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2023: I’ll Revisit Orosanye Report, Atiku Tells Business Executives in Lagos

Published

3 months ago

November 15, 2022

Eric

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has made his stand known on a plethora of economic issues Nigeria is currently battling.

The former vice president, who spoke about his recovery plan for Nigeria at the Lagos Business School 2022 Alumni Day which had in attendance business executives, engaged the audience about economic issues, fuel subsidy, foreign exchange policy, debt crisis, power as well as the oil and gas sector.

He also used the platform to pay tribute to the private sector for the successes recorded by the PDP between 1999- 2007.

Atiku, who started his session by giving a brief background with economic gains of the PDP between 1999-2007 including debt cancellation, privatization, banking reforms as well as effective working partnership with the private sector.

On the rising cost of governance, the former VP said he would revisit the Orosanye report and ensure the white paper report is in conformity with the principle of setting up the committee.

He further said his privatization plan is not to render people jobless but to ensure effect governance.

Speaking on fuel subsidy, he noted how the PDP government had phased out subsidy in batches, saying: “I was the chairman for the removal of fuel subsidy committee and I recall how we removed the phase 1 and phase 2 of fuel subsidy. I will continue from were we stopped, remove fuel subsidy totally and channel the subsidy funds back to the economy. In other words, it’s just a fraud.”

He described Nigeria’s debt situation as a mess, saying he would fix it if he is elected president.

His words: “If you are talking about foreign debt, we have done it before, I will engage our creditors and ask for debt forgiveness or cancellation like we did before. Coming to local debt, if we stabilize the economy, we will borrow less, propose a flexible payment plan.

“Again, I want you to compare our records with the current government and you can see who did well economically.”

The former vice president stated that he will reform the oil and gas sector by ensuring the right investors are engaged such that Nigeria’s crude production increases while ensuring the privatization of the three refineries in the country.

According to him, with such policies in place, it will ultimately make Nigeria an oil production hub.

He equally vowed to ensure proper funding for public education, arguing that it should be enjoyed by children of the poor for free.

He also promised to reposition the UBE set up in 1999 to its main purpose which is to reduce out of school children in the country.

When asked to comment on the autonomy of the CBN, Atiku said the current managers of the apex bank are taking a cue from the current administration ”which lacks direction.”

Headline

El-Rufai, Bello, Mattawale Drag Buhari’s Govt to Court over Naira Redesign, Scarcity

Published

7 hours ago

February 6, 2023

Eric

The governments of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara have petitioned the Federal government before the Supreme Court to halt the full implementation of the policy ending the validity of old N200, N500 and N1000 denominations on February 10, 2023

The three northern states, in a motion ex-parte filed on their behalf by their attorney, Abdul Hakeem Uthman Mustapha (SAN), are asking the supreme court to grant them an interim injunction to prevent the Federal Government from carrying out its plan to end the period within which the now-outdated 200, 500, and 1000 Naira denominations may no longer be legal tender on February 1.

The plaintiffs in the suit are the three Attorneys-General and Commissioners of Justice of the three states, while the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), is the sole respondent.

The plaintiffs claimed that since the new naira note policy was announced, there has been a severe shortage of new naira notes in Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara States and that citizens who have dutifully deposited their old naira notes are finding it harder and sometimes impossible to obtain new naira notes to conduct their daily business.

They also mentioned the notice’s inadequacy, how carelessly the exercise is being carried out and the hardship it is causing Nigerians, which has been well-acknowledged even by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs added that the ten-day extension granted by the federal government is still insufficient to address the problems plaguing the policy.

Although a date for the hearing has not been set, the states are seeking a declaration that the demonetisation policy of the Federation being currently carried out by the Central Bank of Nigeria under the directive of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not in compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, and actual laws on the subject.

According to TVC reports, the plaintiffs are also asking the court to make a declaration that the three-month notice given by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Central Bank of Nigeria under the directive of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the expiration of which will render the old banknotes inadmissible as legal tender, is in gross violation of the provisions of Section 20(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, which specifies that a reasonable notice be given before such a policy.

The plaintiffs also ask the court to declare that, in light of the explicit provisions of Section 20(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, the Federal Government of Nigeria, acting through the Central Bank of Nigeria, lacks the authority to set a deadline for the acceptance and redemption of banknotes issued by the Bank, except for the circumstances specified in Section 22(1) of the CBN Act 2007. The Central Bank shall at all times redeem its bank notes.

The Plaintiffs further want the court to direct the immediate suspension of the demonetisation of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Central Bank of Nigeria under the directive of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria until it complies with the relevant provisions of the law.

In an affidavit filed in support of the suit and sworn to by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaduna State, Aisha Dikko, she averred that although the naira redesign policy was introduced to encourage the cashless policy of the Federal government, it is not all transactions that can be conveniently carried out through electronic means.

She maintained that several transactions still require cash in exchange for goods and services hence the need for the Federal Government to have sufficient money available in circulation for the smooth running of the economy.

Dikko also pointed out that the Federal Government has embarked on the policy within a narrow and unworkable time frame, and this has adversely affected Nigerian citizens within Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara States as well as their Governments, especially as the newly redesigned naira notes are not available for use by the people as well as the State Governments.

“That the majority of the indigenes of the Plaintiffs’ states who reside in the rural areas have been unable to exchange or deposit their old naira notes as there are no banks in the rural areas where the majority of the population of the states reside.

“Most people in rural areas of the Plaintiffs’ states do not have bank accounts and have so far been unable to deposit their life savings which are still in the old naira notes.

“There is restiveness amongst the people in the various states because of the hardship being suffered by the people, and the situation will sooner than later degenerate into the breakdown of law and order.

“The Plaintiff State Governments cannot stand by as they are duty-bound to protect citizens in their states and prevent the breakdown of law and order.

“I know that if the Federal Government of Nigeria had given sufficient and reasonable time for the naira redesign policy, all the current hardship and loss being experienced by the Plaintiffs’ State Governments as well as people in the various states would have been avoided.

“I know that the 10-day extension by the Federal Government is still insufficient to address the challenges bedevilling the policy. I also understand that the Federal Government cannot bar Nigerians from redeeming their old naira notes at any time, even though the senior notes are no longer legal tender.

“Unless this Honourable Court intervenes, the Government and people of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara State will continue to go through a lot of hardship and would ultimately suffer great loss as a result of the insufficient and unreasonable time within which the Federal Government is embarking on the ongoing currency redesign policy,” she stated.

Tribune

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Win a Councillorship Election First, Then Come Talk to Me, Dogara Blast Keyamo

Published

10 hours ago

February 6, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has come hard on the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, asking the lawyer to try and win a councillorship election before considering himself his equal in politics.

Both lawyers had been engaged in banters following a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari, where he endorsed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for president.

Buhari, on his Twitter handle, described Tinubu as a Nigerian who would give his best to Nigeria.

The tweet read, “Today in Lafia, Nasarawa State, I delivered my message: vote Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of Nigeria and vote Governor Abdullahi Sule for a second term. I have known Asiwaju for more than 20 years; he is a committed Nigerian; he will give his best to Nigeria.”

Dogara, who reacted to the president’s comment, however, described it as a satire.

He said, “I know that PMB loves to crack jokes but I didn’t know he will escalate it to the level of satire. Asiwaju will give his best to Nigeria, really? Fake certificates, fake parentage, golden triangle escapades, racketeering. No, PMB. Nigeria does not deserve his best but we get the satire.”

In an exchange that followed, Keyamo said the comment was beneath Dogara, just as he described him as a political prostitute and backstabber.

He said, “My brother and law schoolmate, @YakubDogara, this tweet is beneath you. You are pained by the support of PMB for @officialABAT, two leaders who have stayed true to their beliefs and causes, unlike the political prostitute, wanderer and back-stabber that you’ve always been.”

Dogara, who fired back at Keyamo, asked him to contest for the post of a councillor before they both could be regarded as mates in politics.

He said, “My brother, I have a name for you but because it’s not a good one, I won’t say it as a cost of friendship. Yes, we were mates at Law School but I am waiting for you to win a councillorship election first so we can be mates in politics. Learn to punch below your weight category.”

Keyamo, in another reply to Dogara, said he had reached the height of his profession as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, adding that he should learn to respect his seniors.

He said, “My brother, it is sad you think every one must be rated by elections won and lost. You’ve just insulted millions of Nigerians in their various fields of endeavour. Let me remind you that I’ve reached the height of our profession and you must learn to respect your senior at the bar.”

Headline

You’ve Nothing to Offer Nigerians, Only Insults, Akwa Ibom Gov Slams Tinubu

Published

5 days ago

February 1, 2023

Eric

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, on Monday, replied the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, saying that he (Tinubu) always resorts to abusing and insulting people during campaigns because he has nothing to bring to the table for Nigerians.

He also said that despite being insulted by the former Lagos State Governor, he would prefer to allow peace to reign by ignoring him and focusing on helping install good governance to rescue Nigerians from their present woes.

Emmanuel spoke on Monday evening at Government House, Uyo while inaugurating newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen and Members of Boards and Commissions, as well as a Transition Committee to ensure the smooth transition of power to the next administration.

Recall that Tinubu had during his rally in Uyo Monday afternoon, reportedly said, “Akwa Ibom, that boy wey bring Atiku here, wey de call himself Governor, tell him enough is enough! He lives in my backyard in Lagos, If no be say we be one, I would have driven him home. You see that mansion he is living, I would just use lizards, pigeons and scorpions to put him inside.“

But reacting few hours later, the Akwa Ibom State Governor said, “for the country to remain in peace, one party must ‘play saint’ and that is why he would refrain from replying Tinubu.

Emmanuel who is the Chairman of the PDP presidential campaigns said, “I also go to other states, and if you watch our campaigns, my principal (Atiku Abubakar) has never spoken about any Governor, he has never spoken openly about Asiwaju before.”

He added that it was unfortunate that Tinubu, who was granted state-owned facilities such as the airport, security, stadium, and a good atmosphere to come in and sell his manifesto, ended up coming to insult the integrity of over 7.9 million Akwa Ibom people.

The Governor wondered if it is possible for any Akwa Ibomite to go to Lagos that Tinubu stays or the actual state that he hails from, to insult Tinubu in like manner and still be allowed to safely return home, “but here our people at the stadium including some state governors just laughed and applauded him.”

“What makes him think he will govern Nigeria? If I reply him now, people will call me and say, haba oga you are not like that. But I will reply him one day. There is nothing like ‘emilokan’ (it is my turn) here, Nigeria is in God’s hands.”

He maintained further that despite being the highest revenue contributor to the federation account, Akwa Ibom State has not gotten a single kilometre of road from the APC-led Federal Government for nearly 8 years adding that the poor response from the Federal Government also caused the delayed commencement of the seaport in the state.

Meanwhile, the governor thanked the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries for accepting the onerous task of service, and urged them to see themselves as ambassadors and work towards raising the bar of leadership which would encourage productivity and promote good working relationship with subordinates in the service.

“This is one thing I promised Akwa Ibom people that appointment of Permanent Secretaries shall be totally on merit and not by mercy, let those that can do the work be given the opportunity. Permanent Secretary is not a promotion, it is an appointment on merit.

Governor Emmanuel also reiterated his commitments towards enhancing efficiency within Civil Service, noting that during his administration civil servants have been promoted on yearly basis.

He assured that before he exits office more Permanent Secretaries would be appointed into the service to fill vacant positions left by the ones who retired.

Addressing Chairmen of Boards and Commissions, Governor Emmanuel who described them as pillars in government, acknowledged their commitment particularly, Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection & Waste Management Agency, Prince Akpan Ikim, for winning laurels for the state through his outstanding performance in keeping and making the state the cleanest in Nigeria for five consecutive years from 2018 through 2022, and tasked others to create an impact that will stand them out.

In the same vein, the Transition Committee members were handed the task of ensuring a seamless transition of government to an incoming administration, and also verify all projects executed by the present administration.

The newly appointed Permanent Secretaries are; Mfon Inuaesiet Edemekong Esq., Dr. Stephen Effiong, Atim Chelly Okoko, Iquo Okon Abia Esq., Uwem Sunday Andrew-Essien, Isaiah Robson Ntekim and Emaeyak Nyong Akpan as Auditor-General for Local Government.

The Transition Committee has Mrs. Ekereobong Umoh -Chairman, Uko Udom SAN, Prof Augustine Umoh, Dr. Ini Adiakpan, Mrs. Nsemeke Daniel, Dr. Nathaniel Adiakpan, Mr Elijah Udoiyak, Mrs. Esther Inyang, Pastor Uwem Andrew-Essien, Mr. Isaiah Ntekim, Mr. Effiong Ekpenyong and Mrs. Bella Akpanya as members.

The Punch