The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has voiced his support for the initiative by 60 members of the House of Representatives advocating for Nigeria’s return to a parliamentary system of government.

He expressed his stance while speaking to a delegation of lawmakers led by the House Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, and Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki, who visited him in Abuja over the weekend.

The legislators visited the monarch to seek his counsel, blessings, and support for the proposed bills aimed at restructuring elections at the local, state, and federal levels.

Addressing the legislators, he described the current presidential system as accidental, expressing regret that the parliamentary system of government practiced after independence was short-lived due to military incursions that toppled democracy.

Ooni praised the lawmakers, stating the importance of fostering healthy competition among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. He also emphasised that a parliamentary system would effectively unlock and harness the country’s vast natural and human resources for development.

His words: “It’s a mistake of the past that people are saying it’s the northern people that are holding it; they want to. It’s a lie. If the people see the data of what is in the north now, I am very sure they will be the ones who say, Let us do that thing now.

“Some people call it restructuring; some people call it true federalism; some people call it devolution of powers; all in all, it’s the same thing.

“The white elephant—we don’t want to talk about it; it has gotten to the point unless we want another problem for us in this country. We have gotten to the wall, but you have made names for yourselves.

Earlier, Hon. Chinda, expressing deep concerns about the numerous challenges facing the country, expressed optimism that the ongoing consultations were aimed at gaining the support of key stakeholders in the Nigerian project.

He said, “If we try the local government system and it works, we graduate to the stage, where members from the state assembly among themselves elect a governor. If that works, while that is happening, we are looking at the faults, the problems, and the loopholes, and we keep making consequential amendments to our law before we get to the national level.

“So, that’s why we are looking at 2031 for the presidential; then we would have tried the local government, we would have tried the state, and then before we come to the presidential. If there’s a need and Nigerians think that we need to put A, B, and C in place, we will have time to do all that.

“But your Majesty, what we have come to do, like I’ve said earlier, is to seek your consent, seek your blessings, seek your advice, and tap from your wealth of knowledge.”

Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki, on his part, expressed optimism about the ongoing consultations and argued that the transition to a parliamentary system of government would help address various concerns raised by all Nigerians.

He said, “Sir, the elections are over. The court cases, by God’s grace, are over. We all know from all parts of the country that there are complaints that things are not going as they should. Some are clamouring for decentralisation, and some are saying restructure. We, as parliamentarians, are saying the system is a parliamentary system of government. I think there’s no better time to put our words into action than now.

“So, your Majesty, we are here on behalf of the 60 of us who have started this very important journey, together with you and all leaders, in fact, all Nigerians, to start the action immediately because we believe something needs to be done to arrest the current situation we are in in Nigeria today. And I believe by the time we leave here, by God’s grace, it’s going to be action, and action to see is through the challenges that are before us.”

“The total amount of such advances outstanding shall not at any time exceed five per cent of the previous year’s actual revenue of the Federal Government” – Section 38 (2) of the CBN Act.

Every Nigerian now knows that the Buhari government obtained N30 trillion under Ways and Means, W&M, from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in eight years. Every naira represented pre-meditated economic sabotage; particularly when the transactions were undertaken without prior approval of the National Assembly, NASS, as required by another Section of the CBN Act.

Furthermore, we are now aware that there is no record of how the funds illegally collected were spent; and who were the recipients – again as required by law. Buhari and his co-conspirators were not only brazen, the former President is still not remorseful about actions bordering on treason committed under his watch. During a recent book launch, he actually said his government acted with transparency and accountability. That was despite the fact that the NASS was only aware of N23.7 trillion overdrawn from the CBN in a letter he wrote to them in January 2023. 

Records now available have revealed that the infractions started from 2017 when his government was allowed to collect N1.1 trillion in W&M, against N2.95 billion revenue for 2016. What he collected in 2017 represented 37.2 per cent of the previous year’s revenue instead of the 5 per cent allowed by law. The truth was deliberately concealed by the FG, CBN and the Ministry of Finance from NASS and from the Nigerian people.

Obviously, his statement was deliberate and colossal lie – unbecoming of a former President.

Despite his poor education, it is difficult to understand how a President, who colluded with others for seven years to cover-up gross misdeeds, can stand in front of an audience and claim transparency and accountability long after he had revealed only part of the truth.

We now know that N30 trillion was illegally carted out of the CBN under cover of darkness; we also know that Buhari has ruined the efforts of his next four successors by asking a complaisant Senate, headed by Senate President Lawan, to convert all the funds to 40-year bond, with three years moratorium.

What all that means is this: The present generation of Nigerians and the next will be forced to pay for funds, literally stolen, from the CBN, without having an idea what we are paying for and why?

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
“A judge [or President] who cannot punish willful criminals, in the end, associates themselves with the criminals” – Goethe

Tinubu, a judge now, has not spoken about what his government intends to do about these unprecedented atrocities. Irrespective of his feelings as a founding father of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the fact that he admittedly brought Buhari out of voluntary retirement, bank-rolled his successful bid for President and, therefore, shares responsibility for the disaster confronting Nigerians at the moment, he cannot shirk from punishing a serial, lawless and remorseless former President – who lacks the decency to apologise after the truth has blown up in his face. Just in case ethnic jingoists and other die-hard Buhari supporters think the indictment is too harsh, below is the evidence.

                                                  TABLE

                                               NTRILLIONS

YEAR FG REVENUE W&M COLLECTED %

2017 2.70 1.1 37.2

2018 3.87 2.1 77.8

2019 4.12 3.3 85.3

2020 4.04 4.4 107.0

2021 4.64 4.3 106.4.

2022 6.49 6.4 138.0

Clearly, we are not dealing with a President and co-conspirators, who deviated just once and inadvertently from the five per cent legal limit. What we have on our hands is Executive lawlessness beyond comparison with anything this nation has ever experienced. Buhari and Co have proved, once again, that appetite indeed grows with eating. Each year’s larceny emboldened them to commit more transgressions with impunity.

Readers who must be wondering about what happened to the former Buhari we all regarded most highly only need to remember that the acid test of honesty is money; of integrity is power. Buhari, in 2015, had both in his grasp because millions of us trusted him. There is evidence beyond reasonable doubt that we were mistaken. Just look at the table; and ask yourself if a person with a reputation to protect, and anxious to do so, could have done that to his country. He drove the Nigerian economy into a ditch from which we might not get out for 20 years.

Unless Tinubu is tired of his job, the first priority of his government is to stop chasing bush rats when buffaloes and other big games are waiting to be brought down. Certainly, N30 trillion has not vanished into thin air. A great percentage of it might still be traced in Nigeria and abroad. Without wasting too much time, Tinubu should address the nation, proclaim a state of economic emergency and round up all those involved in the heist of N30 trillion. 

Court orders should be obtained to seize all their assets – including homes until they are ready to vomit as much as possible of what they illegally took from the nation’s treasury. And, since the Buhari administration has proved, once again, that fish rots from the head, the man who was at the head of it all cannot expect to sit in comfort at Daura while Nigerians suffer. It will amount to injustice of the worst kind.

To be quite candid, Buhari treated and still treats the entire country with disdain. Otherwise, how does one explain a situation in which he belatedly sent a letter to the NASS asking that money already spent, without prior approval be converted to a long term loan – WITHOUT DETAILS!!! This is bold-faced criminality without remorse. The only plausible explanation would shock Nigerians to the marrows. It is quite possible that there are no details; no records. Designated people apparently just drove to CBN in the middle of the night, waved bogus documents, and loaded trucks with newly-minted cash.

WAS EMEFIELE BLACKMAILED OR THREATENED?

“Russia is a riddle wrapped up in a mystery inside an enigma” – Sir Winston Churchill, November 30, 1874 – January 24, 1965

Of all the culprits, Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor, will remain, like Russia, the most baffling. We met once in 2019 and that was when his re-appointment was still in doubt. Before then, he had struck me as a great achiever as CBN Governor. Working with an FG headed by an economic illiterate and Ministers of Finance, just a little bit better than the boss, Emefiele was called upon to handle all of monetary policy as well as a great deal of fiscal policy management. No previous CBN Governor ever enjoyed such powers – it was almost absolute. But, we all know what absolute power does to humans. Our meeting lasted approximately one hour. My questions focused on professionalism, how he was handling the inherent problems involved in managing both monetary and fiscal policies; and the ethical dilemma involved in that situation. His answers were convincing. But, we now know that there was no hint of W&M violations.

Now that the truth is out, Emefiele has the most difficult defence. Although, ignorance has never been an acceptable plea where grand larceny repeated committed is concerned, Buhari can still try it by pointing to his poor education.

Emefiele cannot pretend not to know the meaning of Section 38 (2) of the CBN Act. For that matter, none of the Deputy Governors from 2017 to 2023 should escape prosecution for this gross and planned violation of a basic regulation. What puzzles me is this: Was Emefiele blackmailed or threatened to go along with the greatest scam in CBN history?

To be continued…

FUND ME TO WRITE THE TRUTH ABOUT BUHARI

“I always look very hard at any one who is above suspicion” – Agatha Christie, 1890-1976
Christie was the most prolific writer on crime in the last century. I must have read at least fifteen of her books while researching for quotes for the VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS. She was being interviewed on NBC TV one day, in 1973, when the question was asked: “How can one summarise your books?” The statement above was her short and sharp answer. I quickly jotted it in my notebook; it has remained my guide ever since. 

Today, 51 years after that declaration, and with Nigerians wondering how N30 trillion was illegally withdrawn from the CBN; and the crimes covered up until last year, nobody can convince me that Buhari did not orchestrate the illegal withdrawals. To convince Nigerians, Tinubu would have to conduct a full probe into the episode – document by document.

Pastors of some Pentecostal churches, bearing false witness, after collecting “30 shekels of silver”, can never be relied upon to tell the truth. They have written their own books. In it, you will not read about N30 trillion illegally taken from the CBN.
In mine, you will discover how reckless Buhari was.

Let us write the true history of Buhari’s misrule together. Get in touch.

Says president doesn't care about North 

Alleges 2024 budget padded by N3trn

The Senator representing Bauchi Central in the Senate, Abdul Ningi, has said that things were getting worse under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the lawmaker, President Tinubu seemed not to understand the country and the issues affecting its components, especially the North.

Ningi, who is the chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), stated this in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Saturday.

According to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator, the federal government hasn’t performed to expectations, adding that things were getting worse compared to when President Tinubu took over the leadership of the country in May, 2023.

“People are going through a lot of difficulties. We live in villages. We are going there to interact with them and they are lamenting seriously. They have nowhere to go, so they have no one to express their grievances to than us.

“I think Bola Ahmed Tinubu doesn’t even understand this country and he doesn’t understand the difficulties of ruling a country like Nigeria. Probably, he has his thinking of what governance is, but I don’t blame him so much because when he was campaigning for the seat, there was no agreement or promise between him and the people. People were just blinded and voted for him because he supported former President Muhammadu Buhari when he was contesting. Some even voted for him because he is a Muslim, as such, he needed their votes on whether he can or cannot do the right thing for the country.

“But the most painful thing is that Northerners stood for him and did all they could to bring him to power, but unfortunately, there was no agreement between them and the president on what should be done to the North and the Northerners. Especially taking into consideration the importance and significant projects that the North has been yearning and aspiring to get for a long time. For example, the Ajaokuta project, the Mambilla power project, the dredging of River Niger and other notable projects,” Ningi said.

He said what mostly disturbed their sleep were the national budgets of 2013 and 2014 in which they earmarked billions of Naira for critical projects but they were neglected by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, saying when President Buhari took over in 2015, they thought it was one of the projects he would pay attention to, but unfortunately, it wasn’t possible for over eight years.

“Even road construction like Kano-Abuja is not yet completed, as if it was cursed by someone, despite the road being the soul of our travellers in the North,” Ningi added.

Speaking further, Ningi said they don’t attack the government as the opposition party is supposed to do because religious and ethnic biases have been brought into politics, citing example that lawmakers from the North-West and North-East were stopped from opposition leaders in the Senate.

“If you look at it from this scenario, the majority of those in opposition are from the North-East and the North-West, but we were not allowed to be the leaders of the opposition in the Senate.

“This is one of the reasons why we said we would go back and look at what is happening under the umbrella of the Northern Senators Forum, which is under my leadership,” he noted.

On the transfer of some government agencies to Lagos, Ningi said:“As I speak, our people, especially the leaders are yet to take any action to find the solution. That is why I am not even surprised.

“These things that are happening are of two categories. Some affect the North only, and some affect the entire country. What we are doing now as leaders of the Forum of Northerners, we are trying to address the problem or reduce its strength without allowing politics to come in.”

On the 2024 budget, Ningi said for the past three months, they have engaged consultants to review the budget for them as members of the Northern Senators Forum.

“We have some experts that are working on it line by line. We have seen the huge damage that was done not only to the North but the entire country in that budget. We are supposed to sit with the Senate President to inform him about what we have observed.

“We want to show him what we have seen in the budget that is not acceptable, we will not accept them and we don’t want the country to continue spending money on those things. Apart from what the National Assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done underground, which we didn’t know.

“The new things we have discovered in the budget were not known to us. We haven’t seen them in the budget that was debated and considered on the floor of the National Assembly,” Ningi said, adding that there was a budget of N28 trillion but that what was officially passed by the National Assembly was N25 trillion.

“So there is N3 trillion on top. Where are they, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things. We are coming up with a report and we will show the president himself and ask him if he is aware or not.

“This is what we intended to do. We are to meet the president. We will talk to him about the Mambilla power project, Ajaokuta and the River Niger dredging. We will talk to him about the Niger Republic. Recently, they said they will construct a dam, this is not good for us,” Ningi said, adding that the action taken by ECOWAS has affected the relationship between Nigeria and Niger.

“There was an agreement that they would not construct a dam so that the Kainji Dam would be intact and we would give them electricity in return.

“Over one billion US dollars was spent on Mambila, BBC has reported. Where is that money? Who collected the money? We need to know and see what can be done. This Mambila is like the future of the North. Every part of the country has its holds as a symbol that will save them in the future.

“One of our weaknesses in the north is that we don’t love ourselves and our region so much that we don’t care about the future. We are just living anyhow. We just love the region in our mouths not at heart and I am seriously worried about that,” Ningi said, adding that the security challenges in the North are worrying.

“There is nowhere in the South where someone will be abducted and spend seven days in custody of the abductors. Look at Katsina, Zamfara, and Benue. I am even afraid that one day we’ll wake up and see that states like Zamfara have been taken away from the country. It is possible to go by what is happening,” Ningi added.

Three weeks ago, maybe even four, I got a message from my mobile phone company asking me to re-register my line and link it to the national identification number, aka NIN, else I would be barred. I murmured to myself: “Here we go again!” How many times will I link my line to NIN? I scampered down memory lane and disgust overpowered me. It seems some people in government wake up every day asking themselves: what more can we do today to destabilise and demoralise Nigerians? It appears they are never at peace until they inflict disruption and discomfort on millions of Nigerians through obnoxious policies and directives. That is their understanding of imagination and innovation.

In this article, I will give seven instances on this biometric enrolment epidemic. First, in 2010, we were directed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to register our SIM cards. I went to a centre close to my estate to give my mother’s maiden name to some random individual eating noodles under an umbrella by the roadside. It felt so uncomfortable. Months later, I was informed by my telco that I was yet to register and that my line would be barred. I was perplexed. I called a friend at the NCC and he said my telco was bluffing. As it turned out, the data captured by the roadside noodle eaters could not be integrated into the telcos’ systems because of compatibility issues.

The entire NCC registration exercise was null. We wasted millions of dollars on the contracts and never heard anything about it again — but is it not Nigeria? We simply moved to the next level — my second instance — when the NCC issued another directive that all SIM cards must be registered by 2015. This time around, I went to the airconditioned office of my service provider and felt more comfortable telling them my mother’s maiden name. It worked this time as nobody threatened to cut off my line again. But when my sister, at the point of death in a Kano hospital in September 2015, desperately said “I want to talk to my brother”, her line had been barred, albeit it was registered.

She died without being able to talk to me. Till today, I still live with the trauma of wondering what she wanted to tell me. It pains me I would never know — not because she disobeyed the directive to register her line but because of our sloppy system. We had hardly calmed down with SIM registration when we were asked to get a bank verification number (BVN). We were threatened again that our accounts would be blocked if we did not obey the order. We queued in the sun and under the rain to get the BVN. We gave our mothers’ maiden names again, in addition to the very invasive capturing of our biometrics — something done only to criminal suspects and foreigners in advanced societies.

Most of us survived the BVN badgering but those who didn’t had to suffer the severe inconvenience for months. We were still catching our breath when we were ordered to register for NIN — my fourth example — otherwise we would not be able to get a passport or write university entrance exams. We queued up again, come rain or shine, to do the “needful”. Registration centres became like police checkpoints where extortion is the means of value exchange, if you know what I mean. There were people who spent days and weeks trying to register. But the registration was not enough — there was another one called “verification” which also provided a sweet opening for more extortion.

The fifth instance was the instruction to link NIN to our phone lines in 2021 — when COVID-19 was still killing people. Otherwise, our lines would be barred. Old, young, elderly and sick people had no other option than to flood the registration centres again. Ordinarily, if you already have a NIN, there should be a very easy way to add your number since all your details have already been captured by both the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which manages NIN, and the telcos. It should be as simple as going to a portal to do the linking. Interestingly, or luckily, NIMC eventually came up with an app to make life easier, and I can remember registering all my lines via the app.

Not so fast: the sixth instance was coming. That was when I got a message from my telco to link my NIN to my line by February 29, 2024 or I would face the consequences. I was baffled. What happened to the “linking” of 2021? Has it expired? Thinking I was smart, I quickly opened my NIMC app. Alas, I could no longer access my linked numbers. It kept telling me “unauthorised access”. I went to another menu and finally saw my linked numbers — but my main line had disappeared. I clicked the “add number” button and was told a one-time password (OTP) had been sent to me. I am still waiting for the great OTP — after trying my luck a million times since February. I now do it for fun.

Now, wait for the seventh instance. I got a mail from my bank that I should add my NIN to my account, otherwise what happened in 1979 would repeat itself (if you don’t know the Okey Bakassi joke, accept my sympathy). This is the mystery: my account has a BVN, and it was from this BVN that my NIN was generated (well, that was what the NIMC lady that registered me for NIN said). If my NIN was indeed generated from my BVN, why do I have to link my NIN again? Comically, all the banks that said we could link our NIN via their internet banking platforms were only “using us to play”. There is no such menu or portal or function or button on their sites. After checking for three banks, I gave up.

The good news is that I decided to spend a whole day going from bank to bank to link my NIN so that nobody would stop me from accessing my bank account for no fault of mine. The bank officer who attended to me at my first port of call said my line was linked to many accounts, so I should change my phone number, otherwise he would not be able to link my NIN. I wanted to treat it as a joke but he was not laughing. I stood my ground. He buckled. I thereafter went to my telco to re-link my NIN. I was No. 225 on the queue. I’m not joking. I met many sad and tired Nigerians who had spent hours on the queue. I felt nothing but pity for them. This is what Nigeria does to its citizens all the time.

When I was done re-linking my NIN to my mobile line, I headed for the second bank to obey the latest CBN directive. The security guy at the main gate approached me to find out what I was looking for. I said I wanted to do the needful. He said it was past 4pm and the bank had closed. That was when I realised I had lost my sense of time. Hungry and frustrated, I drove straight home wondering why Nigeria routinely does this kind of thing to its citizens. It is an annual punishment. The philosophy of our policymakers seems to be: why make life easier when it can be complicated? I can bet that there is more in the offing. Soon, we may be asked to link our BVNs to our driving licences.

Even though I sound as if I am angry or bitter or sad, the truth is that it is the poor and lowly people I really feel for. I am an employer. I can somehow afford to burn one day going from one bank to the other to link NIN and all that, but millions of Nigerians do not enjoy that luxury. Their lives depend on daily earnings. They are not asking government for contracts. They are not asking government to pay them welfare support. All they want to do is work with their own hands to feed themselves. But that is not good enough for the policymakers. There must be a new directive to disrupt their lives and send them on unsettling errands that can be done on a smart phone. Millions of lines were cut off.

By the way, I have nothing against BVN or NIN — or linking the national ID to our phone lines. I need to be clear about that. I am cool with whatever measures the government wants to take to tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, money laundering and other crimes. The authorities owe us the duty of making our country safe and secure — and we, the citizens, have the duty of supporting and co-operating with them. But must they make life this miserable for us in the process? Robert Nesta Marley, the reggae legend, captured it in these lines: ‘They made their world so hard/Every day we got to keep on fighting.’ If you drink ordinary water in Nigeria, you will need to use a toothpick.

The wickedness of our policymakers does not have any limit. They woke up one day in 2022 and decreed that they were going to re-colour naira to “fight corruption”. After sadistically making sure there wasn’t enough cash in circulation, they confiscated the old notes from us until the Supreme Court came to the rescue. They ensured electronic channels did not work well so that bank transfers would be tough. People died in the process. According to authoritative rumours, the policy was to stop Asiwaju Bola Tinubu from winning the presidential poll. The lives and livelihoods of millions of Nigerians were ruined. The Nigerian economy was mutilated. And Tinubu still became president.

The way government has handled SIM registration, BVN and NIN shows the poverty of thinking, the abject lack of rigour, in policymaking in our dearly beloved country. Someone comes up with a proposal and says “Oga, better dey for you o” and it becomes a policy with discomfiting deadlines. The idea will not be tested, the decisionmakers will not think through it and the financial or human costs are never considered. All they want to do is make money, even if the economy will be ruined in the process. Why must anybody go physically to a bank or a telco to link their NIN when all the details have already been captured on a system that we spent millions of dollars to build? Why?

I would like to be a fly on the wall when some of these heartless policies are being discussed. I would like to know if there is any sane human being in the room who highlights the impact of these directives and orders on Nigerians. I have this funny feeling that most people in power are facing the same direction. Maybe those who have contrary opinions often decide to shut up so that they would not lose their positions or get branded as renegades. I do not know. I am just guessing. But I wish that policymakers would stop treating Nigerians like goats. Life does not have to be this hard over things that can be simplified with the help of common sense. As if things are not hard enough.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

KURIGA KIDNAPPINGS

The spate of abductions in northern Nigeria in the past few days is very frightening. Nearly 300 school children were abducted from Kuriga, Kaduna state, on Thursday — a sad reminder of the Chibok kidnappings of 2014. Someone asked if this and other incidents are not co-ordinated or if the economic hardship is instigating an upsurge in criminal activities. As expected, some politicians are seizing the opportunity to play politics, as we saw with the Chibok abductions. Whatever the case may be, President Tinubu must realise that securing the country is his primary responsibility and no excuse is acceptable. We want to see action and results, not rhetoric or blame-trading. Urgent.

ANOTHER ORONSAYE

Another week, another agency. Since President Tinubu “ordered” the implementation of the Oronsaye Report to cut the size of federal bodies, the National Assembly has kickstarted the process of establishing more. It was Peace Corps in week one. In week two, it was the National Tax Crimes and Oversight Commission — the function well performed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). This is a clear indication of the quality of thinking in certain circles and a disturbing confirmation of a lack of purpose. At this rate, we may need to set up another Oronsaye Committee to rationalise the new agencies and commissions being created after Tinubu’s directive. Dissonance.

POWER PLAY

Chief Bayo Adelabu, minister of power, spat fire on Wednesday over the dire power situation in the country. He “summoned” the chief executives of distribution companies (DisCos) and threatened to revoke their licences. He said despite all efforts to improve generation, “Certain distribution companies are failing to adequately distribute the power supplied by TCN (the transmission company).” I am a bit baffled. Is it possible to hold back power that is already on the grid? Where will the DisCos keep it? I understand that Adelabu is under pressure because of public criticism, but he needs to be calming down to be able to understand the sector before issuing threats. Complicated.

NO COMMENT

Have you heard the latest? A forensic analyst told an FCT high court on Thursday that the documents used to request the payment of $6.2 million for unnamed foreign election observers were forged. Mr Bamaiyi Meriga, the forensic analyst, confirmed earlier claims by Boss Mustapha, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), that President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter and signature were forged. Fellow Nigerians, I always claim that “I have seen it all” but there is definitely still more to unfold about how rotten our Nigeria is. You mean $6.2 million could be so easily taken out of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) without due diligence such as checks and confirmations? Wonderful.

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio have taken jibes at each other over a remark on the power struggle. 

Fubara was speaking on Saturday during the funeral of Herbert Wigwe, the late group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc, and questioned the intentions behind political struggles and rivalries which he said “sometimes lead to deaths”.

“This one has to do with our political class. What is all this struggle all about? You want to kill, you want to bury. What is it all about?” the Rivers governor asked.

Fubara has been having a running battle with Nyesome Wike, his predecessor, over the control of political structures in Rivers state.

However, when making remarks at the event, Akpabio recalled his experience in 2006 when he aspired to become the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom state.

The senate president recounted a conversation he had with the then-incumbent deputy governor, who he said discouraged him from vying for the position because the office has no “financial benefits.”

“I will answer you. We are not talking politics. In 2006, I wanted to become the deputy governor and the then deputy governor invited me and this office has no money, there is nothing in it. I don’t know why you still insist on removing me from here and take over,” Akpabio recalled.

“So, a woman who went with me said Your Excellency, don’t wait for impeachment, just resign since there is nothing in it

“He stood up and started punching the woman. I said Your Excellency, don’t punch the woman, she is telling the truth, there is nothing in it. That’s why I want it because you are too big for it.

“Your Excellency, Governor Fubara, if there is nothing in the struggle, don’t struggle.”

The late Wigwe was buried alongside his wife Chizoba, and Chizi, his son, in his home town, Ikwerre LGA of Rivers state.

All six passengers on board died.

[TheCable]

Anthony Joshua was well rewarded for his second-round knockout win over Cameroonian boxer Francis Ngannou in the main event of the “Knockout Chaos” card in Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Saturday morning (Nigerian time).

Joshua won his fourth straight fight with the KO victory over Ngannou in Riyadh.

After securing consecutive victories in 2023 with wins over Jermaine Franklin in April and Robert Helenius with a seventh-round knockout in August, Joshua cruised to a fifth-round technical knockout win over Otto Wallin in December, who had been expected to be a formidable opponent, especially with his southpaw stance.

Joshua has now secured knockout wins over two fighters who took Tyson Fury the distance in Wallin and Ngannou.

The British-Nigerian was already on hand to get $40m (N63.7bn) for the fight but due to his win by a KO, Joshua received an extra $10m (N15.9bn) making a total of $50m (N79bn) while Ngannou pocketed $20m (N31.8bn).

Popular musician, Drake who is accustomed to placing large wagers on high-profile sports games and losing most of those bets was on the losing side again after Joshua defeated former UFC champion Ngannou as the Grammy winner lost a $615,000 (N950m).

If the wager had been successful, the Canadian-born rapper would have won just less than $2m (N3.1bn).

Drake has been known as a curse to athletes as whenever he bets on them, most end up on the losing side. Therefore, athletes prefer he doesn’t bet on them and celebrate loudly when they are able to win despite him betting on them like Israel Adesanya did when he beat Pereira in 2023.

WBC heavyweight champion Fury has hailed Joshua following his victory over Ngannou with Joshua also expressing readiness to face the Brit after the undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury, who watched the game, said he has a ‘bigger fish to fry’ against Usky and stated that he is available to face Joshua after his rematch in October.

“Me and Usyk have got an undisputed world heavyweight championship coming up. He (Joshua) just had a show fight in Saudi Arabia, which is fantastic for the show, but for the actual real boxing, it is me and Usyk who fight for the number one and number two positions for the undisputed championship of the world,” Fury said.

“So that (the fight with AJ) is on the back burner for now. Great performance from AJ, fantastic, but unfortunately I have got bigger fish to fry in Usyk on May 18, and then we have a rematch in October. So, after that, if he is still available and I’m still available, let’s get it on.”

Fury is scheduled to face Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 in a historic, undisputed showdown, with the winner potentially facing Joshua in the future.

In the post-match conference, Joshua expressed readiness to face the winner of Fury vs Usyk for a chance back at the world heavyweight titles.

“I just want to fight… and that next fight I want is the winner of Fury vs Usyk,” he said.

There is a presently trending article by Ope Banwo, titled "Edun and Cardoso: Ikoyi-bred economists trying to operate a Fadeyi economy".

I suspect the article is trending more for its heading than its body, in other words, on account of the equivalent of a catchy soundbite rather than on the basis of actual substance.

While, Banwo's article is high on criticism regarding how Wale Edun, Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, and, Michael Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank, are running the Nigerian economy, it is unfortunately rather anaemic when it comes to offering alternatives to what he carpets as Edun and Cardoso's "Ikoyi" approach.

Nevertheless, given that he laments what he claims is the incongruity of "Ikoyi-bred economists" managing a "Fadeyi economy", one can safely conclude that he thereby submits that there is such a thing as "Fadeyi economics".

Indeed, since he purposes to discern a difference between "Ikoyi economics" and its Fadeyi counterpart, I will take the liberty of his own terms to demonstrate how wrongly he has formulated the problem he purports to lament.

Perhaps a "Fadeyi Approach" to managing an economy could be similar to the unorthodox approaches the Buhari/Idiagbon Junta deployed in managing our national economy back in the mid eighties.

That "Fadeyi Approach" ended up in complete disaster for the Nigerian economy.

Or again, maybe it could be likened to quite populist but miserably foolhardy policies, such as taking over white-owned farms which Robert Mugabe implemented in Zimbabwe that led to the tanking of that country's economy.

I really wouldn't know what Banwo truly had in mind because he didn't even end up adequately sharing it in his article but perhaps a typical Lagosian might come up with a "Bole Kaja Approach" to managing a "Fadeyi economy" as a fitting synonym for Banwo's prescription.

What I'm pretty sure of is that "Bole Kaja" rules will leave the passengers stuck in that bygone mode of transport and they will only be able to step up to a clean energy-powered high speed train, for instance, by adopting and playing by "clean energy-powered high speed train rules".

Another thing I am cast iron positive about is that unorthodoxy is the very worst strategy for economic management or economic rescue and, in fact, has never worked anywhere in the world!

Ironically, the only approach that actually works is what Banwo derides as the "Ikoyi Approach"!

Funny enough, a very big problem with Banwo's offering is that he appears to have gotten his metaphors mixed up, an indication that he failed to properly identify the problem he purported to be prescribing a solution to.

It is not because anyone has been applying "Ikoyi models" to a "Fadeyi economy" that we are were we are today.

On the contrary, it is the opposite that is true; successive administrations in this country have been tolerating, even aiding and abetting, if not actively perpetrating, "Fadeyi behaviour" in what can ONLY exist as an "Ikoyi economy", and, THRIVE upon an "Ikoyi Approach" to its management.

Any economy, anywhere in the world, can only thrive if all players and stakeholders in that economy play by the rules.

Regardless of how intellectually sound or academically intact the economic policies deployed in the management of absolutely any economy, they will not work or yield the desired results unless people play by transparent, ascertanable, verifiable rules that are known to and are binding on absolutely everyone.

We cannot have people lavishing on preferential treatment; gorging on waivers, helping themselves to insane chunks of our national wealth; round-tripping precious foreign exchange; creating monopolies in an economy of 200 million plus people; muscling their competition out of contention; sabotaging the national economy through price fixing, smuggling and hoarding while creating cartels on consumer goods; or, and perhaps worst of all, arbitrarily increasing prices without commensurately raising employees' remunerations in consonance with what ought to constitute the labour component of their cost of production.

In other words, what Cardoso and Edun must realize is that their "Ikoyi methodology" will simply not work unless they bring those who play by the "Fadeyi rules" to heel and compel them to play by the "Ikoyi rules", which are the only rules by which any economy works for everyone, be they Fadeyi or Ikoyi folk.

Banwo sought to give the impression that Edun and Cardoso are at sea regarding their management of the Nigerian economy.

I believe his true intent was to drape the President Bola Tinubu administration in the gab of incompetence.

Unfortunately for him, the facts are inconsistent with his perception.

Despite the challenges our citizens are passing through, the omens are actually good and quite promising, for that matter.

The administration is not yet a year in office but its policies and programs are already yielding favourable results that constitute a solid basis of hope for the economic revitalization of our country.

It will take time for these reforms to take root, grow strong and bear fruit.

There is not very much we can do to hasten the period between the planting of the reforms and the harvesting of the fruits they will bear, but there is a lot we can do to stubbornly cultivate and sustainably nurture them to fruition.

Contrary to the despondent narratives of the likes of Banwo, President Tinubu is on the right course and has placed our country on the right track to success.

Ours may indeed be a "Fadeyi economy" but managing it in accordance with a "Fadeyi paradigm" will only continue to strand it at Fadeyi if not demote to Makoko.

In order to upgrade it to an "Ikoyi economy", the only economy that works fairly for everyone, the "Ikoyi Approach" must be forced down everyone's throat, indeed, whether they like it or not.

Onokpasa, a lawyer, is Chairman, Tinubu Media Support Group, TMSG, and writes from Abuja.

Upon receiving the sorrowful news of the passing of my esteemed Lord, the Honourable Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua, my heart is overcome with profound sadness, and my thoughts are flooded with memories of a truly noble, exquisite, and exceptional jurist.

Those fortunate enough to have graced her presence knew that Justice Orji-Abadua possessed a keen intellect, accompanied by a remarkable wit and sense of humor. Her courtroom was a stage where justice unfurled, guided by her unwavering belief in the strict adherence to the law and its principles. It was a privilege and a joy for me to always stand before her, for she commanded respect and nurtured an atmosphere of equity and impartiality.

I vividly recall my last appearance before her at the Ekiti judicial division of the Court of Appeal. It was a criminal case, wherein I fought for the life of a young man, Bamiteko Adeolu, whose existence hung in the balance when he was sentenced to death by hanging by the Ekiti State High Court of Justice. The magnitude of the matter seemed insurmountable, and during the preliminary stage of the appeal, due to some minor technicalities which my Lord, Honourable Justice Orji-Abadua as the Presiding Judge emphasized, I nearly succumbed to frustration and contemplated abandoning the case. However, Justice Orji-Abadua, unwavering in her pursuit of justice, insisted that the right course of action be taken. With her wisdom and discernment, she upheld the appeal, sparing the young man from a death sentence. To this day, Adeolu Bamiteko lives, a testament to her unwavering dedication to justice.

Justice Orji-Abadua's legacy extends far beyond the confines of the courtroom. She leaves behind a profound impact on the legal profession, inspiring generations of aspiring jurists to walk in her footsteps. Her devotion to the law, her unwavering pursuit of justice, and her resolute commitment to upholding the rights of the oppressed serve as a guiding light for us all. She was also a paragon of fashion, never settling for anything less than the epitome of a jurist.

Today, I offer my heartfelt homage and bid farewell to this noble soul, as I implore my esteemed lords and colleagues to carry forth her torch of justice. May her legacy serve as a constant reminder of the power of integrity, compassion, and resilience in the face of adversity. May her memory inspire us to strive for a world where justice prevails, and may her noble spirit find eternal peace.

Rest in peace, The Honourable Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua. You shall forever be remembered as a true champion of the law, a beacon of justice, and an embodiment of grace.

Farewell, my noble Lord.

Dr Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN, FCIArb. UK
The Honourable Attorney General & Commissioner of Justice, Ondo State.

Trouble is brewing in the Senate after the Northern Senators Forum yesterday accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his associates of padding the 2024 budget to the tune of N3 trillion.

The forum said it would take the matter to President Bola Tinubu.

But the Senate leadership dismissed the allegation as false. The chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Abdul Ningi (PDP – Bauchi Central) said on BBC Hausa Service that the alleged padding was discovered by consultants commissioned by the forum to scrutinise the budget. He also said the Forum would soon confront Akpabio with its findings.

“In the last three months, we have engaged consultants to review the budget for us. We have some experts that are working on it line by line,” Ningi said.

“We have seen the huge damage that was done not only to the north but the entire country in that budget. We are supposed to sit with the Senate President to inform him about what we have observed. We want to show him what we have seen in the budget that is not acceptable. We will not accept them and we don’t want the country to continue spending money on those things.

“Apart from what the National Assembly did on the floor, there was another budget that was done underground which we didn’t know.

“The new things we have discovered in the budget were not known to us. We haven’t seen them in the budget that was debated and considered on the floor of the National Assembly.”

He said: “For example, it was said that there was a budget of N28 trillion but what was passed was N25 trillion.

“So there is N3 trillion on top. Where is it, where is it going? So, we need to know this. There are a lot of things.

“We are coming up with a report and we will show the President himself and ask him if he is aware or not.”

He wondered why some projects earmarked for the north, like the Ajaokuta project, the Mambila power project, the dredging of River Niger and others have not materialised after many years.

He said: “What mostly disturbs my sleep is that we had budgets in 2013 and 2014 in which we earmarked billions of naira, but they were neglected by President Goodluck Jonathan.