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Can Tinubu’s Ministers Deliver Nigeria?

Published

9 months ago

August 19, 2023

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

On Monday, August 21, 2023, President Bola Tinubu will swear in 45 men and women, who by fait accompli, have been screened and cleared by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate. The soon-to-be ministers will be mandated with the task of bringing to fruition Tinubu’s plans of renewing the hopes of Nigerians, towards bringing them out of the eight years quagmire of past president Muhammadu Buhari, which has inadvertently continued three months into the new administration.

But analysts, stakeholders and observers in the Nigerian political system have argued on the potential of the nominated ministers and the real intentions behind their selection to work in with the Nigerian leader.

A cross section of Nigerians, who had earlier expressed hope at the coming of the ministers, many weeks after inauguration, have expressed disappointment however, noting there was nothing spectacular among the nominees, and wondered why it took so long to recycle the same individuals already known to the public. They argued that it was a list of known friends and loyalists of the president, adding that the president is using sensitive positions for nation building to say thank you and massage the ego of loyalists, who played one role or another to ensure the his emergence at the Presidential polls.

In Tinubu’s list are nine immediate past governors including former governor of Rivers State, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who fell out with his party, and did all he could to scrape Rivers State for Tinubu; a victory that most Nigerians have dismissed as dubious. But Wike has been paid for his efforts, first, as a ministerial nominee, and now as a the substantive Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Wike is seen as a voracious politician, who can hold his own in whatever circumstance either by omission or commission; legitimate or otherwise. It is therefore, on this background that his appointment into ministerial position is necessary, and more important to be seconded to Abuja, where Tinubu failed to obtain 25 percent vote, which many believe is mandatory for anyone else to be declared President. The matter is however, subjudice asnit is being contested in the court of law presently.

Stakeholders have not minced words in claiming that Wike’s allocation of Abuja as a ministerial duty is Tinubu’s way of consolidation should there be a rerun as regards his inability to obtain 25 percent in the previous election.

“It is not hard to imagine that Tinubu needed a strong and voracious politician like Wike in Abuja to consolidate his chances should the court nullify his election and order a rerun.

“The same situation goes for the recycling of old politicians in sensitive ministeries. The reasons are not farfetched; the president needs them to achieve an opportunity to legitimize his government through the polls if the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal should void the 2023 presidential election. So, this list of ministers are not in anyway programmed to resuscitate that ailing economy, but to be on ground for the hatchet job in case a rerun I’d needed. It is not out of place therefore, to say that Tinubu is already anticipating a discrediting of his government another a rerun,” a stakeholder, who craved anonymity told The Boss.

There’s also the immediate past governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, who is said to be the handyman of one of Nigeria’s most notorious leader, late General Sani Abacha while he looted the country. On discovery, Bagudu demanded and was paid a whopping $110 million (N33.6 billion) for helping Abacha to loot the nation. Today, Bagudu is saddled with a sensitive position as the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning. No one remembered the part he played in the Nigerian economic woes other than he is a member of the APC and an allied of Tinubu.

According to Nicolas Ibekwe in a 2019 write up, “Court documents revealed that Mr Bagudu was the gas that powered Mr Abacha’s extensive money laundering operations.

“Working with some members of his own family, top members of the regime and Mohammed, Mr Abacha’s eldest son, prosecutors claimed the governor used an intricate network of phoney companies to siphon several millions of dollars from government treasury into offshore bank accounts operated by himself and the Abachas.

“The money-laundering operations Mr Bagudu ran on behalf of Mr Abacha are well-documented in suits filed in the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey, a British Crown dependency in the Channel Islands.

“But what many Nigerians may not know was that Mr Bagudu, who now enjoy immunity from prosecution by virtue of being a governor, was once arrested for his role in the Abacha money laundering enterprise and spent six months in a US federal detention.”

Observers have asked how would men, who are only answering the call of political exigencies, deliver Nigeria from its economic stranglehold or help Tinubu translate his promise of renewed hope to reality having already taking decisions in the last three months that have further plunged Nigerians and the economy into abyss of hardship and suffering.

There’s also the former governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, who supervised the worst form of insecurity and poverty in his state during his four years stewardship as governor manning the defence ministry though in deputy position. Stakeholders have asked what is he bringing to the table other than membership of the ruling party.

Other former governors, who made the ministerial appointment are Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, who was until his appointment, the senator representing Ebonyi central district, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, and Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State. The former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, narrowly missed out, owing to some security reports that proved very difficult to overlook.

A majority of the general public are of the opinion that the list consists of campaign managers awaiting a possible rerun and/or consolidate a reelection come 2027.

There are the appointees representing Cross River State and Delta State, Betta Edu and Festus Keyamo, respectively, who were said to practically lobbied for the positions. What can one do when he has to beg to get a political position. Keyamo, on his part, who was a minister of state in Labour and Productivity ministry for eight years is yet to pinpoint a major achievement of his ministry. His Special Public Works Programme which proposed to engage 774,000 Nigerians, and gulped N52 billion, is still shrouded in mystery and a subject of battle between him and the National Assembly till date. Today, he has been reappointed.

The full list of the ministers and their designated positions are

Minister Of Communications, Innovation And Digital Economy: Bosun Tijani
Minister Of State, Environment And Ecological Management: Ishak Salako
Minister Of Finance And Coordinating Minister Of The Economy: Wale Edun
Minister Of Marine And Blue Economy: Bunmi Tunji-Ojo
Minister Of Power: Adebayo Adelabu
Minister Of State, Health And Social Welfare: Tunji Alausa
Minister Of Solid Minerals Development: Dele Alake
Minister Of Tourism: Lola Ade-John
Minister Of Transportation: Adegboyega Oyetola
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite
Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji
Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy
Minister of Works, David Umahi
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo
Minister of Youth, Abubakar Momoh
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu
Minister of State, Gas Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri
Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh
Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike
Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development – Abdullahi Gwarzo
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning- Atiku Bagudu
Minister of State, FCT- Mariga Mahmoud
Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation- Bello Goronyo
Minister of Agriculture- Abubakar Kyari
Minister of Education- Tahir Mamman
Minister of Police Affairs- Ibrahim Geidam
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Yusuf Tuggar
Minister of Interior- Saidu Alkali
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare- Ali Pate
Minister of State, Steel and Development- Maigari Ahmadu
Minister of Steel and Development- Shuaibu Audu
Minister of Information and National Orientation- Muhammed Idris
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice- Lateef Fagbemi
Minister of Labour and Employment- Simon Lalong
Minister of State, Police Affairs, Inman Suleiman
Minister of Special Duties- Zephaniah Jisalo
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation- Joseph Utsev
Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security- Aliyu Abdullahi
Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy- Hannatu Musawa
Minister of Defence- Muhammed Badaru
Minister of State for Defence- Bello Matawalle
Minister of State, Education- Tanko Sununu
Minister of Housing and Urban Development- Ahmed Dangiwa

While a cross section of Nigerians have criticized the list in its entirety as an assemblage of political stalwarts in readiness for a political rerun of the 2023 presidential or in readiness for reelection in 2027. Whichever way, it is obvious that this set of ministers may have little or no impact on the economy and wellbeing of the nation and its people.

“The body language is already so negative; what to expect is therefore not farfetched,” an analyst confided.

However, one thing is certain; by Monday, the administration of Tinubu will assume a sort of shape notwithstanding. Nigerians will therefore, have to wait to see if the shape will be monstrous or angelic.

Can Tinubu’s ministers deliver Nigeria? Time will tell.

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You’re Non-Existent, Fubara Tells Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly

Published

6 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Eric

Rivers State Governor, Similaya Fubara, has taken a swipe at the Martin Amaewhule-led group of lawmakers at the state House of Assembly and declared that they do not exist anymore in the eyes of the law.

“Let me say it here, those groups of men who claim that they are assembly members, they do not exist. I want it to be on the record,” Fubara declared

The governor stated this when he received on courtesy visit the Bayelsa State delegation of political and traditional leaders, led by former Governor of the State, Senator Seriake Dickson, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Fubara and 26 members of the assembly loyal to former governor, Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads after the move to impeach the governor was thwarted.

He told the delegation that he has been showing restraint since the political crisis escalated in the state.

The governor further stated that despite wielding state powers that he can deploy to achieve his aim, he has continued to act as the big brother in the face of intimidation and unwarranted attacks.

“So, I want you to see the sacrifice I have made to allow peace to be in our state. I can say here, with all amount of boldness, I have never called any policeman anywhere to go and harass anybody.

“I have never gone anywhere to ask anybody to do anything against anybody. But what happens to the people that are supporting me? They are being harassed, they are being arrested and detained.

“There is no week that somebody doesn’t come here with one letter of invitation for trump-up charges and all those things,” he said.

The governor added, “I am saying all these because of what my senior said here. I don’t think the other party has shown any restraint. I am the one who has shown restraint in the face of this crisis.

“I am the one that is badly hit, even when I have all the government instruments to shake up the table. But, why will I do it? I believe that peace is the best relationship to cultivate.”

He revealed that he had always been present at any meeting that was called to resolve the crisis in the state but after each meeting, he was met with a new dimension of the crisis from the opposing side.

He, however, vowed to continue to be peaceful, acknowledging that power is transient.

“We might have our division, but I believe that one day, we could also come together, but it has gotten to a time when I have to make a statement that they are not existing. Their existence is me allowing them to exist. If I de-recognize them, they are nowhere. I want you to see the sacrifice I have made in allowing peace to reign in our state,” he concluded.

The Punch

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Yahaya Bello vs EFCC: The Tussle Continues

Published

2 days ago

May 5, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

With the declaration of the Apppeal Court, sitting in Abuja over the weekend, ordering a stay of proceedings in the contempt charge instituted by Yahaya Bello, former Kogi governor, against Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the stage seems set for an elongation of legal fireworks between the two feuding entities.

The declaration was a follow-up of Bello, who approached the Kogi High Court, seeking an order to issue and serve the respondent (EFCC chairman) with “form 49 notice” to show cause why an order of committal should not be made on him.

The judge, after listening to the arguments of the applicant’s counsel, the submission and the exhibits attached in the written address, granted Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to be summoned to appear before the court to answer the contempt charge.

However, while it is believed that the crisis of apprehending the former governor for prosecution is an institutional matter, many on the other hand, has accused the EFCC chairman of attaching a lot of personal interest in the matter going by the way he is fighting tooth and nail to see Bello in custody.

In a chat with editors at the EFCC Headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, the anti-graft agency chairman swore to follow the prosecution of Bello to the logical conclusion.

He also vowed that all those who obstructed the arrest of the former governor would be brought to justice.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

“If I do not personally oversee the completion of the investigation regarding Yahaya Bello, I will tender my resignation as the EFCC Chairman,” Mr Olukoyede had vowed, adding that those who obstructed the arrest of the former governor would be brought to book. This was a veiled accusation against the governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who used security agents to forestall the arrest of Bello in Abuja.

Olukoyede had also accused Bello of paying his children’s school fees upfront with funds from the atatae coffers.

“A sitting governor moved $720,000 directly from the government account to the Bureau de Change and used it to pay for the school fees of his child in advance in a poor state like Kogi, and you want me close my eyes under the guise that I’m being used. Use by who? At this stage of my life? By who for crying out loud?

“I didn’t initiate the case, I inherited the case file,” he retorted.

The EFCC had sought to arrest Yahaya Bello following his absence from court, and an order by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja after his absence in court.

He was absent from court for his arraignment on a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering to the tune of ₦80bn.

The judge relied on sections 384(4) and (5) of the Administrative and Criminal Justice Act 2015, directing the counsel to the immediate past governor to receive a copy of the charge.

The court held that where it had become impossible to effect personal service of a legal process on a defendant, such could be done through substituted means.

Justice Nwite further held that it was clear that the former governor failed to appear in court for his arraignment.

Notable minds including veteran journalist, Dele Momodu; human advocate and constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome among others have said that the brazen nature with which Olukoyede is going about the matter smacks of personal vendetta, noting that now that the court of appeal has ordered a stay of execution of the contempt of court charges against Olukoyede, everyone must maintain status quotes, and allow Bello to respond to court summon, as the case is now between him and the court of Justice Nwite.

On his part, Momodu has lashed out at the EFCC for selective prosecution, wondering if Olukoyede has any personal stake in the matter, adding that generally the EFCC misfired in the Bello saga.

He said in part, during his Instagram live show:

“I don’t work for EFCC but from all the things that I have read, a lot of them, they misfired. That is the honest truth. They misfired. They didn’t do their due diligence. When you said a man took out money and paid for his children’s school fees, just as he was about to leave power, and you go and check the documents and you see that these things started happening from 2021, 2022 (laughs); I am not an illiterate.

“How do you expect me to believe everything they said when they were too much in a hurry to prosecute him that they did not take their time to check the file. Once you allow a lacuna in law, everything will fall flat.

“That is it. I am not one of those people who will say because I don’t like APC and because I supported Dino Melaye in the last election in Kogi State. Dino is my guy. But, I will not because of that be blinded by hatred for Yahaya Bello and say yes, he should go and surrender himself to EFCC when there is an existing injunction.

“And he is not the only governor who went to court and if the court has granted him that, so be it. We all know that our judiciary is not so perfect but you know, even at that, law is law, it must be obeyed. If we disobey the rule of law, then, we will have to obey the rule of the jungle. So, I never said that they are lying, it is their own statement that shows that they didn’t do their due diligence.”

TheCable, in its report, recalled that “a Kogi State high court presided over by Isa Jamil Abdullahi, had ordered Olukoyede to appear before it on May 13 to show why he should not be committed to prison for allegedly disobeying its order restraining the EFCC from arresting or taking any action against Bello.

“However, the EFCC chairman filed an appeal against the court summon.

“Olukoyede filed two motions, one seeking a stay of execution of the summon, and another one asking to serve processes on Bello via substituted means by pasting the process at his Abuja residence on No 9 Bengazi Steet Wuse Zone 4.

“In its ruling, a three-member panel of justices led by Joseph Oyewole granted the two motions.

“The appellate court fixed May 20 for the hearing of the substantive appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/413/2024.

“Bello had on February 8, 2024, instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit, asking the court to declare that “the incessant harassment, threats of arrest and detention, negative press releases, malicious prosecution” by the EFCC, “without any formal invitation, is politically motivated and interference with his right to liberty, freedom of movement, and fair hearing”.

“The former governor also sought an order “restraining the respondent by themselves, their agents, servants or privies from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain him”.

“On February 9, the Kogi high court granted an interim injunction restraining the EFCC from “continuing to harass, threaten to arrest, detain, prosecute Bello, his former appointees, and his staff or family members, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion for the enforcement of his fundamental rights”.

On March 12, the EFCC filed an appeal against the interim injunction because the court could not stop the commission from carrying out its statutory responsibility.

The Kogi high court delivered judgment on the substantive motion on notice on April 17 wherein the presiding judge granted an order restraining the EFCC “from continuing to harass, threaten to arrest or detain Bello”.

However, the judge directed the commission to file a charge against Bello before an appropriate court if it had reasons to do so.

The judgment coincided with the recent “siege” laid on the Abuja residence of Bello by EFCC operatives seeking to arrest him.

The commission had also obtained a warrant of arrest against the former governor from the federal high court in Abuja.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

At the scheduled arraignment on April 18, Bello was absent.

At the court session, Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, told Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the warrant of arrest in the first instance.

He referenced the February 9 interim injunction issued by the Kogi high court, adding that the appeal filed by the EFCC was still pending.

However, the EFCC has filed a notice to withdraw the appeal.

In the notice filed on April 22, the anti-graft agency said the withdrawal was predicated on the fact that events have overtaken the appeal.

The commission also admitted that the appeal was filed out of the time allowed by law.

With the present status, legal minds are of the opinion that matters have returned to status quo, and Justice Emeka Nwite, reserved the right to order Bello’s appearance in court, and await his appearance before any other injunction can be made.

“For now, it is not about who won or who did not. The matters of the case rest with the invitation of Bello by Justice Nwite. Bello was absent during his first summon, and the case was adjourned. So, everyone has to keep the calm and wait for the next hearing and see if he appears or not as directly by his lordship,” Ozekhome noted.

As it is therefore, May 20 will be a deciding factor for both Bello and EFCC as the tussle for who laughs last continues.

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A’IBOM GOVT PARTNERS FHA ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Published

3 days ago

May 4, 2024

Admin

.. donates 50 hectares of land for project take-off

Akwa Ibom State Government and the Federal Housing Authority ( FHA) have sealed a new partnership on the Diaspora Home Project, an affordable housing scheme of the President Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda, with flexible payment programme, for public servants resident in the State.

The partnership was reached as the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, announced a fifty hectares of land donation and any other required state government support, as counterpart facilitation for the federal government housing project during a courtesy visit by a delegation from FHA led by its MD/CEO, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, at Government House, Uyo.

In his words, “I want to assure you sir that we will work together. We have already allocated a piece of land and the Commissioner for Lands will make it available to you.

“Talking about the economic benefits such as creating employment, and all the other areas that you have talked about, we will give you all the necessary support for the benefit of our people,” he said.

Commending the all-inclusive leadership style of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Eno lauded the FHA helmsman for taking steps to collaborate and ensure synergy between the federal agency and governments of the respective states proposed for the project.

This, he said, was similar to the Akwa Ibom approach, where the government does not embark on any project without engaging the stakeholders to know the actual community needs per time, expressing hope that other federal agencies, like the NDDC, would take a cue from the disposition of the FHA.

He reiterated his commitment to supporting and collaboratively working with the President Tinubu-led federal government for the general good of the people, irrespective of their different political affiliations.

“We want to make our people happy and I think that is why God sent us here. We can show to our people that our brother is up there and is helping to bring things back home and I thank Mr. President for being a father to all.

“For us in Akwa Ibom, we will work with him because he is doing his very best. I don’t have to be in APC to support him. So I make it very clear, I am a member of the PDP, but I will support Mr. President always,” Governor Eno affirmed.

In his earlier presentation, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, said housing was a critical component of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government and thanked the Akwa Ibom State Governor for readily supporting FHA’s Diaspora City project with land donation which, he stressed, was a priority requirement for the project.

According to him, besides coming to solicit for land, the FHA under his watch will be willing to collaborate with the state government in the areas of design, the actual building and ensuring off-takers for houses, while assuring of optimal and judicious utilisation of the allocated land.