There have been a few writeups and commentaries on the above subject lately, and it is quite amusing how an event that represents a classic case of the familiar boardroom coup, in the form of the hostile takeover of a bank from its previous owners several years ago, is now suddenly being criminalised. The acquiring parties in the transaction have been dubbed "political thieves" in one instance and projected in similar uncomplimentary epithets in several other instances.

We may not approve of it, all right, but without going into the specifics of the institution and personalities involved in the case at hand, hostile takeovers are widely accepted forms of acquiring businesses. They also do occur with something of uncommon regularity the world over, every now and then.

Hostile takeovers refer to the acquisition of targeted corporations, often against the express or tacit wishes and preferences of their existing board and management. Plus, they are perfectly legal and effectively regulated, with adequate provisions to deal with errant behaviour on either side. They are distinct from friendly takeovers, in which the two parties to the transaction mutually agree to cooperate towards the same result.

Often accomplished by stealth, a hostile takeover takes place when an acquiring entity, also described as the acquirer or aggressor, desires to attain full control of the target company by way of the surreptitious acquisition of a significant enough quantum of its shares from existing shareholders. More often than not, that is achieved without the prior knowledge, sanction, and/or cooperation of the target company's existing management and/or owners, who are subsequently bought out in the end.

It is imperative to stress at this point that the entire setting around the hostile takeover undertaking is centered around the application of the willing-buyer, willing-seller principle; between and amongst holders of the target company's stocks and potential investors desirous of acquiring same, and it is achieved through the instrumentality of the appropriate medium for the trading of the stocks. 

Through such legal stock transactions, the stake of the original owners or majority shareholders gradually gets diluted as the shares exchange hands and new buyers are brought in; a process that can be accomplished within a relatively short time span or over an extended period from start to finish. Once the aggressor has acquired a reasonable enough proportion of shares to trigger a takeover, the deed is as good as done.

Of course, in all probability, the target company would view a hostile takeover as nothing short of a brazen assault or an undesirable invasion aimed at undermining the independence and effective control of its existing management team. And rightly so too. Conversely, advocates and/or supporters of hostile takeovers would argue that they help stimulate and promote impactful positive changes and improvements in the acquired entity. These can manifest in the form of improved corporate governance practices, along with enhanced operational efficiencies and increased shareholder value in the acquired entity.

Now, we may not approve of the methods employed in the case of Access Bank acquisition well over two decades ago today, for example, and that is fine. But the next logical and honest question we should all ask ourselves is whether or not the acquisition and subsequent takeover of the bank from its initial promoters has achieved the above-stated objectives. 

And a dispassionate response to that question should necessarily take into consideration the current standing of the bank in the industry, vis-a-vis the state it was prior to the acquisition, while also not losing sight of the fact that many of the bank’s contemporaries established at or about the same time with it have since gone under.

It is also worthy of note that the same or similar hostile takeover practices that some of the writeups in reference actively seek to criminalise are still happening, both in the nation's financial services industry and in other critical sectors of the economy even as we speak. 

Indeed, the latest of such takeovers occurred just recently when Femi Otedola effectively took over as Chair of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc in a similar fashion, by virtue of his becoming the largest shareholder of the bank through his direct and indirect holdings. Another instance, albeit a failed one, would be that of the attempted takeover of Transcorp Plc, with investments in the Hospitality, Power, and Oil & Gas Sectors, also by the same investor not long ago. This was, however, promptly resolved amicably through negotiations between the two parties, in the overall best interest of the organisation.

Other notable examples of hostile takeovers from across the world include: the acquisition of Time Warner by America Online Inc. (AOL), regarded as the biggest and one of the most aggressive takeover bids to date; InBev’s acquisition of Anheuser - Busch, maker of Budweiser in mid-2008; the acquisition of PeopleSoft by Oracle towards the end of 2004; that of RBS and ABN Amro in October 2007; and Kraft Foods’ takeover of Cadbury, amongst several others.

Of course, there are several initiative-taking and reactive defensive strategies out there that can be employed to guard against hostile takeovers and/or respond to them, which the original promoters of Access Bank obviously failed to take advantage of at the time. but that is an entirely different discussion for another day.

Abdullahi Usman

He travels like a bird

With wings that take him far But his feathers fall everywhere And settle like a scar

When he lands he’s worshipped

A king upon a throne

But they don’t know the consequence For he doesn’t let it show

His children miss him dearly Those feathers which he dropped Heartbeat, heartbeats all over Heartbroken he is naught

A brick atop a ceiling

A drop outside a glass

We know outside he means something But when is his entrance?

...

August 3, 2019

The day we saw him last Though far across the water His freedom was still cast

Myself upon a couch

My Brother sprawled on chair

My Mother’s words reached high-pitched points Now finally aware

I imagined it with handcuffs Peaceful from respect

A man who fought for his people Not needing to object

And then I saw the truth An act of tyranny

A look into the harsh abuse

 Now everyone would see ...

His laugh came with an accent

His heritage so clear

We loved the way he said his words The way he wore his hair

We poked fun at him often For things a father has

His funny, big round tummy His passion for bad dance

He gave the greatest hugs

A man with a big heart

That beat for everyone he knew — I’ve known him less apart

I hope once more I’ll see him

That his wings land him home

His crown thorns grow unbearable His window dew drops foam

In recent years, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics has sparked a debate about the revolutionary impact of the nascent technology and the potential for these technologies to replace humans, in many areas such as politicians and bureaucrats in government. The idea of unbiased algorithms generating robots that are free from the shortcomings of incompetence and corruption associated with some of these professionals has become of particular interest to me, because of the fact that a country as blessed as Nigeria, had been brought to a near comatose state of economic depression, as a result of past incompetent and corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.

Now as an AI scholar and enthusiast, it is clear to some of us in that space and field of studies and research, that with AI's proven ability to perform tasks with close to zero margin of error, it begs the question: Can robotic AI perform better than politicians and bureaucrats?

Governments around the world have faced numerous cases of incompetence, social and financial scandals, and corruption among their leaders. Transparency International and other socio-political watchdogs have consistently ranked countries based on their perceived levels of corruption and governance effectiveness. From presidents and prime ministers to state governors and parliamentarians, the list of officials charged with corruption and misappropriation of public funds is extensive. Could a leader programmed with AI be the solution to this pervasive issue?

The efficiency and productivity of AI in various tasks have been well-documented. From drug discovery to the cure of diseases that have long eluded human researchers, AI has shown its capacity to outperform humans in many areas. For example, AI has consistently defeated world champions in games like chess and Go, showcasing its superiority in strategic decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.

In the case of Nigeria and the challenges that the country currently faces, have been as a result of prolonged economic crimes against the sovereignty by men and women who have been charged with the administration of the country’s resources for several decades in the past. Clear examples abound in nearly every field of the country, in critical sectors of the economy and overall development. The bureaucracy has long been fraught with endemic bribery and corruption, inefficiency and ineffectiveness in nearly all aspects of our national life- ranging from the civil service, Ports Authority Administration, Customs, Police, Immigration, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and crude oil theft, allegedly by humans who were put in charge of running and protecting the main national asset, the Central Bank of Nigeria (that became a Bureau De Change for a few), and dabbled into all manner of unrelated functions of a Central Bank, and almost all agencies of government are immersed in misappropriation of public funds and resources.

Considering these advancements in technology, the idea of using AI in governance is not far-fetched. International organizations such as the United Nations, ASEAN Union, African Union,BRICS and other regional blocs should initiate discussions on the potential applications of AI in leadership roles. By leveraging algorithms to create effective and efficient systems for both public and private sector leaders, could AI help address some of the longstanding challenges facing humanity, such as wars, conflicts, hunger, diseases, climate change, nuclear proliferation and corruption?

The use of AI in governance on the other hand, however, raises some important ethical and practical considerations. While AI may offer solutions to some of the problems plaguing governments worldwide, there are concerns about accountability, transparency, and the potential for bias in AI decision-making. How can we ensure that AI-driven leadership is fair and equitable for all members of society? What safeguards need to be put in place to prevent abuse of power by AI systems? That is the reason that every country or economic bloc, come up with a Regulatory Framework for the application of AI. The USA, China, UK, and the European Union (EU), have already led with that initiative of creating regulations around the use of AI. (In my publication: “The Need for the Creation of a Regulatory Framework for AI” published in the National Diploma Newspaper; I had called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to establish an AI regulatory framework and authority)

One potential benefit of AI in governance is its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, through Generative AI (GAI), Machine Learning (ML), and Large Language Models (LLM), quickly and accurately. By processing information from various sources, AI systems can provide insights that human leaders may overlook. This data-driven approach to decision-making could lead to more informed policies and strategies, potentially improving the overall effectiveness of government operations.

Additionally, AI could help streamline bureaucratic processes and reduce inefficiencies in government agencies. By automating routine tasks and optimizing resource allocation, AI systems could free up human officials to focus on more strategic and high-level responsibilities. This could lead to a more agile and responsive government that is better equipped to address the needs of its citizens.

However, the integration of AI into governance is not without its challenges. One major concern is the potential for AI systems to perpetuate existing biases and discrimination. If AI algorithms are trained on data that reflects historical inequalities, they may inadvertently reinforce these biases in their decision-making processes. To prevent this, it is essential to develop AI systems that are transparent, accountable, and regularly audited for fairness.

Another challenge is the risk of AI systems being manipulated or hacked to serve malicious purposes, such as rigging elections, and population head counts in national census. Ensuring the security and integrity of AI systems in governance will be crucial to preventing unauthorized access and manipulation of sensitive government data. Strong cybersecurity measures and robust oversight mechanisms will be necessary to safeguard AI-driven governance systems from external threats.
There is also this notion that the implementation of AI would lead to job losses. The answer is Yes and No. For the proponents of job losses; they are right to the extent of the types and manning of jobs. And for those who say No, that AI would not lead to job losses par say, they argue that in enhancing productivity and efficiency, it would create greater opportunities in the economic value chain, that would need workers to retrain in new fields that would be needed as a result of AI applications to business.

In conclusion, the debate over whether robotic AI can outperform human politicians and bureaucrats is complex and multifaceted. While AI has demonstrated impressive capabilities in various domains, the integration of AI into governance poses unique challenges and considerations. By engaging in thoughtful discussions and collaboration, national, international organizations and governments can explore the potential benefits of AI in leadership roles while addressing the ethical and practical concerns associated with this technology. The future of AI in governance is uncertain, but with careful planning and strategic implementation, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach governance and decision-making on a global scale. For me, it is clear that the benefits of an AI-fuel governance system, far outweighs its perceived drawbacks.

Sonny Iroche: A 2022/2023 Senior Academic Visitor at the African Studies Centre of the University of Oxford.

Now a 2024 Post Graduate Student in “Artificial Intelligence for Business” at the Saïd Business School. University of Oxford

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has bemoaned persons he said are notoriously making Guinness Book of Records as pretenders.

Wike said this in Port Harcourt at the 60th birthday celebration of the national vice chairman (South-South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Victor Giadom.

The former Rivers State governor stated that Giadom was not a pretender and was not fashioned like some persons, who failed to reveal their true identities as snakes.

He said, „Even though we were of different parties, Victor had never gone on television to abuse any of his friends. He doesn‘t allow politics to be a wedge between him and his friends. He plays politics and still remains with you.

Victor is someone, who will tell you he will be with you and he will be with you. Victor is not a pretender. He is not one of those who have made the Guinness Book of Records as pretenders.

 There are those, who had made Guinness Book of Records by pretending. Nobody knew that they were snakes.

“Victor is not an ungrateful person. He is not an ingrate. He remembers those who stood by him and who will stand by him. When I was Chief of Staff, Victor became the chairman of Gokana Local Government. He left us and went to the other side.

Wike emphasized that he remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite that his loyalists, who are members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, had joined the APC.

The FCT minister, who stated that as a PDP member, he had defeated Giadom many times in elections, said their political differences would not stop him from identifying with the APC national vice chairman.

He said: „He belongs to the APC, I belong to the PDP. I am a member of PDP even though my Assembly members are APC but I am a good member of PDP. I have come here to identify with him. I have defeated him but it doesn‘t mean I shouldn‘t come and celebrate with him.“

[Leadership]

The military high command has denied reports that troops went on a reprisal attack after the killing of 16 soldiers in the Okuama community in Delta State. 

Daily Trust had reported how an army commander, two majors, one captain and 12 soldiers were killed in Okuama.

The deceased officers and soldiers were from 181 Amphibious Batallion in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had directed the immediate investigation and arrest of those involved in the heinous crime.

Days after the order, residents of the Okuama community fled to neighbouring Ughelli for fear of reprisal by soldiers.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, yesterday said the armed forces being a disciplined force complies with its rules of engagement, laws of armed conflict and respect for human rights. 

He said, “The ugly incident in the Okuama community in Delta State is indicative of the dangers our gallant troops experience to secure our nation. 

“The military assures that there would be measured responses and injurious consequences for the perpetrators of these dastardly acts. 

“Nevertheless, the armed forces being a disciplined force that complies with rules of engagement, laws of armed conflict and the respect for human rights would be tempered by these provisions. We would not be led by emotions but by the rule of law. 

“It is against this background that the military debunks all claims that the military embarked on reprisal attacks in the Okuama community after the incident. The community was deserted even before troops arrived at the scene. 

“Importantly, those involved in peddling this misinformation, disinformation and fake news that the military had embarked on reprisal attacks on the community following the incident, should desist from further dishonouring our fallen heroes.” 

The senior military officer urged community leaders, elders and even the people of Delta State to assist investigation to identify the perpetrators of the dastardly act so that they can be held accountable for their actions.

11 killed, houses razed in Bayelsa

Meanwhile, troops of the Nigerian Army have reportedly invaded the Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, razing houses and allegedly killing about 11 people. 

Soldiers in five gunboats reportedly stormed the community and razed houses suspected to be the hideout of a militant leader said to be involved in the killing of the military men who were on a rescue mission in Delta.

A source said immediately the troops stormed the Bayelsa community, they opened fire on some residents relaxing at the jetty before proceeding to set ablaze the three buildings suspected to be the hideout of the said militant leader.

He said the community had been able to recover 11 corpses from the attack, while still searching for others.

He said, “The military invasion has affected the people gravely. Lives have been lost; properties have been destroyed. Even after the attack, I am sure that life in the community will never be the same.

“I am appealing to the federal and state governments to as a matter of urgency intervene in this matter. We do not have a hand in whatever transpired in Delta State. The international community should come to our aid.”

When contacted on the phone, the spokesman for Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) headquarters, Major Adenegan Ojo, terminated the call after hearing it was a journalist who called.

He, however, refused to answer subsequent phone calls.

Fish out killers of soldiers, Senate tells security forces  

The Senate has asked security forces to fish out the killers of 16 military personnel in the Okuama community. 

The Senate, in a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, described the killings as a perfidious height of a barbaric and heinous crime.  

He said, “The Senate leadership and all distinguished senators of the 10th Senate condemn this attack and convey their deepest condolences to the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army, officers and men of Operation Delta Safe as well as the families of all the personnel who have lost their lives. 

“We consequently support the president; the Commander of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s charge to the security authorities to smoke out the undesirable outlaws who put off the glowing lights of those promising officers and men.” 

Killing of soldiers unacceptable – Kwara Gov 

 Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday condemned the deadly attack on soldiers in Delta State, describing it as “unacceptable”. 

 AbdulRazaq spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, when he received participants of the Strategic Management and Policy Studies Course 6/23 from the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on a courtesy visit. 

The governor, who chairs the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), sympathised with the federal government over the incident and praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift action and the directive to fish out the perpetrators. 

Also, the Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said the attack on soldiers in Delta State portrayed Nigeria in a bad light.

The DG, in a statement yesterday, also demanded a thorough investigation into the killings, adding that for a country to lose 16 officers and men when it is not at war is unacceptable.

The IPCR boss noted that all that the security personnel needed was commendation for their patriotic effort to secure the nation in this trying time. 

“We are calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and urge the military to remain very professional at all times no matter the provocation,” he said.

How slain soldiers were ambushed – Ex-General

Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd) has narrated how the soldiers and officers who were murdered in the Okuama community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, were ambushed.

Speaking when he was featured as a guest on Channels Television, on Monday, Esekhaigbe said the soldiers went to the coastal community to find out why their colleagues who were on a peacekeeping mission to the village were held hostage.

He said, “Now, don’t forget you called it a peace mission; the mindset of these officers and men was to go and find out what the problems were and to find out why their men were kept behind. 

“So, their mind was not to go and fight and that is what we must understand. So, they were not going with the mentality of going for an attack, if they, even as few as they were, they would not have been able to surround and dastardly murder them the way they did.

“So, what played out here is that they fell into an ambush because these militia groups have sophisticated weapons and when you are ambushed, no matter how sophisticated you are, you will have the consequences of an ambush. That calls to mind the need for training and retraining because you must know the local environment in which you are operating.”

Army unveils identities of fallen heroes 

In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian Army unveiled the identities of the 16 fallen heroes.

They are: 

AH Ali Lieutenant Colonel (Commanding officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion)

SD Shafa Major

DE Obi Major

1. Zakari Captain

Yahaya Saidu Staff Sergeant

Yahaya Danbaba Corporal

Kabiru Bashir Corporal

Bulus Haruna Lance Corporal

Sole Opeyemi Lance Corporal

Bello Anas Lance Corporal

Hamman Peter Lance Corporal

Ibrahim Abdullahi Lance Corporal

Alhaji Isah Private

Clement Francis Private

Abubakar Ali Private

Ibrahim Adamu Private

Adamu Ibrahim Private

[DailyTrust]

FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has expressed his displeasure with the violence that took place after Sunday’s Turkish Super Lig game between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce.

Infantino took to his social media to condemn such behaviour and urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

He emphasised the need for football players’ safety and stated that violence, both on and off the pitch, has no place in football or the broader society.

Following Fenerbahce’s 3-2 victory, a group of Trabzonspor fans invaded the field, leading to altercations between players from both teams, including Michy Batshuayi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Jayden Oosterwolde.

Infantino’s statement strongly condemned the actions of these fans and called for a thorough investigation.

The statement partly read: “The violence witnessed after the Turkish Süper Lig match between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahçe is absolutely unacceptable – on or off the field, it has no place in our sport or society.

“I call on the relevant authorities to ensure that this is respected at all levels and for the perpetrators of the shocking events in Trabzon to be held accountable for their actions.”

[DailyPost]

Senior and junior workers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse the presidential directive on automatic deduction of 50 per cent from its internally generated revenue (IGR) or they would shut the ports.

This was contained in a letter signed by the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporation and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) and Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN).

In the letter, the workers sought urgent reversal of the policy, insisting that if not curtailed, it would lead to irreversible industrial action and closure of the business at the ports.

The letter reads in part: “We wish to reiterate our position as stated in our letter reference above thus:

“The NPA, as the employer of workers who are our members, is self-funded and receives zero allocation from the government budget. This means that it needs to retain most, if not all, of the funds it generates in order to be able to continue to effectively discharge its duties, which include constant dredging of our Port; regular maintenance of our Quay aprons; maintenance of Ports, Jetties, and Terminals; manpower development and discharge of corporate social responsibilities (CSR).

“Without prejudice to the intentions behind the formation of policies to raise revenue for the Federal Government, it must be said that it is not advisable to introduce extractive policies to self-funding specialised entities as they will be subjected to unnecessary hardship and avoidable disruption of processes due to the revenue disruptions.’’

[TheNation]

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, says a direct conflict between Russia and NATO would mean that the planet is one step away from World War Three, according to Reuters.

The comments came as Putin claimed a landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election with 87.8 per cent of the votes.

The US, Germany, the UK, and other nations have said the election was neither free nor fair due to the imprisonment of political opponents and censorship.

During his post-election briefing, Putin said, “It is clear to everyone that this will be one step away from a full-scale World War Three. I think hardly anyone is interested in this.”

Responding to questions about Macron’s statements and the risks and possibility of conflict between Russia and NATO, Putin said, “Everything is possible in the modern world.”

Putin added that NATO servicemen were already in Ukraine.

In response, French President Macron stated that Putin should not make threats when his country possesses nuclear weapons.

According to the French president, he has not spoken with Putin for several months. Such dialogue was held “when necessary.”

In the United States, in response to Putin’s statements, it was noted that they do not see any plans by Russia to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

[Punch]

•Ozekhome, Anya, Fayemi, Tambuwal, Daniel, Duke, Aregbesola, Ibori, others proffer solutions
•Nwabueze regretted contributing to making centre too strong – Mrs Okwuosa, daughter

To halt the raging insecurity and socio-economic crises, and redirect Nigeria on the path of growth and development, there is an urgent need to do away with the 1999 constitution and give Nigeria a new people’s constitution.

This was the consensus of elder statesmen, some serving lawmakers, political leaders and lawyers who converged on Lagos, yesterday, for a National Constitutional Dialogue organised by The Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians and elders in honour of late legal luminary, Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN.

Themed: “Lawful Procedures For Actualising A People’s Constitution for Nigeria,” the event was to also mark the 10th anniversary of the convocation of the 2014 National Conference, which was set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17, 2014.

Eminent Nigerians who spoke at the colourful event include Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; Chairman of The Patriots and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; former External Affairs Minister, Senator Ike Nwachukwu; former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah; and legal icon, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN.

Others who shared their thoughts include elder statesmen, Professor Anya O Anya, and Chief Solomon Asemota, SAN. Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Senator Gbenga Daniel, Chief Olabode George, former governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), James Ibori (Delta), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Donald Duke (Cross River), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, Dr Tunji Abayomi, Alhaji Yerima Shettima and Chief Ifeyinwa Ezenwa, a 2014 confab delegate.

Chaired by Chief Anyaoku, the event was attended by a host of 2014 confab delegates who lamented the recurring wastage of billions of naira on constitution amendments by the National Assembly and sought an end to the unending exercises without commensurate results.

Indeed, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who lamented that he did not know why some leaders at the presidency make 360 degrees turn on issues they canvassed at the state level in the past, promised to collaborate with The Patriots and other stakeholders to ensure true federalism. The governor added that he did not understand why a federal agency in Abuja should be telling Lagosians what happens on the shoreline of Ozumba Mbadiwe.

Also, Senator Tambuwal promised to take the matter to the National Assembly, alongside Senator Daniel, noting that a doctrine of necessity from the legislature might be needed to overcome the constitution amendment lacuna provided by the 1999 Constitution.

Former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Ameachi, said it was time for action, noting that “we have had this talk over and over, there’s no change. There’s a need to do something.”

On his part, Aregbesola called for a return to the parliamentary system of government, warning that the executive presidential system would kill Nigeria, if not dropped.

Attah said there was dire need for a completely new constitution, not an amended constitution.

Recalling that Professor Nwabueze regretted participating in saddling the centre with humongous powers in the name of ensuring national unity, he said the late legal giant regretted that “instead of producing unity, it is producing disunity.”

According to him, one of the fundamental and cardinal flaws of the 1999 constitution is the concentration of powers in the centre.

“We might not achieve true federalism because the basis has proven to be misguided. The unity we set to achieve was not achieved, what we achieved was more disunity. From this, it becomes critically clear that the underpinning principles that guided the drafting of our constitution has turned out to be misguided.”

Pluralist states like Nigeria succeed on true federalism — Anyaoku

Chief Anyaoku set the ball rolling via his opening remarks.

He said: “I would like to make brief observations of what I consider incontrovertible facts that should form the background of our discussions here today.

”First, Nigeria is a pluralistic country that is still struggling to become a nation, a nation with assured political stability and progressive socio-economic development. The fact from across the world is that some pluralistic countries have succeeded in becoming nations, while other pluralistic countries have failed and disintegrated.

”The lesson from this is that pluralistic countries which have succeeded in becoming nations, have generally practiced true federalism, with considerable powers devolved to the federating units.

”This fact, I must say, was recognized by the founding fathers of Nigeria who negotiated painstakingly and agreed to the independence constitution of 1960 extended to 1963.

”The second incontrovertible fact that I would like to state is that our present 1999 constitution as amended not only lacks the legitimacy that flows from a democratically made constitution, but also has proved to be unsuitable for tackling many of the serious challenges currently confronting our country.

”Thirdly, it is a widely recognized fact that the crucial areas of the country have significantly deteriorated and are continuing to deteriorate.

“To mention just a few of such areas, security of the citizens’ life and property, economic well-being of the citizens, infrastructure, including roads and education and health facilities, social cohesion and social values, and the sense of national unity. These are areas where significant deterioration has occurred over the years.

“I’d like to conclude my brief remarks by saying that there has been no shortage of opinions and prescriptions of the nature and content of what should be a suitable constitution for a pluralistic country.

”Many commentators have expressed the view that the 1963 constitution, as well as the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, provide an inescapable guide in this respect.

Why 1999 constitution’s faulty, unacceptable – Ozekhome

Delivering the guest lecture, Chief Ozekhome, who recalled that the 1999 Constitution, apart from many ambiguities, came into being via a military decree 24 of 1999, noted that the procedure by which a constitution came into being was not only important but actually more important than the content of the constitution itself.
Noting that the 1963 constitution was the best so far and recalling what the regions did because they had control of their resources and contributed 50 per cent to the centre from which they also shared 30 per cent, he stressed the need for a new grundnorm along that line.”

“The 1999 Constitution was imposed on you and me, militarily, by a military junta, led by General Abulsalami Abubakar, 28 members of the Provisional Ruling Council. It was never subjected to any referendum of the people. And guess what? The present constitution was attached as a mere schedule…

”Nigerians must own their own constitution through a popular referendum of the people like was done to the Midwest constitution on the 10th of August 1963 when it separated from the Western region. Without that, we will just be on the journey to no destination.”

[Vanguard]

A circular issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to its verification service agents has exposed the private data of over 100 million to unlicensed entities and profiteers, TheCable can report. 

The whistle was first blown in a report by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) which said XpressVerify, an unregistered verification agent, had unrestricted access to the national identification numbers (NINs) and personal details of every Nigerian registered in the nation’s identity database managed by NIMC.

XpressVerify monetises access to NINs and the personal information of Nigerians on the database.

But in her reaction, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the director-general and CEO of NIMC, said the commission only offers NIN verification and other services through licensed partners.

She ordered a comprehensive investigation “to find out if any of the Commission’s Tokenisation verification
agents has in any way breached the licensing agreement either directly or
through any of their sub-licensees”.

She was allegedly told that it only required “a more robust hardware upgrade” but that all was well with the service.

On February 26, 2024, Carolyn Folami, a director and head, business development and commercial services, issued a circular to its verification service agents to restore the NVS.

“Kindly be informed that the NIMC, in a renewed commitment towards enlarging the use of the NIN for verification services across all industry, has reopened the NVS for your organizations’ use for verification services,” she wrote, in a document seen by TheCable.

“Also note that NIMC is working on an upgrade and further improvements on the NIN Pseudonymization verification services as well, which will be duly communicated.

“Please contact the Business Development and Commercial Services department of the NIMC for renewed credentials and further support services. In addition, do provide the contact email and phone number of your organization’s team lead for the exercise.

“The foregoing is for your information and necessary action.”

An official of the commission who declined to be named for fear of victimisation said this was the root cause of the data breach.

“That memo and the directive contained in it effectively reversed all the security measures put in place in creating the NVS. It is like opening the bank vault for the public to have a free run on the cash,” the official said.

“With the roll-back to the NVS, it means anyone who has a verification licence and a NIN can query data with or without consent.

“All the reports listed about data vulnerabilities are a cover-up. It will be wise to conclude that the current CEO has no clue what she’s doing as she’s listening to folks only interested in their pockets.

“Otherwise, such a memo would never have been issued. Bottom line is NIMC does not permit any raw NIN verification. The tokenisation is user consent management. Without the ID holder providing their explicit consent, you can’t get the data. And you have to ask first and be given a virtual NIN (vNIN) which is the consent token.

“I can assure you that there are very minimal controls in place. The staff at the NIMC are the developers of the NVS solution and some created a few backdoors for themselves as there is no visibility beyond what they wish for anyone to see.”

BUT THERE’S A QUICK FIX…

TheCable was told that there is a quick fix if the government is ready to act to protect the private data of Nigerians, which is a legal right and not a privilege.

The first action, it is suggested, is the immediate shutdown of the NVS.

“Thereafter, all licensed agents should be made to sign a declaration of conformity: that they have purged all their databases of any and all personal information of NIN holders and BVN holders); that they will implement very strong data privacy initiatives, which will include but not be limited to the implementation of transparent data encryption at rest and in transit; that they will subject themselves to random external audits of their systems and agree to pay a fine where they may have been found to be in breach of the Nigerian Data Privacy Act,” an industry expert told TheCable.

He also said NIMC should authorise snap audits by forensic auditors of all verification entities and ensure that every time a person’s identity is required to be verified, the ID holder will provide electronic user consent which may be used once “and once only”.

“The commission should review security controls and provide unfettered visibility of all verification agents, by the clandestine services and functional regulators,” he suggested, adding that no raw NIN (11-digit number) should be sought or obtained by any verification entity.

“In order to protect the NIN, the ID holder should provide a user consent token (or vNIN) which will provide both one time user consent, meet the NIMC Act 2007 requirements for provision of the NIN, as well as protect the raw NIN from abuse and identity theft.

“NIMC should ensure that the ID holder has full access to all information about how their NIN has been used, how it has been verified, by whom and when, and details of all functional tokens linked to the NIN, such as health insurance, drivers’ licence and even passports, without having to provide the functional information, such as bank account numbers, passport numbers and so on.”

On Sunday night, NIMC and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) issued a joint statement promising to work together on the NIN-SIM link exercise.

[TheCable]