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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has called out President Bola Tinubu while lamenting over hardship and hunger in the country.
He was reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast on the nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance in Nigeria, describing it as shallow and grossly out of tune with the concerns that triggered the countrywide demonstration.
In a statement made available to the media, the party chieftain said Nigerians would have loved to hear the President outline the policy inclination of his administration in addressing the very genuine concerns of Nigerians, including the flamboyant costs incurred in running public offices and the lavish lifestyle of government functionaries.
“The president, in his broadcast, overlooked critical issues constituting a clog and stunting the growth of our country and her people such as high cost of governance, corruption, judicial rascality, corrupt electoral umpire, hunger, unemployment, harsh impact of fuel subsidy removal, armed banditry and general insecurity, high cost of living and more. So the broadcast seeks to discredit the substance of the ongoing protests and therefore rings hollow.”
Expressing disappointment over the president’s display of levity in handling the volatile situation across the country which is a direct creation of his ineptitude, Eze said Tinubu has isolated himself from the objectives of the APC; a party founded on the ideals of a united, prosperous Nigeria.
Eze maintained that as a one time spokesperson for nPDP and a member of the APC Media Legacy Project Committee, “I must state that what Tinubu is currently superintending is not the vision of APC that most of us risked our lives to bring to be.
According to Eze, “we never brought APC to visit Nigeria and Nigerians with the level of hunger pervading our nation and warranting citizens to resort to suicide as the last resort to escaping the hardship neither did we bring APC to visit Nigeria and Nigerians with the level of insecurity that has enveloped us to such an extent where it becomes suicidal for farmers to go to their farms for whatever purpose.
“We never envisaged that our common effort to bring APC to salvage Nigeria will be so corrupted by the inordinate ambition of Tinubu to foist himself on the country as president and on this footing we owe Nigerians an unreserved apology. Our beloved country has turned to a laughing stock before the international community as most countries now advise their citizens to be wary of traveling to Nigeria.”
Concerned by the hyper level of corruption, Eze queried the justification for spending over 21billion Naira to build a house for the Vice President in the midst of the thriving hardship, as if the VP was homeless, noting that under Tinubu’s nose, corruption is considered a way of life for government officials and they find it right to imprudently indulge in fanfare of squander mania, leaving the ordinary people in squalor without a hint of remorse.
Akpabio: NDDC’s Forensic Report on N81.5bn Spending Can’t Be Found – Niger Delta Minister, Momoh
AFOLABI
The Minister of Niger Delta, Abubakar Momoh, has lamented that the forensic report on the spending of N81.5 billion appropriated to the Niger Delta Development Commission between January and July 2020 is missing.
According to him, the report cannot be found.
Momoh disclosed this Tuesday during a Channels Television interview monitored by the DAILY POST.
“I expected that when I took over office, the report would be at the Ministry. But when I asked the Permanent Secretary, those there said they had not been able to see the report.”
He, however, assured that the report will be found very soon and made available to Nigerians.
Momoh vowed that those indicted by the report would be punished accordingly.
“We will not relent in finding where the report is and bringing it before the government for implementation. All those found culpable will be punished. It is not possible to take government funds and go scot-free. I can assure you that we will do our best to find the report and prosecute those found culpable.
“In a very short time, the report will be obtained. Once we get it, Nigerians will be aware of its contents,” he said.
Recall that in 2020, drama ensued in the National Assembly when the then Minister of Niger Delta, now Senate President Godswill Akpabio, appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta to account for the N81.5 billion spent by the Niger Delta Development Commission in the first half of 2020.
Recall that the then-acting MD, Prof. Kemebradikumo Pondei, fainted during the interrogation.
Similarly, interrogation led to the phrase “honorable minister (Akpabio) off your mic,” which has since gained popularity in the country.
However, aside from the presentation of the forensic report document to former President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2021, little has been heard about its implementation or the content of the report to date.
A human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has warned protesters to desist from anything that would jeopardize the objective of the protests.
Falana stated this while fielding questions from newsmen on Monday. He warned Nigerian youths protesting against hunger, hardship and socio-economic policies affecting the country to be wary of thugs and distance themselves from undemocratic forces who have taken advantage of the peaceful protests to engage in violence or campaign for another military coup in the country.
The human rights lawyer said that the act of brandishing Russian flag while protesting in Nigeria is an abuse of constitutional right.
Falana was reacting on the background of violent protests in the Northern parts of the country, where protesters were seen brandishing the Russian flag while chanting “Tinubu must go”.
In his words: “Accordingly, the right to protest is required to be exercised peacefully within the ambit of the law.
“Hence, section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 has imposed a duty on the Nigeria Police Force to provide adequate security for citizens who may wish to participate in public meetings, rallies and protests. In many parts of the country, the Police provided adequate security for the ##endbadgovernance protesters and in some cases professionalism was glaringly on display.
“Having won the legal battle for the Nigerian people to exercise their constitutional right to protest against unpopular policies of the Government, I have supported the constitutional right from all walks of life to exercise the right to protest.
“While we have supported the right of the #endbadgovernance protesters, we have a patriotic duty to call on them to distance themselves from the undemocratic forces who have taken advantage of the peaceful protests to engage in violence or campaign for another military coup in the country.
“It has become necessary to point out that calling for a military coup or waving the flag of Russia, a country that is noted for supporting unconstitutional change of government in Africa, constitutes a gross abuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Government of Nigeria.
“The legitimate protests against hardship in the land should not be turned into a campaign for unconstitutional change of government.
“Therefore, those who are involved in the illegal campaign for another military rule are advised to stop it forthwith. Otherwise, they may be accused of engaging in the offence of treasonable felony in contravention of section 41 of the Criminal Code Act.
“In order to make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive to the people of Nigeria, the Bola Tinubu administration ought to review the neoliberal policies that are promoting poverty and hardship in the land.
‘Ambition driven by greed’ – Two Commissioners resign to run for LG Chairmanship in Akwa Ibom
AFOLABI
AHEAD of the 5 October Local Government (LG) elections in Akwa Ibom State, two serving commissioners have resigned their appointments to contest for the chairmanship seats in their respective Local Government Areas (LGA).
Those who resigned include the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Chief Etim Uno from Urueoffong Oruko LGA and Mr Aniefiok Nkom, Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning from Ikot Ekpene LGA.
The duo in the statewide Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held on 2 August secured the party tickets to contest the chairmanship for their respective LGs, emerging
among 31 Chairmanship candidates on the platform of the PDP for the coming polls.
Their decision to contest the local government council chairmanship seats and their subsequent nomination has been generating debates within the political circle in the state.
While some see the development as a smart move to remain active in the system ahead of the alleged looming sack of cabinet members by Governor Umo Eno, others argue that both commissioners were lured to resign by the greed to enjoy increased allocations flowing into council coffers following local government financial autonomy.
A PDP insider and civil servant who spoke on anonymity alleged, “Maybe before the end of the month they would leave office completely. I think they just want to go and enjoy LG’s financial autonomy. They still want to remain in government “
Vanguard gathered from sources privy to what transpired ahead of the PDP nominations that stakeholders from both LGAs had written to the party leadership that they actually wanted the two commissioners to represent them in the coming LG Chairmanship poll.
Aligning with this opinion, State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Boronno Bassey affirmed, “They are two Commissioners contesting for Chairmanship seats in the forthcoming LG election. They are the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Etim Uno and Aniefiok Nkom from Ikot Ekpene LGA.
“You can quote me on this. It was the people of Ikot Ekpene and Urueoffong Oruko local government areas who wrote calling on the Commissioners to run for the Chairmanship seats.
“The Governor and leader of the party now said if your people are calling on you to come and represent them, please go and ensure you initiate and execute robust development projects at the grassroots as you have done in your respective ministries.
“So it is their people who called them to come and contest. And it was like a carnival on that day of the nomination in both Urueoffong Oruko and Ikot Ekpene LGAs. The people were happy and excited “
Their Ambition Driven By Greed -Sen Enang
Former presidential adviser and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Sen Ita Enang alleged the resigned commissioners were being driven by greed to take over and feast on LG funds.
Enang said, “We’ve seen commissioners resigning to go for LG Chairmanship. As far as my knowledge of governance is concerned, being a commissioner and member of the State Executive Council is higher than being a local government chairman.”
He noted that under the previous administration, LG chairmen were receiving far fewer funds, but “no one can see what they (current LGs) have done with the money”, alleging the commissioners’ move is driven by “greed” as they want to “feast on the increased money that now comes to the LGAs.”
Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Kemi Nandap says the sponsors of #EndBadGovernance protest in the diaspora are on a watch list and they will be arrested when entering the country.
Nandap made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during a combined news conference by the heads of security agencies and Service Chiefs convened by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa at the Defence Headquarters.
She said “We have identified some diaspora sponsors, they are on our watch list.
“Any attempt they make to come into the country, we will be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authority”.
The immigration boss said the service had, in response to the protest, deployed more officers to borders both land and airports to ensure effective manning of those entry ports.
She said that NIS had also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, also said that the police had uncovered some sponsors but declined giving further information on them.
Egbetokun said that some accounts of such individuals had been blocked, adding that “many of them reside abroad”.
Also, the Director General, Department of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi, represented by the service’s spokesman, Mr Peter Afunanya, said that the service was monitoring those concerned.
He added that the service was also working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to identify more persons behind the funding of the protest.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defence chief led the service chiefs and heads of all the security, intelligence and paramilitary agencies to brief newsmen on the nationwide protest.
The briefing came a day after President Bola Tinubu met with the security chiefs on the security situation following the violence that broke out during the protests across the country.
Protesters in Rivers barricaded the Eleme-Onne section of the east-west road on Monday as a nationwide protest against economic hardship continues.
Nigerians have taken to the streets of major cities since August 1 to rail against bad governance.
The demonstrations have been themed: ’10 Days of Rage’.
The protesters are demanding a lean government, a return of the petrol subsidy regime, food security, and fiscal discipline among others.
NAN reports that protesters blocked the Akpajo axis of the east-west road, a major route linking Port Harcourt to key business hubs, including Onne seaport and Indorama petrochemicals — a move that disrupted vehicular movement.
The protesters, who demonstrated peacefully, waved placards with varying inscriptions.
Walson Idah said they targeted the east-west road to vent their frustration “over hunger, poverty and infrastructure deficit”.
“We need the government to revive the refineries, which have so much employment and empowerment opportunities for us,” NAN quoted Idah as saying.
“In spite of the huge economic potentials in the business area, we are unemployed, hungry and poor. We are not taking any palliatives from politicians.
“We need jobs, good roads, affordable electricity, and basic infrastructure.”
The protesters asked the federal government to address the skyrocketing cost of living and hold state governors accountable for the alleged mismanagement of fuel subsidy funds.
Organisers have suspended the #EndBadGovernance protest in Lagos for 24 hours.
The decision was reached during a congress that took place on Monday in Ojota.
Hassan Soweto, one of the organisers, said President Bola Tinubu’s speech did not address the demands of the demonstrators.
Soweto added that organisers have been receiving threats from sponsored thugs over the Ojota protest.
“You are all witnesses to the struggles, pains, and sufferings we have endured from day one,” Soweto said.
“Their agencies both in and out of uniform have thrown everything at us to disparage, demonise, attack, injure us to silence our voices.”
Soweto added that some protesters have been killed by security operatives, especially in the north of the country.
After the congress, Juwon Sanyaolu, one of the organisers, announced that there will be no protest on Tuesday and that the next line of action will be communicated via social media.
Moments after the protesters were dismissed on Monday, some thugs emerged to attack the group.
In a message shared on WhatsApp, Soweto said there will be a rally on Wednesday to honour those who have been killed during the protest.
“IMPORTANT NOTICE: As agreed at the congress this evening, we are not converging at Ojota tomorrow. The next convergence is Wednesday 7 Aug 2024 which we declared as a Matyrs day to honour our comrades killed across the country,” the message reads.
“Further details of the Wednesday programme including venue will be communicated after an organisers meeting that would take place tomorrow afternoon.”
There were no #EndBadGovernance protests in Alausa or elsewhere in Lagos on Tuesday.
“There is a lot of hardship,” Governor Bala Mohammed said Tuesday as he tried to contain the violence that erupted in Bauchi.
“Protests are the rights of everyone in a democracy. It is the right of the people to show anger,” added the governor as he expressed his displeasure over the violence that erupted during the #EndBadGovernance protest in Azare, the headquarters of the Katagum local government area.
Mr Mohammed stated this while addressing journalists shortly after Tuesday’s emergency security council meeting at the state government house.
The governor said his government did not support any violent protests and would not hesitate to disconnect from them.
“We are with the youth in Bauchi state, but at the same time, we are not with those who want to unleash mayhem, violence and destruction of lives and property.
“There is a lot of hardship and so, definitely, we have to listen, make amends on policies of the federal government, the state and local governments and as leaders at various levels, we have to make amends,” the Bauchi governor said.
Speaking on the curfew imposed in Azare, Mr Mohammed said, “It is to protect other innocent Nigerians, the government and the people.
“We cannot allow this breakdown of law and order to go beyond the manifestation we have seen today in Bauchi.”
While commending the security personnel for handling the violence, the governor said all hands must be on deck to ensure no repeat of what happened in Azare and some parts of the Bauchi metropolis.
“We are assuring all the people of Bauchi of their safety and security through persuasion and ensuring that security agencies go by the rules of engagement.
“This will ensure that there is no arbitrariness, subjectivity and arbitrary use of force and at the same time being firm to ensure that lives and property are protected,” the governor assured.
The Economic Community of West African States Commission has expressed concern over the ongoing protests in Nigeria, lamenting reports of violence, fatalities, and property destruction.
It, therefore, urged protesters to heed the call for dialogue.
The commission extended condolences to the families of those who have died and expressed sympathy with the Nigerian government and its people over the losses incurred.
In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, ECOWAS emphasised the right of citizens to peaceful protests as enshrined in the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
“The ECOWAS Commission has been closely monitoring the ongoing protests by citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and deeply regrets reports of violence in the course of the protests and the unfortunate death of some protesters as well as alleged looting and destruction of public and private properties.
“The commission extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and sympathizes with the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the losses.
“The ECOWAS Commission recognises the right of citizens to peaceful protests, as guaranteed by the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,” the statement read in part.
The commission also welcomed the recent State of the Nation address by President Bola Tinubu on August 4, 2024.
ECOWAS urged protesters and all stakeholders to heed the President’s call for inclusive dialogue to address grievances and ensure peace and security in Nigeria and the wider ECOWAS region.
“The Commission welcomes the State of the Nation address of August 4, 2024 by President Bola Tinubu and urges the protesters and all stakeholders to heed the President’s call for inclusive dialogue for the resolution of all grievances and the preservation of peace and security in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region at large,” it added.
The hunger protests in Nigeria took a violent turn, resulting in numerous deaths, the burning of properties, and a significant disruption of business activities.
Several major highways were blocked, exacerbating the situation.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which have gained momentum in major cities such as Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Niger, Kebbi, Abuja, and other northern towns, were marked by escalating violence.
In some instances, security officials’ actions were the catalyst for the violence, while in other cases, it has been driven by overzealous protesters or counter-protesters.
In a national broadcast on Sunday, Tinubu pleaded with the organisers of the nationwide protest to suspend the action as it had gone violent in some states with the attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.
The queues at filling stations for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, may subside this week as PMS loading has resumed in Lagos depots.
Our correspondent reported on Saturday that the depot owners decided not to open for business because of the hunger protest that started on Thursday. Truck owners and drivers were also afraid of possible attacks while transporting fuel.
Oil marketers had also explained on Monday that the reappearance of queues at filling stations in many states was because of the halt in the supply of petroleum products by dealers in a bid to avert losing their assets due to the ongoing nationwide hunger protests.
Many states in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, witnessed varying degrees of queues about two weeks ago, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited blamed on a “hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.”
While the company and stakeholders worked together to tackle the challenge, the nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship commenced on Thursday, August 1, 2024, disrupting petrol supply again and causing the reappearance of queues in some states.
However, reliable sources at the depots told our correspondent on Monday that some trucks were loaded on Sunday and Monday to supply petrol across the country.
Officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and other government agencies were reportedly at the depots to supervise the process.
It was learned that more fuel vessels berthed at the weekend and some depots were supplied.
“There were activities today in some depots that took fuel during the ongoing protest,” a source said.
Another official told our correspondent, “NMDPRA and other officials have been on duty since Thursday when the protest started, just that depots are being careful of the security of trucks and drivers on the road.”
The official added that the seemingly low protest across the country, especially in Lagos, had been boosting loading since Sunday.
The source said the queues in filling stations may start easing off from Monday, though not as it is supposed to be.
He, however, noted that the pump price of a litre of petrol might still be high till next week when supply would have been further boosted.
The PUNCH observed that many filling stations in the cities had not opened for business since the commencement of the hunger protest. Many Nigerians also decided to sit at home over fear of violence.
Many petrol depots were dry last week Sunday, leading to fuel scarcity and attendant queues in Lagos, Ogun, parts of Abuja, Niger, and some other states across the country.
It was noticed that black marketers took advantage of the situation, selling the product for as high as N1,300/litre and N1,500/litre in parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
NNPC had explained that the tightness in fuel supply and distribution witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT was a result of a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.
The NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, had stated that the company was “working round the clock with all stakeholders to resolve the situation and restore normalcy in the operations.”
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The Federal Government has concluded plans to sell a 50kg bag of rice at N40,000 to public servants with a view to alleviating the food crisis in the nation and its effects on Nigerians.
This was disclosed in a letter from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, which was signed by the Director of Human Resources of the Ministry, Jaiyesimi Abimbola.
The letter said all interested staff members were to complete a Google form on the OHCSF website and submit it to the director of human resources for endorsement.
It noted that payment for and the distribution of the rice would be coordinated by designated offices while the chairman, Joint Union Council of the ministry, would serve as an observer for transparency reasons in the course of the exercise.
“As part of the Federal Government’s efforts to alleviate the current food crisis in the country and its effects on the general population, I am directed to inform you that 50kg bags of rice will be sold at a subsidised rate of N40,000 only per bag to interested public servants in Abuja.
“For effective implementation, all interested staff are required to complete a Google form on the OHCSF website, https://www.ohcsf.gov.ng, print, and submit same to the Director, HR, for endorsement.
“Payment for and distribution of the rice will be coordinated by designated officials while the chairman, Joint Union Council of the Ministry is required to serve as an observer during the period of the exercise for the purpose of transparency.
“I am to add that each staff is only entitled to purchase one bag. Two or more staff may also jointly pay for a bag for sharing among themselves.
“Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of staff in your respective Departments/Units for information and guidance.”
The Federal Government had recently said it had created centres across the country where Nigerians could purchase 50kg bags of rice for N40,000.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, said the initiative was one of several initiatives by the Tinubu administration to ease living conditions for citizens.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has decried the manner in which President Bola Tinubu removed fuel subsidies.
He said the haphazard and unilateral removal of subsidy engendered galloping inflation that plunged the citizens into severe economic hardship.
He stated that the present administration should have first taken into account the hardship the subsidy removal could cause people and how to cushion it.
Speaking in an interview with Financial Times, Obasanjo said subsidy has been restored and the Tinubu government is currently subsidising petrol.
“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done. Not just wake up one morning and say you removed the subsidy. Because of inflation, the subsidy that we have removed is not gone. It has come back,” the former President stressed.
He said there must be investor confidence in Nigeria, adding, “You have to go from transactional economy to transformational economy.”
Obasanjo expressed concern over youths’ restiveness caused by unemployment, fearing that Nigeria might be sitting on a keg of gunpowder.
“Our youth are restive. And they are restive because they have no skill. They have no empowerment. They have no employment. We are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder. And my prayer is that we will do the right thing before it’s too late,” he warned.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Mustapha, on Monday, said those flying Russian flags in Nigeria have committed a treasonable offence.
Mustapha while speaking with newsmen after an emergency security session with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock, vowed that the law would catch up with such people.
He warned those calling for a coup, adding that the military has accepted democracy and regime change would never be allowed.
Mustapha said, “We wanted to brief Mr President on the situation on ground and we know that since the riot has started all the security agencies you can see all of us together. Initially, when the riot started they said it was a peaceful one but we have realised that there are individuals that are willing to take advantage of it to cause mayhem. And we can see clearly what has happened since it has commenced. Criminals have taken over, a lot of looting taking place, stealing and all sorts happening.
“And besides, all of us have seen it where foreign flags have been flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable. We are warning in clear terms and the President has also said we should convey this, that we will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria. That is treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such. So nobody shall allow himself to be used by any individual.
“Also the issue of coups, Nigeria is a sovereign nation, Nigeria is a democratic nation all security agencies are here to defend democracy and ensure that democracy continues to strive. We will not accept anyone pushing or taking any action, seemingly or for whatever reason to want to push for any change of government. Democracy is what we stand for democracy is what will continue to defend.
“For those of them flying flags and if you’ll see a lot of them are kids being pushed to do that. We’re following up with those ones are sponsoring them. Those are pushing them because you know, the flies were also made. We have identified those areas and we are going to take serious action against that.
“The President is clear on his instructions for us not to accept anyone that wants to disrupt the peace and tranquility of Nigeria. And we are all standing here together to show Nigerians that we’re working closely, we are working together with synergy to ensure that there’s still peace and tranquility in Nigeria that we have assured Mr. President.
“We’ve said that clearly that the military is going to step in when it is out of hand and you can see that for people supervising elements to push individuals to carry Russian flags in Nigeria, Nigeria sovereignty, that is crossing the red line and we will not accept that. And those ones who have done that will go in for the books and they want to be prosecuted.”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that those benefiting from the lucrative business of fuel importation will make every effort to frustrate Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Obasanjo described Dangote Refinery as something that should encourage both Nigerians and non-Nigerians.
He stated this in the wake of allegations by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, that some ‘mafias’ were making efforts to frustrate the $20bn refinery.
It was gathered on Monday that the multi-billion dollar refinery and other domestic refineries had yet to purchase crude oil in naira based on the directive of President Bola Tinubu to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
Speaking during an interview with Financial Times, Obasanjo opined that the cabals benefitting from oil importation do not want to let go of their source of living.
He said, “Aliko’s investment in a refinery, if it goes well, should encourage both Nigerians and non-Nigerians to invest in Nigeria.
“If those who are selling or supplying refined products for Nigeria feel that they will lose the lucrative opportunity, they will also make every effort to get him frustrated.”
Speaking further, the former nation’s leader disclosed that Nigeria made a deadly mistake by putting all its eggs in what he called one basket of oil, ignoring gas and agriculture.
“I believe we made a very, very deadly mistake. We put all our eggs in one basket of oil. We even ignored gas. We were flaring gas, which is a very important commodity
“We ignored agriculture, which should have been the centrepiece of our economic development,” he said.
He recalled how he persuaded Shell to run the country’s refineries but the International Oil Company refused, saying there was too much corruption in the sector.
“When I was President, I invited Shell and I said, look, come and take equity participation and run our refineries for us. They refused. They said our refineries have not been well maintained.
“We have brought amateurs rather than bringing professionals. They said there’s too much corruption with the way our refinery is run and maintained. And they didn’t want to get involved in such a mess,” he explained.