiefs must be supported by all Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora to do more. “

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