Story highlights 

• The deregulation of meter pricing has led to a significant increase in meter costs, with some three-phase meters now selling almost at N250,000.
• This has raised concerns not only about availability but also affordability, especially for consumers still subjected to estimated billing.
• While energy experts agree that this move may help address the metering gap in the country, they caution that it does little to tackle the broader challenges posed by high inflation and the rising cost of living.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) move to deregulate Meter Asset Providers (MAP) was hailed as the much-needed solution to the country’s persistent metering gap crisis.

However, this silver bullet has come with a price, and not just figuratively. The soaring cost of prepaid meters has added a new layer of burden for the average Nigerian household, making the dream of escaping the trap of estimated billing feel like an increasingly distant hope.

For millions of Nigerians, the sharp rise in metering costs from about N80,000 to over N200,000 in just one year has become as burdensome as the problem it was meant to solve: eliminating estimated billing.

Four months ago, NERC introduced a promising policy to deregulate both meter prices and providers, embracing a willing-buyer, willing-seller system aimed at opening up the market. This move was intended to empower customers, allowing them to obtain meters from any approved vendor without relying on the DisCos.

While this policy appeared commendable on paper, it has brought new challenges.

The most pressing of these is the increase in meter prices, exacerbated by the prevailing economic conditions and rising inflation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of customers on estimated billing has surged from 5.83 million in Q4 2023 to 6.43 million in Q1 2024, marking a significant 10% rise.

These figures represent millions of households striving to escape the cycle of overbilling and other abuses by their distribution companies, only to find that the path to obtaining a prepaid meter has become even more difficult.

Latest Meter Prices  

Following the announcement by NERC, DisCos and their meter providers partners have declared new meter prices, pointing to the deregulation policy and ailing economic conditions.

None of the new prices is below N100,000, a very sharp increase from the former price announced by NERC in September 2023.

According to the new prices by DisCos, the cost of a single phase meter rose from N81,975 to about N125,000, depending on the DisCo and the vendor the customer is purchasing from.

Different DisCos announced different prices from N120,00 for a single-phase meter to about N240,00 for a three-phase meter, a sharp increase that has made struggling Nigerians question their choices in obtaining meter and estimated billing.

The average prices announced by distribution companies across the country are as follows.

Abuja DisCo:  

Single Phase Meter — Between N105,000 to  N131,000

Three Phase Meter — N198,000 to N220,000

Kaduna DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N120,000 to N132,000

Three Phase Meter — Between N206,000 to N215,000

Ikeja DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N120,000 to N125,000

Three Phase Meter — N213,000 to N225,000

Eko DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N117,000 to N135,000

Three Phase Meter — Between 145,000 to N247,000

This increase in price is true for all the eleven DisCos across the country.

How Nigerians are responding to the new meter prices 

For Nigerians already grappling with soaring inflation, skyrocketing living costs, and the recent hike in electricity tariffs for Band A customers, the sharp increase in meter prices feels like an added weight to their already overwhelming burdens.

Beyond the persistent challenge of availability, there’s a pressing concern about the purchasing power of consumers—many of whom are struggling to make ends meet in today’s harsh economic climate.

A lingering question is the stability of these meter prices, especially with the deregulation of the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

Ifeoma Ugbe, a Lagos-based energy expert, said NERC typically announces price hikes at regular intervals, sometimes within a year. But with deregulation, the situation becomes even more uncertain.

“Deregulation means prices will fluctuate based on market realities, so we can’t expect them to stay the same for long,” she said. 

For customers who spoke to Nairametrics, the recent price increase has been met with frustration and concern.

Mr. Adetunji, a resident of Isolo, Lagos, expressed his disappointment, explaining that his household had been attempting to secure a prepaid meter for over a year before the price hike. “Now, we have to pay the new price. We don’t have a choice. And it’s not even as if the meter is readily available,” he lamented.

Usman Johnson, a landlord in Wuse, Abuja, shared a similar sentiment, noting that the increased cost of meters would only discourage customers like himself from obtaining one.

“Where do they expect us to find the money? First, you have to wait endlessly to get the meter, and now we’re expected to pay more. It feels like this government just enjoys raising prices on everything—tariffs have gone up, everything has gone up. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the common man,” Johnson said. 

In Maryland, along Ikorodu Road, Mrs. Elizabeth Okiro, a store owner, shared her experience. She and other shop owners had been pooling funds to purchase five meters from their distribution company, only to discover that prices had increased significantly.

“Imagine spending over N1 million just to buy meters in this tough economy. We decided we’ll have to wait because after paying, you still have to cover installation costs. The economy is simply harsh. Our landlord eventually advised us to stop contributing—the cost is just too high,” Okiro explained.  

Her store is one of about 20 in the plaza, meaning most tenants are forced to remain on estimated billing.

Deregulation of MAP won’t ease the burden of the Masses  

Energy expert Ifeoma Ugbe argues that deregulating the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme alone may fall short of solving the challenges in the power sector.

“While the government aims to bring in more liquidity and investment, it is crucial that this is done with the interest of the masses in mind,” she says.  

Ugbe emphasized that for any reform to truly benefit the public, it must strike a balance between attracting investors and ensuring affordability for everyday consumers.

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has set an ambitious target: to eliminate estimated billing by the end of the year.

But this goal appears increasingly out of reach. Recent data from Q1 2024 indicates that estimated billing rose by 10%, affecting over six million households.

The federal government plans to address this with the move to purchase 3.5 million meters this year to bridge the metering gap.

However, with around seven million customers still unmetered, significant challenges remain.

This has raised concerns that the government may resort to tariff hikes and a stronger emphasis on cost-reflective pricing.

Lawyer and energy expert Nonso Ikechukwu warns that such a strategy could place a further strain on consumers. “For most Nigerians, higher tariffs are simply unaffordable,” Ikechukwu states. 

He also highlights that rising inflation and currency instability will likely push meter prices even higher, potentially undermining the government’s plans.

“If meter prices continue to climb, it’s hard to see how this policy will succeed,” Ikechukwu adds, questioning whether the measures will actually ease the burden on ordinary citizens.

 [Nairametrics]

There was no approval by the National Assembly before the procurement of the new presidential jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Daily Trust’s findings have revealed.

Late in June, an online news platform reported that the Nigerian government had acquired an Airbus A330 aircraft from a German bank.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, the German bank had seized the aircraft from an unnamed Arabian prince and businessman, who reportedly failed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars he owed the bank.

Officials of the Presidency, according to the online news platform, had “kept their lips shut” about the planned purchase of a new aircraft for the Presidential Air Fleet.

And since then, there has not been any official statement from the Presidency on the matter.

The actual cost of the aircraft is yet to be ascertained. A report earlier by Premium Times had said it was learnt that government was negotiating to acquire it for $100 million.l, but said it could not establish th actual price it was procured.

Speaking on the matter during a plenary session of the upper legislative chamber, however, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the request for purchase of the craft had not been tabled before the parliament, but that once done, members would consider and approve it.

“We care about the president and we care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people”, Akpabio had said then, in respect of the bid to acquire the presidential aircraft.

Akpabio, who alleged that the National Assembly was being “blackmailed” over the matter, said: “But I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the vice president of Malawi as a result of a defective plane, and then the death of the president of Iran as a result of defective aircraft; we shouldn’t ever sit and allow such to be at the ocean. It wouldn’t be.

“The Senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country.

“Irrespective of anticipatory blackmail, because those people know very well that something like that might come in the future; and if it’s a necessity, the Senate will look into it.

“But there is nothing like that before us now”, he said pointedly.

Nothing was heard about the matter until the recent controversy broke about the seizure of three Nigerian aircraft by a Chinese firm, acting on an order of a French court.

The French court had ordered the seizure of the three jets amid a long-standing dispute between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and the Ogun State government, over a massive industrial park that was to be developed to attract investors.

The planes were said to be undergoing  “routine maintenance” at the time of the seizure.

Meanwhile, the Chinese firm said on Friday that it had released, “as a gesture of goodwill”, the Airbus A330 for President Tinubu to travel for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

It was not immediately clear whether it was the same aircraft President Tinubu would use for his trip to France today.

A presidential spokesperson yesterday confirmed to Daily Trust that the new aircraft was purchased for the president.

“That is settled. Something that is now released (referring to the seized aircraft Airbus A330). If it was not purchased, how could it be withheld by the Chinese company? There’s no controversy around it. Almost everything has been concluded and it was out in the media”, the aide who declined to be named said.

On whether an approval was obtained from the National Assembly before the procurement of the presidential jet, the spokesperson said, “There was a story that the National Assembly directed that the aircraft should be procured for the President. There are a number of windows to the National Assembly.”

The government official also hinted that the aircraft could have been purchased under the Service Wide Vote, which he said, may not require the parliament’s assent.

Our National Assembly correspondents found that though the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence led by Satomi Ahmed had, earlier in June, recommended a new aircraft be procured for the president, the lawmakers did not approve it before they proceeded on their annual recess on July 23.

No approval request from the president for the procurement of a new presidential was considered on the floors of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives had, on July 23, passed the supplementary bill which sought to raise the 2024 Appropriation Act from N28.7 trillion to N35.06 trillion.

The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, who presented the harmonised joint Senate and House report on the budget, had said, “As you can see, we have passed the N6.2 trillion budget of Mr President, the budget of Renewed Nope.

“N3.2 trillion is for capital expenditure; while about N3 trillion will go to the current. And as I said last time, the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is a critical road infrastructure that Mr President wants to actualise.”

We’re not aware of approval for new presidential jet – Lawmakers 

Some lawmakers, who spoke to our reporters on condition of anonymity yesterday, said the National Assembly neither considered nor approved any request for the procurement of a presidential jet before proceeding on recess.

A credible source in the Senate said: “At no time was deal discussed at the plenary meeting. It was not tabled. But then, there is the probability that the president had sent the letter.”

Another source also said he was not aware of any approval by the Senate for the purchase of a new presidential jet.

“The last time we heard something about the new aircraft was when the Senate president, Akpabio, said no communication about it yet from the Villa, but that the National Assembly would not hesitate to approve it.

“I read it in the media that the aircraft had been purchased, and as I speak with you, no one has denied that the deal was sealed,” he said.

A member of the House of Representatives also told Daily Trust yesterday that no correspondence from the president was presented to them about the purchase of a new aircraft for the president.

He said: “We’ve not seen anything in the main budget or the supplementary budget about the purchase of a new presidential aircraft. Another thing is that, there is no detail of the supplementary budget passed. So, we don’t know whether it is in the 2024 supplementary budget because we have not been availed with the detailed breakdown. It was presented as a lump sum.

“We don’t know about the purchase of the aircraft because it was not presented to us and we have not seen any details about it. So, we cannot say anything. So, I won’t have any comments until I see the details”.

It can’t be true – NSA’s spokesman

When contacted on telephone last night, the spokesman of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Zakari Mijinyawa, told one of our reporters that it could not be true that the new presidential plane was purchased without an approval of the National Assembly.

“It cannot be true. This is the time I am hearing this whether in government or outside government,” he said.

Later in a telephone call to Daily Trust, Mijinyawa said he was informed by someone “within the system” that the purchase by captured in the Service Wide Vote.

Presidency, Defence ministry, Senate, Reps mum

The Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Bashir Lado, did not respond to WhatsApp and text messages seeking his comment. His phone line was busy several times one of our reporters called yesterday.

The chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu and Honourable Akin Rotimi respectively were contacted yesterday by Daily Trust via phone calls and text messages to confirm whether or not the purchase of the new presidential jet was authorized by the legislature, but they did not oblige.

In the same vein, the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and Honourable Abubakar Bichi respectively, neither answered phone calls nor replied to messages sent to their mobile lines telephone mobile line for enquiries.

Several calls and a text message to Mati Ali, the media aide to the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, were also not answered.

[DailyTrust]

There were long queues of vehicles yesterday at the few filling stations selling petrol in the commercial city of Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

It is the same situation in many state capitals, cities and towns across the country.

Major roads in Lagos were empty because motorists did not have petrol to move around.

Black market boomed with the scarcity of the product.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) attributed the scarcity of the product to a distribution glitch.

It cautioned against panic buying.

“The NNPC Ltd regrets the tightness in fuel supply witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT, which is as a result of distribution challenges,” Olufemi Soneye, spokesman of the NNPCL said yesterday.

He urged motorists to shun panic buying as it works round the clock with relevant stakeholders to restore normalcy.

He added that the challenge was temporary.

The product sold yesterday for between N840 and N1,000 in many places nationwide.

Lagos:

Fuel queues resurfaced in Lagos as many filling stations ran out of stock, leading to closures and long queues at the stations.

Along Ikorodu Road, many filling stations were not selling.

However, there were long queues at the NNPCL and NIPCO stations at Fadeyi Bus Stop, which sold to commuters.

Along Bank Anthony/Airport Road in Maryland, Total, Northwest, and NNPCL stations were beset by long queues while the Mobil Station at Salami Shaibu in Somolu closed abruptly due to chaotic scenes caused by commercial vehicles.

Illegal fuel hawkers were spotted along Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Gbagada, and Ogba, taking advantage of the situation.

Also, fares paid by commuters along Iyana-Ipaja/ Ikotun rose from N300 to N400. Commuters along Ajao Estate/ Obalende paid N1,000 instead of  N800.

A bus driver, Jimoh Saka, who ply the Onipaanu/Ilaje/ Bariga route, spoke on the struggle to obtain fuel, justifying the fare hike from N200 to N300 for trips from Bariga to Onipaanu.

He said: “The increase in transport costs is not our fault. We sleep at petrol stations just to buy fuel and continue our business. Things are hard, and people should understand it is not our fault.”

Another driver, Gbenga Saliu, expressed frustration over the stress of waiting in long queues, saying: “It’s seriously stressful.”

At the three NNPCL outlets in the Ojodu-Berger axis, only one had a 45,000-litre truck waiting to discharge its content while anxious motorists formed queues at its entrance causing traffic snarls.

The RainOil petrol station sold to motorists, amid the chaotic queue.

From Berger through Alapere to Iyana Oworonshoki, to Anthony on Ikorodu Road, none of the filling stations opened for business. TotalEnergies, ConOil, AP, and Heyden on Ilupeju Bypass, were all closed.

Abuja

Petrol remained scarce in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) yesterday.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) President, Dr. Billy Harry attributed the shortage to a “supply challenge.”

Apart from some NNPCL retail outlets, only a few independent filling stations sold the product.

While NNPCL sold for N617 per litre, some independent marketers sold for between N625 per litre to N996 per litre.

Black marketers sold 10 litres at N1,000 per litre for N11,000 in plastic containers.

Some drivers sacrificed their Sunday worship for petrol sourcing, leaving their homes as early as 6:00am to queue in different stations.

Plateau

Many filling stations in Jos, Plateau State capital, did not open.

Commercial drivers expressed worry over the scarcity, and hiked the price at the few stations dispensing the product

Motorists said they bought the product for N950 per litre at independent oil marketers’ stations and N620 at NNPCL stations in the metropolis.

A commercial driver, Pam John, said he would rather join the queue at the NNPCL station instead of paying over N900 for a litre.

Another motorist, Kateng David, said he parked his car because he could not afford to buy a litre of petrol for over N900.

Along Bauchi Road, a station sold the product for N900; while at A.A. Rano Station, petrol was dispensed at N730.

An independent oil marketer in Jos, who pleaded anonymity, attributed the supply shortage to marketers’  reluctance to bring the product from Lagos because of the possibility of the price crashing when Dangote Refinery begins supplying to the market.

According to him, marketers buy petrol for N900 per litre in Jos and sell for N950 after considering transportation costs.

Black marketers are in brisk business as a gallon of the product is sold for N5,000, while a litre is sold for N1,250.

Akure

Fuel scarcity hit, Akure, the Ondo State capital, with the price rising to between N800 and N900 per litre.

Some major marketers sold for between N600 and 680 per litre. 

Sources said the non-availability of fuel was due to low sales of fuel to independent marketers.

Osun

Due to scarcity in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, a few independent marketers sold for N900 per litre.

Many stations were shut while others sold for between N850 to N900.

There were queues at the NNPC stations in Lameko and Abere areas.

Similarly, there were long queues at NIPCO stations in Ogo-Oluwa, Technical and Lameco areas.

Also, Ilesa, Ile-Ife and Ikirun experienced fuel scarcity.

Owerri

As the pump price rose to N950 per litre in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, transport fares rose by 100 per cent.

“This is a nightmare for us drivers,” said Emeka Uzoma, a commercial driver. “Our income hasn’t increased, but fuel prices have doubled. We’re struggling to survive.”

Commuters are also feeling the pinch. “I’m a student, and my transport fare has doubled,” lamented Nneoma Okorie, who added: “This sudden increase will affect my ability to attend classes. The government needs to act fast to address this crisis.”

Transporters appealed to the Federal Government to intervene, while residents fear potential protests and disruptions.

A resident who simply gave his name as Jonathan urged the authorities to address the crisis and regulate prices to ensure affordable transportation.

Rivers

Filling stations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State sold a litre for between N890 to N900.

Many of the filling stations were not open, a situation that created some queues in others.

At the popular Ada George Road, only one filling station was open.

Residents complained about the rising cost of fuel and appealed to the government to reduce the price.

A resident, who identified himself as Adulphus, said many filling stations in his area did not open for business.

Katsina

Fuel price jumped to N1,050 in Katsina, leading to increased transport fare

At Dan Manna filling station, a motorcyclist, Abdulkadir Mohammed, said the situation was worse as most passengers now preferred trekking.

He said: “The government must do something about the fuel situation; the people are suffering.’’

Akwa Ibom

Consumers groaned in Akwa Ibom State following the hike in the price to N970 per litre.

The NNPC filling station along Ikot Ekpene Road sold the product at N840 per litre.

Some filling stations have remained closed.

A fuel pump attendant in one of the stations in Uyo, the state capital,  said the proprietor of the station cannot afford to restock the product.

He complained about low patronage as one of the reasons why some filling stations were out of business.

Ekiti

Motorists and commuters in Ekiti State lamented the increase in the pump price, which has been fluctuating at stations across the state.

Most independent petrol stations visited in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, sold petrol for between N850 to N900/litre while major marketers sold for between N650 and 680 per litre.

The situation has forced motorists to jerk up the transportation fare.

A motorist simply identified as Yaro, who plies the Ado Ekiti/ Ilesha route, lamented the situation, saying he purchased fuel at the rate of N850 in a private petrol station in Ado-Ekiti.

Jigawa

Filing stations sold petrol for N950 per litre in Dutse, the state capital, and many towns in the state.

Enugu

In Enugu and its environs, petrol was sold for between N880 and N920 per litre and N1,300 on the black market.

But the product was available in most petrol stations in the Enugu metropolis.

Mobil, Total, among other mega stations sold for between N690 and N760 per litre.

The hike in the pump price of PMS has led to an increase in transport fare by commercial drivers, as those plying Agbani Road / Holy Ghost Roads, who charged N200, increased the fare to N400.

From Obiagu to Ogui Road, passengers who previously paid N100  paid N200 yesterday.

Ogun

Scarcity hit Abeokuta, the state capital, where petrol was sold for between N850 and N900.

Major marketers like MRS near the Grammar School in Oke Igbein area of Abeokuta did not open.

But AP in the Adatan area of Abeokuta sold for N635 while Fatgbems located near the NNPC Mega station area sold for N645.

However, a long queue was observed at the NNPC mega station beside Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library(OOPL), Abeokuta because it was dispensing the product to consumers at N580 per litre.

In Ijebu Ode, BOVAS filling station sold a litre for N665 while others sold for between N850 and N900 per litre.

Anambra

The price of fuel hit N950  in Anambra State at most filling stations.

Black marketers sold a litre for between N1000 and N1,200

The situation led to a hike in transport fares.

One of the commuters who spoke with The Nation Sunday, Stella Achikwu, said a journey from Awka to Achina in Aguata where she used to spend N1,500 now costs between N6,700 and N7,100.

Asaba

Scarcity of petroleum products resurfaced in Asaba and its environs, forcing a spike in pump prices and long queues at many filling stations.

With many filling stations under lock and key, pump price increased to between N815 snxN900 per litre.

Although the NNPC mega station along the Benin- Onitsha Expressway sold at N591 per litre to motorists, there were long queues.

Oyo

In many petrol stations in Ibadan, the Oyo State, capital city and its environs, there was no fuel.

The majority of the stations were under lock and key as the attendants claimed they did not have the product.

The few independent marketers sold at different prices which ranged from N680 to N920 per litre.

The NNPC stations that sold at N580 per litre had long queues.

Edo

Most filling stations in Benin and its environs sold at N880 per litre without any queue.

However, the independent marketers sold at N900 per litre in Benin and its environs.

The product was available at most filling stations, but motorists complained about the high price.

Cross River State

The NNPCL price was N591 naira per litre, while North West Petroleum, an independent private marketer, sold for N650 per litre.

Other marketers sold between N650, N700 and N750. Some sold for N800 and N900.

On the black market, it was sold for between N1,200 to N1,500.

A female Taxi driver and Chairman of the Female Taxi Drivers Association in Cross River, Ms Philomena Ifeoma Asibe, said the solution is to bring back subsidy to stabilise fuel prices.

She said: “Some days, we buy fuel, go out and we cannot make any profit or even get the capital back. The solution is that they should bring back our fuel subsidy. The only way to stabilise fuel price is to return fuel subsidy.”

A taxi driver, Mr Ettah Godson, said: “Fuel is now N900 in my area. I bought fuel for N8000 and the whole day I made N6,000. The government needs to do something.

“The fuel is there, but it is too expensive. We can’t buy much and the passengers won’t accept to pay according to the fuel price.”

Jalingo

Some petrol stations sold the product while others were closed. Fuel was sold for N930 per litre.

Minna

Minna, the capital of Niger State, was not hit by fuel scarcity, although a litre sold for between N780 and N950 at various filling stations.

At Rano and Shafa filling stations,  fuel was sold for N820; at Rainoil, it was sold for N780. Other non-independent marketers sold for between N900 and N950.

Also, NNPC sold a litre for N617, amid long queues.

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi, the product sold for between N830 and N850. However, it sold for N900 on the black market.

However, the NNPC filling station along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway sold fuel for N600. There were long queues.

Also, the Total filling station on the old Ogoja Road sold at a cheaper rate.

Sokoto

Most filling stations in the Sokoto metropolis did not sell.

At the independent marketers’ filling stations, commuters paid N1,000 for a litre,

The NNPCL mega station along Kano-Gusau Road sold at N620 per litre amid long queues.

Residents resorted to trekking to their destinations.

Delta

Major marketers sold for N900 per litre at filling stations in Warri, Effurun and its environs.

Some fuel stations reportedly sold petrol for N1,170 in the Uvwie council area.

Despite the high cost, the product was not readily available at fuel stations.

A commercial vehicle operator who claimed to have bought a litre at N1,170 said he had to do so after failing to get fuel at two other stations visited.

Also, a resident of Warri who bought the product at N920 per litre, said most fuel stations in the Warri/Effurun metropolis were selling above N900 per litre.

Abia

Some petrol stations in Abia State sold a litre for between N930 and N960.

Some of the petrol station owners attributed the hike to the cost of purchase and transportation to their dump.

In Aba, Total Energy and the only NNPCL outlet were without products.

Some tricycle operators said the NNPCL outlet on Asa Road, near Cemetery Market, sold for ₦596 per litre.

[TheNation]

The Nigeria Labour Congress has hired forensic experts to comb its national secretariat in Abuja for possible bugs planted by the police, The PUNCH was told.

The union said the forensic security audit would facilitate the return of its workers to their offices following the recent raid by the police.

The PUNCH reported that security agents, on July 7, conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.

According to the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, the operatives burst into the building at about 8.30 pm and arrested the security guards, forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor.

Upah said, “The security operatives, some from the Nigeria Police Force, some wearing black tee-shirts, presumably from the Department of State Services, and others on outright mufti, swooped on the 10th Floor of the NLC and arrested the security operative on duty and then commandeered him to the second floor where he was asked to produce the keys to the offices.”

The police took responsibility for the operation, saying it was aimed at uncovering incriminating documents that could help build a case against an international “subversive” figure considered a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Last week, the NLC rejected the explanation offered by the police on the raid and demanded the release of its arrested members and seizes documents.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the National Assistant General Secretary of NLC, Chris Onyeka, said the union had hired foreign experts to comb the office for possible bugs planted by the police.

“The police stormed and raided NLC’s headquarters in the nation’s capital and carted away documents.

“The NLC,  in its National Executive Council meeting, deliberated and agreed that there is a need to conduct a forensic security audit to ensure that the people were safe, and nothing was planted in its headquarters, among other things before they resume back to their offices.

“As a result of this, the NLC has initiated a thorough forensic security audit of the national secretariat. The security checks are being conducted by international experts, who have already begun working to secure the premises against any potential surveillance devices,” Onyeka said.

He insisted that the explanation offered by the police was untenable.

“The NLC met in their National Executive Council meeting and demanded an apology from the Federal Government and the police which has not been offered till now,” he said.

[Punch]

Following the outbreak of violence over what worshippers of a church in Abuja called legalisation of practices alien to christian culture, police from the FCT Command reportedly fired tear gas to disperse Church members on Sunday.

Sources said trouble started at the United Methodist Church, Durumi, when members engaged in a fight over the decision of the parent church, said to be based in America, to impose certain practices which the Abuja Church goers were not confortable with.

“The parent church in the US legalised some practices that are not part of our culture.

“Some elders kicked against it and demanded that the church in Nigeria should pull out, and give the church another name.

“Another set of elders kicked against the move. This created a faction in the church and this fight is the outcome,” a source said.

Some elders of the church are vehemently against imposition, legalising of such practices and calling for a breakup from the parent church.

However, the presiding pastor was said to have kicked against the breskup with the backing of some other elders. Hence a fight ensued, leading to th3 police being invited to quell the violence.

During the service, the pastor had reportedly said he and some elders would head to the court to stop those calling for a break up of the church. He also vowed to ensure the church remains with the parent headquarters.

This led to heated arguments and the church service ending abruptly with fighting between members, and the police were called in.

Police step in

Eyewitnesses disclosed that on arrival at the scene, police operatives made efforts to stop the fight. But when things got out of hand, tear gas had to be fired to disperse the fueding members.

The police later whisked away some elders of the church with a view to conducting investigation

FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Josephin Adeh, confirmed the incident.

She noted that the Command CP, Benneth Igweh invited all the elders of the church to
the Command over the incident.

Vanguard News

“The future will come and it will be different.” — Peter Drucker, 1909 -2005.

There will always be tomorrow. I learnt that fact from one of the most popular musicians in the 1960s.

Too young to understand its significance, I just enjoyed the music. Trainee programme, conducted by Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in 1970, for young employees, was the first exposure I had to forecasting future trends — especially economic and political.

The two were regarded as the Siamese twins determining mankind’s fate all the time. At the end of the one week course, each participant was required to make three predictions on any variable – for three months, six months and one year. On due dates, the course organiser would open our sealed forecasts; check them against actual occurrence and send out a circular to announce the results. Suddenly, attempting to unravel what might happen in the future was no longer a useless past time. My career depended on it. Since returning to Nigeria in 1974, I have been astonished by how little attention  Nigerian leaders in the public and private sectors pay to the matter.

“PMI report indicates slowdown in economic activities for 13 months -CBN.” — VANGUARD, August 15, 2024.

I sent a message to the VANGUARD Editor as soon as the vendor brought my morning papers telling him that the CBN deliberately omitted to disclose the obvious economic conclusion from that report. The Nigerian economy is in a recession; which is getting worse. For all of us, that is very bad news. The most important questions at this point are: how long will the recession last? How will it affect businesses? What will be required to reverse the trend?

In all my years working in the private sector of the Nigerian economy, I have experienced a few firms which operate without annual budgets at all. Even those which did hardly took into account economic trends and forecasts. There is very little doubt, in my mind, that the PMI report would have been glossed over by millions of Nigerian businessmen and women – as if it does not concern them. Yet, the survival of hundreds of thousands of businesses — large, medium, small and micro — depends on how quickly the downward trend can be halted and a recovery gets underway.

As usual, I have three true stories to tell regarding how vital having economic advice, as opposed to financial counseling, can be in a volatile economy. The three experiences taught me that having even a small peek into the future is infinitely better than sailing into a raging storm blind-folded as most Nigeria businessmen do now.

Slade Gorton, Frozen Fish Dealer, Boston, 1968-70

I finished undergraduate studies in June 1968; had got admission for MBA in Boston and took a full-time sales job. But, I was eager to partake in the American dream. I also took on two part-time jobs in order to raise the money to qualify for a mortgage for a house of my own. Architect (Col ) Tomi Asenuga, rtd, and Ayo Olagundoye, former Managing Director of defunct National Bank are my witnesses that by 1970, I had a house in Cambridge, half-way between Harvard University and MIT. Slade Gorton Fish made it happen. A sign posted in front of the building in Boston Harbour area asked for salesmen – full or part time. I applied. But, Mr. Gorton, later Senator, had other ideas for a graduate in Economics on his way to Business School for MBA. He attached me to his Economic Consultants providing advice on future trading. Because the company was buying and selling frozen seafood in 50 countries, he needed somebody to focus on exchange rate movements and how they would impact fish trade. The frozen seafood trade was highly competitive; but, I learnt very quickly how our forecasts gave the company a competitive advantage. I earned the money for my mortgage from selling fish and shrimps that had not even been caught!!!

North Brewery Ltd, Kano, and SAP — 1987

Lightening strikes more than once; if someone learns the proper lessons from history. When President Babangida opened the national debate on whether or not Nigeria should accept the loan offered by the International Monetary Fund, IMF, subject to also accepting the conditions attached, I was Corporate Planning Manager for North Brewery. It was my responsibility to guide the company’s diversification programme aimed at turning the brewery into a conglomerate based on NORBRU FARMS LIMITED which had acquired 10,000 hectares in Karu Local Government, near, Keffi. The success of the entire plan rested on the outcome of the national debate; but, particularly, the foreign exchange policy adopted by government. Once government adopted market determined exchange rate – in any form – we would have to start all over again with our financial estimates.

One thing however was clear to me. Whatever the outcome of the heated debates might be, devaluation was inevitable. So, I wrote an internal memo, restricted to the Managing Director, the General Manager and the AGM (Finance), advising the company, which was sitting on a large pool of cash, to engage in future trading — buy a lot of stuff before the announcement by the FG. I used cars as an example of what might happen to prices. Volkswagen Beetle and Peugeot 504 SR were selling for N6,000 and N15,000 respectively. My forecast was N25,000 for the Beetle and N48,000 for the Peugeot. I also warned that the company might not be able to buy new cars for a long time to come.

 The reply was prompt. The General Manager, scribbled in red ink across his own copy: “Dele, you must have been drinking too much Double Crown today. How can anybody sell VW for N25,000”? He copied it to other top and senior managers – who enjoyed the joke at my expense. I was undaunted. I applied for a staff loan, to which I was entitled, for N15,000 to buy the Peugeot from Danjuma Tsokwas Peugeot Dealer in Yola. The MD, a close friend, had the vehicle delivered to me in Kano, registered, GG4978YL, and fully insured. He went further. He sent an unlicenced Peugeot 505 SR just in case I wanted a bigger car – ten days before Babangida spoke about the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP.

A week after IBB’s address, Volkswagen of Nigeria and Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria, PAN, posted new prices  — Beetle N26,000, Peugeot 504 SR N48,500. There was total silence when I entered the Senior Staff Bar and ordered two bottles of Double Crown and then announced: “Only those who drink too much Double Crown can think straight”. One by one, people sneaked into my office to ask the same question: “Dele how did you do it”? That was followed by “Congratulations, your new car (which I parked under cover on the premises) is now worth N48,500. How much will you accept for the 505? – which was delivered for N17,500. I would later sell the 504, after covering nearly one million kilometres, all over Nigeria and West Africa for N95,000.

More recently

In mid-2020, admitted for prostate cancer surgery, during COVID-19, I had all the time in the world to work on my forecasting models. Thinking I might die, everybody coming to visit me was advised to go and buy dollars and keep them.

A few did; most did not. The exchange rate was N350/US$ then; it is N1600/US$ now. Save your business. Find out what the exchange might be. End of story.

Follow me on Facebook @ J Israel Biola.

AS a young man, I quite often heard the Latin phrase: “Vox populi, vox dei”, meaning: “The voice of the people is the voice of God”. Democracy, whatever the brand, is supposed to uphold this.

But the Nigerian people might be too busy to speak; too hungry to talk. Under such circumstances, they need to remain silent. But who better to speak for the people than the National Assembly? That is why parliamentarians are assembled: to speak for their otherwise preoccupied constituents.

In any case, if a country of 220 million people were to allow the people speak, there will be a cacophony. The Tower of Babel would be a child’s play. So, for order and democracy, good governance and maintenance of discipline, if the people must speak, it should be through the mouths of their elected or selected parliamentarians in the National Assembly. After all, the people drink champagne through the throat of their leaders.

This must be the reason, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, introduced his profoundly thoughtful Counter Subversion Bill and other related draft legislation on July 23, 2024.

Trust Nigerians not to listen to simple instructions such as speaking only through parliamentarians. So, the Speaker’s bill, understandably, had to in effect, suspend sections of the Constitution such as the right to assembly, free speech and movement.

Equally, given the fact that governance is such a tasking job that requires the full concentration of the leaders, the Taju bill seeks to stop politicians in power from being distracted or even insulted. So the bill provides that Nigerians should be jailed up to two years or pay a fine of N4 million for any action considered to demean or embarrass a public official.

Does this sound familiar? Maybe not to the Gen Zee generation. But to mine, it was a law we lived with under the military. It was called Decree 4 of 1984 under which if a story, even if true in all material particular, embarrassed a public official, the culprit went to jail for one year. It was a decree promulgated by General Muhammadu Buhari, as he then was. So, for that law and, the Taju bill, the truth is not an amour.

I have to state now that the Speaker is not well advised on the bill and that the law he wishes to push through is in aid of fascism. If I were to say so after the bill becomes law, I may write my columns in the next two years from jail as this comment might be deemed to embarrass the man who is Number Four in the country’s political hierarchy.

The Speaker also seeks a three-year jail term or a N5 million fine for “disrespecting” constituted authorities. This obviously will be quite good to shut the wide mouths of those whose stock in trade is to be disrespectful to our revered leaders or, even make disrespectful skits. They need to be taught that governance is not a joke.

The Speaker is not selfish, so the category of those to be protected under this section are not just our leaders at local government, state and federal levels, but also the leadership of “a community, religion, lawful group”. This means that wherever you are, be careful not to insult leaders at any level, otherwise you may be headed for the jail house.

Nigerians, since colonial times, have been known for protests. Even after independence, the protests continued, especially by students, youths and human rights groups. We have witnessed protests against continued colonial rule, the Anglo-Nigeria Defence Pact, increases in school fees, the IMF Structural Adjustment Programme, fuel price hikes, military misrule, police brutality and, this month, against hunger. All these, under the bill, would become criminal activities.

Clause 3 of the Tajudeen bill, reads: “A person who engages in illegal road traffic functions, illegal roadblocks, imposition of illegal curfews, conducting illegal processions, checkpoints, and other similar acts, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N2,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of five years or both.”

Pro-democracy activists like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are lucky this type of law did not exist during the fight against military dictatorship and for the actualisation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Otherwise they would have cooled their heels behind bars.

Many Nigerians are fond of using symbols that promote other countries rather than Nigeria. For instance, they wear T-shirts like: ‘I Love New York’. Some hoteliers hoist the flags of various countries and protesters even carry the flags of other countries. All these unpatriotic acts which tend to show loyalty to other countries or promote them, would under this bill, earn 10 years imprisonment or a fine of N5 million.

Some Nigerians always complain about marginalisation. Some even advocate leaving the federation. With this bill, any such agitation has to be done in jail. It states that any statement or action for separatist agitation, attracts a fine of N10,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 25 years or both.

The bill also specifies a fine of N5m, a 10-year prison sentence, or both for anyone found guilty of destroying national symbols, refusing to recite the national anthem and pledge.

Splits occur amongst Nigerians and their groups. Under this bill, anyone who forcefully takes over any place of worship, town hall, school, premises, public or private place, arena, or a similar place, for whatever reason, can be fined N5m, or imprisoned for 10 years or both.

Many civil society organisations are known to receive foreign donations. The bill seeks to criminalise this. It states that a “person who receives financial or political support from a foreign organisation, group or country that is not compatible with the interest, development, security and progress of Nigeria, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N15m or imprisonment for a term of 20 years or both.”

If you are a non-conformist with a propensity to disregard, disobey, or disrespect constituted authority, rules, regulations, order or contravene the law wilfully, under this bill, you are on conviction to spend three years imprisonment at the first instance, and seven years for a subsequent offence or to a fine of N5m or both.

I am not sure if Speaker Abbas read the bill he presented or reflected on it. Otherwise, he would not have included many of the clauses, some of which, quite honestly, are not just absurd but are incomprehensible in a sane society.

He has now announced the withdrawal of the bill. But whether this is a true realisation of the satanic nature of his bill, or a tactical withdrawal is left to be seen. Meanwhile, We Move!

Once again, former President Olusegun Obasanjo (Obj), has visibly shown his disgust for the disposition of the nation’s legislators especially those at the federal level. The week before, Obasanjo told a team of six legislators who visited him in Abeokuta, Ogun State that many individuals currently holding public office lack the necessary character to lead the nation adding that some of them in the national assembly ought to be behind bars or even face the gallows. Exactly 10 years ago, the former president had alleged thatthe national assembly was ‘a den of corruption occupied by a group of unarmed robbers.’ 

With the level of information that a former president can garner, it is probably time for the nation to begin to interrogate the rationale for the damaging comments Obasanjo keeps making about our lawmakers.Unfortunately, responsesto the criticism from both the national assembly and some Nigerians who appear to have an axe to grind with Obj, cannot help the legislators. It would be so for as long as our lawmakers think they are smarter than the average citizen concerning their alleged bogus remuneration. In the case of the current Senate, all that Yemi Adaramodu its spokesperson did was to repeat denials of the allegations as his predecessors did many times in the past. 

Of course, to describe Obj’s criticism as satanic takes nothing away from its veracity. As for one traditional ruler who sought to blackmail the author’s message as hypocritical, there is need to make the point that most citizens are convinced that the allegations are true.As bad as people such as an Oyo Monarch, Oba Francis Alao may have felt about Obj’s criticism of our legislators, it was not the former president that equated the greed of our law makers to one quarter of the nation’s budget. Instead, it was Sanusi Lamido Sanusi former governor of the CBN, now the 16th Emir of Kanothat worked out the calculation. The then CBN governor spoke as far back as 2010 while delivering the convocation lecture of the Igbinedion University Okada. 

When summoned by the Senate to apologise for supposedly accusing the legislature falsely,Sanusi insisted that he got his figures from the budget adding that he had a duty to draw attention to developments that could derail Nigeria’s economy. Big pity, not many followed up with the criticism when it was first made over a decade ago.On two other occasions, a few strong voicesattacked the national assembly on same ground of its ‘jumbo’ pay. One of them was renowned legal guru, Professor Itse Sagay who raised the alarm that the remuneration package of the average federal legislator in Nigeria surpassed that of the American President. 

Sagay revealed a detailed package of our lawmakers’ numerous allowances on such headings as Hardship, Constituency, Furniture, Newspapers, Wardrobe, Recess, Accommodation, Utilities, Domestic staff, Entertainment, Vehicle maintenance, Leave, and Severance gratuity etc.The controversy was still fresh when President Goodluck Jonathan’s government invited Richard Dowden, Director of the Royal African Society in the UK to deliver the year’s Independence Day celebration lecture. Jonathan, his vice, one past president, cabinet ministers, legislators, ambassadors and the media heard Dowden say that Nigerian lawmakers were the highest paid in the world notwithstanding that their country had no less than 100 million people living in poverty.

At the end of the lecture, it became obvious that criticisms against the jumbo pay of our legislators was not only local, the international community was also fully aware of it. Indeed, last Thursday, Beroro Efekoro, a Nigerian-born US legislator representing Albany County in the 7th district of New York described the salaries and allowances of Nigerian legislators as outrageous. It is therefore important forNigerians to quickly change their approach of supporting the practice of sweeping dirty reports under the carpet. Rather than chastising the messenger, it is more in the interest of governance and society to assess the message and ascertain its probative value. 

The greater pain to me is that Oba Francis Alao said he agreed with Obasanjo on the subject but was unhappy with the former president for pretending to be a saint. He wanted Obasanjo whom he felt was similarly corrupt to volunteer to be probed. But how could such a viewpoint exonerate the legislators from among those hurting our economy? After all, Obasanjo did not exclude himself or other Nigerians from guilt; he probably chose to focus on the institution of his immediate target group – the visiting legislators. Otherwise, it would have been annoying if the former president had failed to indict traditional rulers some of whom had been dethroned in some states for sponsoring banditry.

Anyone who is convinced that the indictment of our federal legislators is unjust is free to defend them by presenting verifiable evidence to persuade the rest of us to share his standpoint. If not, it is unfair that some Nigerians especially the privileged elders always dissuade critics from calling out top office holders in the country. Painfully, such so called elders are influenced by material benefits to support the approach of business as usual to governance.For the rest of us it is extremely difficult to accept the continuing deceit of the people by our legislators. There are at least three important Nigerians, themselves legislators who have at one time or the other made it hard for us to be convinced to the contrary.

To start with, two of thelegislators have come out openly to confirm that the public perception of a jumbo pay to the average legislator is correct. One of them is the reputable activist and former Senator Shehu Sani who represented Kaduna Central during the 8th Assembly. Sani confirmed that he received a remuneration of N13million which was reportedly credited to his account every month. Even after Sani had shown such remorse because he was ‘pricked by his conscience as an activist to do so, his colleagues are still busy disseminating falsehood. Surprisingly, only last week, asecond legislator, Kawu Ismaila (kano south) who had to meet a moral duty of letting taxpayers and Nigerians in general know the correct take-home pay of senators established that Sani’s figure has since moved to N21million during the current 10th Senate.

The question as to why only a few members have had the courage to disclose their actual remuneration needs not be asked because it is an open secret that any member who discloses any unpalatable information about the national assembly stood a chance of facing huge punishment. In 2016, the House of Representatives unanimously suspended Abdulmumuni Jibrin, a law maker from Kano state for as long as 180 legislative days for telling the nation about budget padding in the House. Jubril according to the verdict of the House was also banned from holding any position of responsibility for the span of that House.Considering that Jibrin was the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation and thus best positioned to discover budget padding, he was silenced after a kangaroo trial.

Does anyone expect Nigerians to disbelieve the two senators who have come out to disclose their own take-home pay? That is not likely to happen because even reactions by other senators have neither been uniform nor credible. For example, in 2017, Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs had presented what looked solid as a defence by rebutting the rumour of a jumbo pay and asking any interested Nigerian to verify from the relevant authority, the Revenue and Mobilization Fiscal Allocation Commission RMAFC. Almost immediately, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting ICIR which visited the website of the RMAFC reportedly found the relevant section on ‘remuneration package’ to be empty.

It is noteworthy that RMAFC has since become more of a partisan group than a societal institution concerned about sustainable development. Before now, the posture of the commission was to distance itself from the controversy of the self-made legislators’ jumbo allowances. At a point, it announced a few thousands of naira as allowances but later said nothing when the allowances became a scandal. However,the recent denial of Shehu Sani’s figureby RMAFC’s current chairman has put the commission at the centre of the controversy. Now that a serving senator has validated Sani’s revelation, has the RMAFC not become an integral part of what ‘Igodomigodo’ would call odoriferous saga?

…when a leader stubbornly keeps the cubs of lions as pets. When the cubs grow, it will become a danger to both the owner and the villager…

Let me quickly state that this admonition will step on toes, it will step on even legs, arms, and possibly shoulders; and this is because while I am not crediting myself with all the knowledge and expertise on the subject matter and issues around it, most of what I am about to share with us are largely true, in public space and thus do it hurts, I am not sure if it will bother our leaders.

This also is not the first nor fourth time I have engaged on this clarion call to leaders of the Northern part of Nigeria, I am equally certain, that in recent times I am also not the only one that is expressly concerned, and again with the recent showing of our people during the #endhunger and #endbadgovernance protests there is cause for alarm.

The region is on fire, and the flames are being fanned by its own leaders, who seem more concerned with their personal interests than the welfare of the people.

The Arewa Peoples Congress, once a respected voice of the North, has become a retirement home for lame leaders, while the Northern Governors Forum is more interested in globe-trotting than addressing the pressing issues facing the region. The North is being left behind, while the rest of the country is making progress albeit slowly. Schools are springing up in the South, but in the North, billions are being spent on building mosques, getting people married off, or engaging in emir-ship tussles, as if that is the solution to the region’s problems.

The North is a complex system of different ethnic groups, including Hausas, Fulanis, Tarokh, Tivs, Idomas, Nupes, and many others. However, instead of celebrating this diversity, the region is plagued by infighting, with Fulanis, Tivs, and Beroms at war with each other. Elders, both religious, and traditional have failed to provide leadership and guidance, and the region’s people are suffering as a result.

The almajiri system, which was once a noble tradition, has degenerated into institutional begging, with children roaming the streets instead of being in school. The region’s farmers are suffering, and farmlands are being ravaged, while the deserts are being deserted. Women and girls are being raped and killed, and the response is often a shrug of the shoulders and a resigned “In Shaa Allah.”

The North is facing an identity crisis, with different groups struggling to define themselves. Who are the Hausas, who are the Fulanis, and what about the Hausa/Fulanis? What is the place of Islam in the North, and how do Christians fit into the equation? These questions are not being addressed, and instead, the region is being torn apart by divisions and conflicts.

The North’s poor leadership plague, continues with successive governments failing to address the region’s pressing needs. The Talakawa agenda, which was once a rallying cry for the masses, has been abandoned, and the oligarchy has failed to provide a vision for the region’s development. The people have no direction, and the leaders are more concerned with their own power struggles than with finding solutions to the region’s problems.

The Middle Belt, which was once a bridge between the North and the South, is now an emotional wreck. If the North were to decide to exit from Nigeria, it is unclear whether the other regions would fight to keep it. Would it be 19 states, or would some states opt out? The people of Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, and others are already tired of being lumped together as “the North” without being consulted.

The North with her immense natural resources, including gold, precious stones, and fertile land, instead of developing these resources, is being plundered, and the people are being left behind. Dangote, the richest man in Africa, is from the North, but the region is also sadly home to some of the poorest communities, and nearly all his investments are outside the North.

The South-west, despite its own challenges, is making progress towards regional integration, while the South-east and South-south are also moving forward in a way. However, the North is stuck in the past.

The current state of the North is a reflection of the failure of its leaders and the people’s willingness to accept mediocrity. The region is being destroyed by its own people, and it is time for a change. The people need to demand more from their leaders and start working towards a better future.

Using religion as a tool to dumb our population down, and using ethnicity as a tool to fan the embers of hatred and then sit back and watch won’t work forever. The template has remained the same, albeit with slight modifications from time to time…nothing has changed. If anything, we are witnessing it become much worse.

The North needs to wake up and take control of its destiny. It needs to stop relying on the federal government and start developing its own resources. It needs to stop fighting each other and start working together towards a shared common goal. The region needs to stop being held back by its own people and start moving forward. The time for change is now.

It is time for the North to take a hard look at itself and stop lying to itself and its people. The region needs to stop relying on prayer and luck, population and start working towards a better future.

I will end this admonition in the words of one of the problem sons of the North, retired General Danjuma, “We need to think more, pray more, plan more, work harder, RELATE BETTER, and talk less. Battles are better fought and won through wisdom and strategy than through inflammable pronouncements and political tantrums.” This is to the North but it equally applies to Nigeria—May Nigeria win!

Prince Charles Dickson PhD

Team Lead

As the 2024 gubernatorial race in Edo State gathers momentum, the focus is increasingly shifting from campaign promises to the candidates’ abilities to communicate effectively with the public. In a state where the electorate is becoming more politically aware and demanding, the importance of public speaking and debate cannot be overstated. These platforms offer voters a direct insight into each candidate’s vision, policies, and ability to lead. However, a troubling trend has emerged in this election cycle: the reluctance of certain candidates to engage in debates and public speaking events, raising serious concerns about their preparedness for the role of governor.

Public speaking is not merely a tool for delivering campaign rhetoric; it is a fundamental aspect of leadership. A candidate’s ability to articulate their ideas, respond to challenges, and connect with diverse audiences is a critical measure of their suitability for office. In Edo State, where political dynamics are complex and the stakes are high, the electorate expects nothing less than clarity, confidence, and competence from those who aspire to lead.

The reluctance of some gubernatorial candidates to participate in debates is therefore alarming. These forums are designed to give the electorate a transparent view of who the candidates are, what they stand for, and how they intend to govern. Avoiding these opportunities can suggest a lack of preparedness, a deficiency in communication skills, or worse, an unwillingness to subject one’s ideas to public scrutiny.

One candidate who has become the center of this debate is Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant. Okpebholo’s conspicuous absence from public debates and his overall hesitancy to engage in public speaking events have not gone unnoticed. His reluctance became glaringly apparent when recently, Okpebholo was conspicuously absent during a debate organized by the Unuedo Renaissance, one of the most important social-cultural Edo diaspora groups, where the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, squared up against the Labor Party candidate, Olumide Akpata, a development that has since become a hot topic among political analysts and the general public alike.

The ability to debate effectively is not just about winning arguments; it’s about demonstrating the qualities that make a leader: decisiveness, intellectual rigor, and the capacity to inspire confidence. When a candidate avoids these opportunities, it raises legitimate concerns about their ability to lead under pressure. For voters in Edo State, this avoidance could be a red flag, signaling that a candidate may lack the necessary qualities to navigate the complex challenges of governance.

Moreover, in a democratic setting, debates are a crucial part of the electoral process. They allow voters to compare candidates side by side, assessing their policies, their vision, and their ability to respond to real-time challenges. By choosing not to participate, a candidate denies the electorate the chance to make an informed decision. This not only undermines the democratic process but also suggests a troubling lack of respect for the voters who deserve to hear directly from those who seek to lead them.

The implications of this reluctance extend beyond the individual candidate. It reflects on the overall political culture and the level of accountability that the electorate can expect from their leaders. In Edo State, where political engagement is on the rise, the electorate is unlikely to look kindly on a candidate who appears to be hiding from public scrutiny. The ability to engage openly and confidently with the public is not just a campaign skill,it is an essential part of governance.

Furthermore, public speaking and debates are critical for building trust between a candidate and the electorate. Voters want to see that their leaders are not only capable but also approachable and transparent. They want to know that their concerns will be heard and addressed, not brushed aside. A candidate who avoids these interactions may be seen as disconnected from the people they intend to govern, further eroding their credibility and appeal.

In contrast, candidates who embrace these opportunities demonstrate their readiness to lead. They show that they are not afraid to stand by their policies, answer tough questions, and engage with the public in a meaningful way. This willingness to be open and transparent is a strong indicator of a candidate’s commitment to accountability and good governance.

As the election draws closer, it is imperative for the electorate in Edo State to critically evaluate not only what the candidates are saying but also how they are choosing to say it. A candidate’s approach to public speaking and debate offers valuable insights into their leadership style and their ability to navigate the complexities of governance. Edo State needs a leader who is not only capable of making sound decisions but also willing to engage openly with the public and address their concerns head-on.

The reluctance of any candidate to participate in debates and public speaking events should be a significant concern for voters. It is a potential indicator of how they might govern, avoiding difficult situations, shying away from public scrutiny, and failing to communicate effectively with the people. For a state as diverse and dynamic as Edo, these are not qualities that inspire confidence.

In the final analysis, the question facing the voters of Edo State is a critical one: Do we want a leader who avoids the spotlight, or do we want someone who embraces it, confident in their ability to lead and communicate effectively? The answer to this question will shape the future of Edo State, determining not just the outcome of this election, but the trajectory of the state’s governance for years to come.

In this election, more than ever, the electorate’s choice will be influenced by not just the policies but the personalities of the candidates. Those who are willing to stand before the people, defend their ideas, and engage in open debate are the ones most likely to earn the trust and confidence of the voters. Edo State deserves a governor who is not only prepared to lead but is also unafraid to speak directly to the people they aim to serve.