The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: Opinion

  • Mass Distribution of Insurance cards in Osun State

    Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday, commenced mass distribution of Osun Health Insurance cards to 69,273 vulnerable citizens in the state.

     

    Osun Health Insurance Agency has successfully enrolled 69,273 vulnerable persons who have been receiving healthcare services in the last two years under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

     

    A statement by Ismail Omipidan, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said Oyetola while speaking at the flag-off ceremony, held at Ede High School, Ede, explained that the ceremony marked a watershed in the administration’s quest to ensure that no one was left behind in accessing qualitative healthcare.

    “To further strengthen the scheme, we have consistently paid the government’s share of public servants’ health insurance premium which is 3% of workers basic salary and paid the equity grant meant for the provision of treatment and care for the vulnerable/less privileged people in the State free of charge, making us the second in the entire Federation to do so.

     

    Read AlsoOsun 2022: Nobody can stop me – Gov aspirant, Lasun YusufOsun traditionalists shelve march on Iwo as Oyetola intervenesOsun constituency bars members from contesting governorship against Oyetola

     

    “The programmes have just been completed and the enrolled patients are already receiving treatment for TB across the State, as part of the OHIS Equity Programme for vulnerable persons,” he said.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

     

  • 10 Nigerian Journalists Murdered With Impunity In Four Years

    10 Nigerian Journalists Murdered With Impunity In Four Years

    10 Nigerian Journalists Murdered With Impunity In Four Years

    The media space was thrown into sorrow on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, following the report that a Vanguard Newspaper missing reporter, Tordue Salem, was found dead at Abuja, North-central Nigeria.

    Late Salem, who was covering the House of Representatives, was last seen on Oct. 13, 2021 with an alarm on his mysterious disappearance being raised the next day.

    The matter was directed to the Police Intelligence Response Team on Oct. 16, 2021 but he was never seen until his remains were recovered on Thursday.

    Salem joined the list of many journalists who have been killed, or died as a result of insecurity and impunity in Nigeria.

    A 20-year-old journalist, Pelumi Onifade, was reportedly killed by officials of the Nigerian police attached to the Lagos State Task Force, on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020 during #EndSARS protests.

    He was a 200-level student of the Department of History, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State, who was an intern with Gboah TV, an online television.

    He was said to have joined one of his colleagues to cover an attempted burglary by hoodlums at a government facility at Abattoir, Oko Oba area of Agege.

    On Jan. 21, 2020, an editor with the local independent outlet Regent Africa Times, Alex Ogbu, was killed at a protest in Abuja. He was shot by a bullet that was fired by the police at the scene of the Shi’ite protest.

    Also, a former presenter and on-air personality for Naija FM, Titus Badejo, was murdered on June 19, 2021 in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.

    The killing was reportedly carried out by armed men outside Club 407 in the Oluyole area of Ibadan at about 11:30 p.m.

    Another incident was that of Olubunmi Afuye who was killed on July 15, 2021 when armed robbers stormed a bank in Ondo State. Afuye, popularly known as ‘Bumbam’ worked with the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) and Orange FM before he resigned to join Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, as Public Relations Officer (PRO).

    A reporter with the government-owned Federal Radio Corporation (FRCN), Maxwell Nashan, was abducted from his home before being bound, gagged and hacked to death in Adamawa State on Jan. 15, 2020.

    It does not end, still.

    On July 22, 2019, Precious Owolabi, a 23-year-old general assignment reporter for the privately owned broadcaster Channels Television, was shot while covering a confrontation between Shi’ite Muslim protesters and the Nigerian police, and died the same day after being taken to a hospital.

    Some non-state actors killed Famous Giobaro, a staff of state-owned Glory FM 97.1 at his residence at INEC Road, Kpasia in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa in April 2017.

    On Nov. 15, 2017, police found Ikechukwu Onubogu, a cameraman with Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), dead with bullet wounds in the city of Onitsha, Anambra State.

    Also, a reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Lawrence Okojie, was shot dead by a terror group on Jul. 7, 2017 around Ogunola Junction, off Siluko Road, Benin, capital of Edo State.

    Call for protection of journalists

    As the world marked the 2021 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in early November, Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, Adeleye Ajayi, urged the Federal Government and security agencies in the country to end further attacks and reopen investigation of past assaults on media practitioners.

    The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) Director, Edetaen Ojo, also charged the government to establish a specialised team of prosecutors to facilitate the effective investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against journalists and other media workers for Nigeria to fulfill its regional and international treaty obligations to ensure the safety of journalists.

    Reacting to the recent incident involving Salem, a media expert, Kene Obiezu, said Nigeria must guarantee safety of journalists as they give people a voice, and enable them to ask authorities tough questions.

    In a programme organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in partnership with Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), to discuss violence against journalists last week, the Executive Director of the IPC, Lanre Arogundade, said CSOs and non-state actors including the various professional groups, trade unions, academics, etc., are critical voices that should be heard on the issue of safety of journalists.

    On his part, the publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, argued that “journalists cannot afford to relent in the advocacy for complete freedom of the press as the press continues to be important for ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.”

    (HumAngle)

  • Kanu: UN issues “Urgent Appeals” to Nigerian and Kenyan governments demanding stoppage of torture and violation of Nnamdi Kanu’s rights.

     

    The trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has received the attention of the international community following the issuance of “Urgent Appeals” by the United Nations to both the Nigerian and Kenyan governments, demanding immediate stoppage of any torture or violation of his rights.

     

    The decision of the UN followed a petition by Kanu’s brother, Kanunta Kanu and his special counsel, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor.

     

    In addition, the UN warned that it would take serious actions against the two countries should the allegations of torture and violation of fundamental human rights against Nnamdi Kanu are confirmed.

     

    According to a statement by Kanunta, “Urgent Appeals” have already been transmitted to both countries since August 26, and acknowledgment received from the Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on September 17.

     

    The statement made by Aloy Ejimakor read in part: “In particular, the said Urgent Appeals state in part that the United Nations is “alarmed by the alleged torture and ill-treatment Mr. Kanu has been subjected to during his illegal custody in Kenya.

     

    “If confirmed, these allegations would constitute prima facie violations of fundamental human rights, including the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of liberty, and the absolute and non-derogable prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment under the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights (ICCPR).

    The allegations in the case of Mr. Kanu raise serious violations of international human rights law and may cause irreparable damage to his life or personal integrity, which we believe warrants prompt attention.

     

    In this regard, we are considering to publicly express our concerns in this case in the near future, believing that the wider public should be informed about the implications of these allegations for the enjoyment and exercise of human rights in Kenya and Nigeria. Any public expression of concern in this regard, will indicate that we have been in contact with your Excellency’s Government to clarify the issue/s in question.

     

    “While awaiting a reply, we urge that all necessary interim measures be taken to prevent any irreparable damage to the life or personal integrity of Mr. Kanu, halt the alleged violations and prevent their re-occurrence and in the event that the investigations support or suggest the allegations to be correct, to ensure the accountability of any person responsible of the alleged violations”.

     

    Following the extraordinary rendition of my older brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, I undertook a number of urgent steps within the realm of the international community, particularly in Britain and the United Nations.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Scarcity of funds in the interbank money market worsens.

     

    The scarcity of funds in the interbank money market worsened last week following a sharp decline of 72 per cent in market liquidity to N56.3 billion.

     

    Financial Vanguard analysis of data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the amount of liquidity (Opening balance) dropped to N56.3 billion on Friday last week from N200.64 billion Friday the previous week, translating to 72 per cent week-on-week (w/w) decline.

     

    The sharp decline was aggravated by significant outflow out of the market namely, N67.59 billion through CBN’s Open Market Operations (OMO) treasury bills auction on Wednesday, and N192.76 billion through the FGN Bond auction conducted by the Debt Management of Office (DMO) during the week.

     

     

    The outflow moderated the impact of N85 billion inflow through matured OMO treasury bills during the week.

     

    Consequently, cost of funds remained elevated in the interbank money market, with marginal decline compared to the previous week.

     

     

     

    Data from FMDQ showed that interest rate on Collateralised (Open Buy Back, OBB) lending fell by 50 basis points (bpts) to 19 per cent last week from 19.5 per cent the previous week.

     

    Similarly, interest rate on overnight lending fell by 75 bpts to 19.25 per cent from 20 per cent the previous week.

     

     

     

    Also reflecting the intense scarcity of funds in the market, banks’ dependence on the CBN’s Standing Lending Facility, for their liquidity needs, shot up by 808 per cent, as banks borrowed N107.67 billion from the apex bank last week, up from N11.84 billion the previous week.

     

    On the flip side, the amount of idle funds deposited by banks into the CBN’s Standing Deposit Facility crashed by 74 per cent to N16.25 per cent last week from N63.11 billion the previous week.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • Anambra Poll: INEC yet to distribute PVCs

     

    The Igbos for Progressive Nigeria has decried the Independent National Electoral Commission’s failure to give PVCs to would-be voters in the November 6 Anambra governorship election.

     

    The group expressed worry over the non-release of the permanent voter cards to those that participated in the last registration exercise, a few weeks to the poll, and described it as a dangerous signal.

     

    Michael Chibuzo, the national secretary of IPAN, said INEC should urgently distribute the PVCs to prospective voters.

     

    “I call on us all to be committed to a peaceful electoral participation by all – the elderly, young, and special persons, the future is ours to make,” said Mr Chibuzo.

     

    He also called on eligible voters for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra to be vigilant to perform their civic responsibility by voting right.

     

    IPAN advised the Anambra electorate to assess the governorship candidates based on their pedigree, either in private or public life, to determine who can manage the tiny resources of the state better.

     

    Lawrence Onuzulike, IPAN national president, made the charge at a press conference on Sunday in Awka.

     

    “Anambra cannot afford to make the mistake of voting in one who has no serious agenda for the people, who just wants to be called governor but does not have a purposeful vision,” said Mr Onuzulike.

     

    He added that the November 6 election is an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past, regretting that Anambra leaders in the past paid little attention to the issues that matter most.

     

    According to Mr Onuzulike, the incoming governor needs a political base  with a general spread.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Imminent fuel crisis as private depot owners raise prices.

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Kano has alerted the Federal Government over the imminent fuel crisis in the country following the decision by some private depot owners to unilaterally raise the prices of the product.

     

    The IPMAN chairman Kano chapter, Alhaji Bashir Danmallam, stated this in a statement issued in Kano on Friday.

     

    He said some of the private depot owners had increased the price of the commodity from N148 per litre to between N153 and N155 per litre since Friday last week.

     

    He said the association found it necessary to alert the government in order not to blame its members if they increase the price of the commodity as they would not operate at loss.

     

    “Some private depot owners are trying to sabotage the Federal Government by unilaterally increasing their prices even though the government has not raised the fuel pump price.

     

    “We are equally calling on the Management of the NNPC to investigate the issue as some of the private depot owners have since Friday last week increased the price from N148 per litre to between N153 and N155 per litre. We know it’s only the Federal Government that imports fuel into the country.

     

    “As I am talking to you private depot owners in Warri, Calabar Lagos and Oghara in Delta State have increased their prices. We hope the management of the NNPC will investigate and intervene,” Danmalam said.

     

    He also accused the private depot owners of trying to cause a fuel crisis in the country by closing the depots as the end of the year is fast approaching to maximize profit.

     

    He said the association would not fold its arms and allow such unpatriotic private depot owners to engage in unnecessary price increase while the public is always accusing their members of flagrant increase in fuel prices.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Elon Musk could be the world’s first trillionaire

     

    Elon Musk, the world’s richest person is estimated to have a net worth of $242 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Although he is already the world’s richest person, he could also become the first member of the four-comma club.

     

    According to The Guardian, analysts at Morgan Stanley have predicted that Musk, 50, could become the world’s first trillionaire — largely thanks to his aerospace company SpaceX, People.com reports.

     

    “More than one client has told us that if Elon Musk were to become the first trillionaire… it won’t be because of Tesla,” analyst Adam Jones told the newspaper, referring to the electric car company behind the majority of his wealth to date.

    “Others have said SpaceX may eventually be the most highly valued company in the world — in any industry,” Jones added.

     

    Though humans have yet to reach Mars — one of Musk’s goals for the company — via SpaceX’s Starship, the advanced launch system already has high expectations following the success of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

     

    “As one client put it, ‘talking about space before Starship is like talking about the internet before Google,’ ” explains Jones.

     

    Earlier this month, the valuation of SpaceX increased to $100.3 billion, up from $74 billion in February, according to CNBC.

     

    The valuation made SpaceX — which Musk owns about 48% of the corporation — the world’s second-biggest privately held company, The Guardian states.

     

    SpaceX has celebrated a number of milestones this year, including successfully launching and landing a Starship rocket for the first time. Last month, SpaceX sent the first all-civilian crew into orbit.

     

    Musk is currently estimated to have a $242 billion net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Tesla still remains his biggest asset.

     

    Back in January, Musk overtook Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person, only to briefly lose the title back to the Amazon billionaire the following month. Musk went on to reclaim his spot days later, following the completion of a SpaceX funding round, according to Fortune.

     

    Bezos — currently the second-richest person in the world, per Bloomberg — is estimated to have a net worth of $197 billion, followed by Bernard Arnault ($163 billion), Bill Gates ($133 billion) and Mark Zuckberg ($127 billion).

     

    Musk’s fortunes have rapidly increased since the start of last year.

     

    Back in January 2020, Musk was ranked 35th on their list of billionaires, but that year his net worth rose by $100.3 billion, according to Bloomberg. He became the second-richest person in the world that November.

     

    Bloomberg reported at the time that Musk’s financial surge came as Tesla’s market share hit $500 billion, which was an all-time high for the electric automaker company.

     

    So far this year, the billionaire has increased his fortune by $72 billion, a 42.4% increase from this time last year, per Bloomberg.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Nnamdi Kanu pleads not guilty to seven count charge, challenges competence of Nigerian court jurisdiction to try the case.

     

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday adjourned the trial of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, till November 10.

     

    Trial Justice Binta Nyako fixed the date after the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) informed the court that it had filed a fresh seven-count charge against Kanu.

     

    After the fresh counts were read to him, Kanu pleaded not guilty. He also challenged the competence of the charge and the court’s jurisdiction to try the case in a fresh application.

     

    Kanu, it was gathered, requested to be transferred to the Kuje Correctional Centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). However, Justice Nyako declined and directed that three people of his choice should be allowed to visit him in the DSS custody on Thursdays.

     

    The amended charge include secession threat, description of President Mohammadu Buhari as a terrorist and idiot; being member of IPOB and inciting IPOB members to kill security operatives.

     

    Kanu had been granted bail in April 2017 on health grounds. But, he skipped bail after flouting some of the conditions given to him by the court.

     

    IPOB was subsequently declared a terrorist group by the Federal Government.

     

    He was arrested and returned to Nigeria from Kenya on June 20. On June 28 when he was taken to court by the DSS for his treason trial to continue, Justice Nyako ordered that he should be remanded in DSS custody.

     

    On July 26 when the case was to restart, the DSS failed to produce him.

     

    Kanu, dressed in grey Fendi attire, entered the court around 10am, guarded by the DSS.

     

    Shortly after the proceedings, his lawyers took pictures with him.

     

    His lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said he was challenging the court’s jurisdiction on the grounds that the alleged offences were committed in the United Kingdom and not in Nigeria.

     

    Before his arrival, there was pandemonium at the court’s entrance as lawyers clashed with DSS personnel for refusing them access into the premises.

     

    Court officials were made to stand in queue and searched before being allowed into the court premises.

     

    Some reporters who were allowed in did not go beyond the ground floor of the five-floor court building. The proceedings were held on the fifth floor.

     

    Some security agents said they were instructed to prevent media coverage of the proceedings.

     

    Prominent Nigerians, including a former Anambra State Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife; leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike, and Senator Ifeanyi Uba (Anambra South) were also prevented from witnessing the proceedings.

     

    Eziefe, who arrived at the court with Ejiofor, lamented that he could not see the IPOB leader after being left in the sun for hours.

     

    But, the former governor, who heads the Ohanaeze Ndigbo team monitoring the trial, said the development would herald the birth of a new Nigeria.

     

    Uba frowned at the way he was treated, arguing that as a senator, he ought to be allowed to witness the case.

     

    An activist, Deji Adeyanju, said: “At least, even under military rule, journalists would be given access to the courts. Members of the general public could also access the court. But today (yesterday) the reverse is the case. It is most unfortunate and unbelievable that this is supposed to be a democracy.

     

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo said Kanu’s appearance in court amounted to the beginning of victory.

     

    “This is one step forward in Ohanaeze’s determined moves towards ensuring that the Afara Ukwu Prince is set free in no distant time,” its spokesman, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, said in a statement.

     

    The organisation urged youths in the Southeast to show restraints, prudence, and maturity in their legitimate demands for equity, justice, and fairness.

     

    The statement reads in part: “The diplomatic engagements by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has apparently yielded a positive result as the Federal Government has through the DSS bowed to the overwhelming demands of Ndigbo by producing Kanu in court.

     

    “We are unrelenting in our resolve to ensure that the government toes the path of wisdom by conceding to the proposal for ‘Dialogue and Alternative Dispute Resolution’ which will ensure the unconditional freedom of Mazi Kanu and all members of IPOB detained across Nigeria.”

     

    Demanding unconditional release of Kanu, IPOB said he has not “committed any crime to deserve persecution”

     

    It also asked the Federal Government to prepare a date for a referendum on Biafra.

     

    In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB commended those that played various roles in ensuring that Kanu was produced in court.

     

    He said: “We wish to commend all the honorable men and women, including renowned groups in the world who lent their voices in advising Federal Government and the DSS to produce our leader Nnamdi Kanu today (yesterday) in court.

     

    “Those who played a role in producing our leader in court have done Nigeria and DSS some great service. Thank God, they listened to wise counsel and did not fail to produce our leader in court today.

     

    “Now that he appeared in court today, and Biafran can confirm that he is alive, Nigeria must do the needful and release him unconditionally.

     

    Read Also: Umuahia, Aba deserted as IPOB’s Kanu appears in court

    “Nigeria government should prepare a date for the referendum on Biafra. Those who want to sabotage Biafra freedom should wait for referendum date.”

     

    After the adjournment, Kanu’s supporters, who were also barred from the court premises burst into solidarity songs.

     

    An activist, Omoyele Sowore, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums.

     

    He was standing outside the court premises when the hoodlums swooped on him.

     

    DSS operatives warned the attackers to back off.

     

    Sowore explained why he was in the court.

     

    He said: “I am here to check the registry because for a while I have not been charged to court. I need to know about my treason case.

     

    “Also, I am here to witness the trial of my friend, Nnamdi Kanu. The courtroom is incomplete, except the public observers watch and if it is a secrete trial, the public must know it‘s a secrete trial. You cannot have a secret trial in a public courtroom.”

     

    A shop, fully stocked with provisions, cosmetics, and household items, was yesterday morning set ablaze by hoodlums enforcing another sit-at-home order in Enugu State.

     

    The hoodlums also set ablaze a container truck conveying goods to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State in another at Eke Obinagu.

     

    The driver of the truck belonging to a popular transport company was said to have escaped unhurt.

     

    IPOB had threatened a one-month sit-at-home beginning from yesterday if Kanu was not produced in court.

     

    The threat also made residents of Ebonyi, Abia, Anambra, and Imo states stay indoors to avoid being attacked by enforcers of the order.

     

    The owner of the shop in Ekeagu was said to have opened in defiance of the order when a group of youths arrived and set fire to it.

     

    Eyewitnesses said: “They dragged the shop owner out while one of them went to their vehicle to get petrol with which they set the shop ablaze. They also ensured that the fire totally gutted the shop and its contents”

     

    Banks, parks, schools major roads, and streets, including fuel stations, remained under lock and key in all the five Southeast states.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

  • SERAP sues Buhari over plan to intercept and monitor phone calls, WhatsApp and text messages of Nigerians.

     

    Socio–Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari, asking the court to declare illegal and unconstitutional plan by the administration to track, intercept and monitor WhatsApp messages, phone calls, and text messages of Nigerians and other people, as it severely threatens and violates the right to the preservation of privacy.

     

    The suit followed the proposal in the Supplementary Appropriation Act signed in July 2021 to spend N4.87 billion to monitor private calls and messages. The amount is part of the N895.8billion supplementary budget approved by the National Assembly.

     

    In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1240/2021 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining President Buhari and any other authority, persons or group of persons from unlawfully monitoring the WhatsApp messages, phone calls and text messages of Nigerians and other people.

     

     

     

     

    SERAP is also seeking a declaration that any monitoring of WhatsApp messages, phone calls and text messages is oppressive and draconian, as it threatens and violates sections 37 and 39 of Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended); Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Articles 17 and 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.

     

    The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, read in part: “The plan to monitor WhatsApp messages, phone calls and text messages is an arbitrary interference by the administration into respect for family and private life, the home, and correspondence. It also fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality. The Buhari administration has legal obligations to protect Nigerians and other people against arbitrary interference and violations of their human rights. Monitoring of WhatsApp messages, phone calls and text messages would grant free rein to government agencies to conduct mass surveillance of communications of people. The mere threat of mass surveillance, even when secret, coupled with the lack of remedy, can constitute an interference with human rights, including the rights to privacy, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. Privacy and expression are intertwined in the digital age, with online privacy serving as a gateway to secure exercise of the freedom of opinion and expression. Therefore, targets of surveillance would suffer interference with their rights to privacy and freedom of opinion and expression whether the effort to monitor is successful or not.”

     

    Joined in the suit as respondents are Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

     

     

     

    “The powers to conduct arbitrary, abusive or unlawful surveillance of communications may also be used to target political figures and activists, journalists and others in the discharge of their lawful activities. Any spending of public funds should stay within the limits of constitutional responsibilities, and oath of office by public officers, as well as comply with Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution relating to fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy. The lack of any safeguards against discriminatory decision-making, and access to an effective remedy shows the grave threats the purported plan poses to constitutionally and internationally recognised human rights.

     

    “Section 37 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provide for the right to freedom from arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy and correspondence, communications and private data. Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 19 of the Covenant also guarantee the right of everyone to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers and through any media. The UN General Assembly has condemned unlawful or arbitrary surveillance and interception of communications as ‘highly intrusive acts’ that interfere with fundamental human rights (see General Assembly resolutions 68/167 and 71/199). Interference with privacy through targeted surveillance is designed to repress the exercise of the right to freedom of expression. Surveillance of journalists, activists, opposition figures, critics and others simply exercising their right to freedom of expression – would lead to violations of other human rights. Targeted surveillance creates incentives for self-censorship and directly undermines the ability of journalists and human rights defenders to conduct investigations and build and maintain relationships with sources of information.”

     

    No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Challenges of the South East

    Challenges of the South East

    Who would have imagined that, in less than six years, people will be slaughtered like rams in the South east region of Nigeria, the way Boko Haram terrorists and “bandits” operate in the North? Who would have imagined this? What is this telling us?

     

    Every human being or society has the natural propensity to be wicked and violent, if the enablements for peace and stability are not in place, but is the recourse to violence the answer to these challenges? Will this be the answer to the much marginalised situation that the Igbos of the South east have faced since the end of the civil war in 1970?

    When the Russian communist revolution took place in 1917, ending centuries of imperial rule and setting into motion political and social changes that led to the formation of the Soviet Union, the world took notice.

    What Karl Marx, the philosopher predicted in 1848, had come to pass. His thesis was that capitalism would inevitably self-destruct, and would be replaced by socialism and ultimately communism.

    According to Ernest W Adams, “Britain, like the United States, was never quite as oppressive towards its peasants and industrial working classes as some of the other nations of Europe were.

    “It was bad, make no mistake, but it wasn’t anywhere near as bad to be a British peasant, as it was to be a Russian peasant under the czars. And, Britain made a number of important reforms that took the wind off the sails of the most extreme revolutionaries. The UK offered universal male suffrage in 1918, undoubtedly in part to recognise the sacrifices of so many men in the first world war, but, also in response to the Russian Revolution.”

    In other words, in places where peasants were well treated, there was the least likelihood of a people’s revolution and vice-versa. When you look at the regions and countries with the highest rate of terrorism in the world today, they are places where the peasants, the ordinary folks have been left on their own; no food, no proper education and other basic needs.

    They include Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, Palestine, Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, northern Nigeria, among others. The common trend is of a people who have been abandoned by their governments and so, they fall easy prey to religion and ideological doctrines. They see themselves as those with nothing to lose.

    In the French revolution, at least four of the top ten leaders (Jacques Pierre Briscot, Maximilien Robespierre, Louis Antoine and Georfes Danton), all were executed through the guillotine, the same instrument that they had used to eliminate so many of their rivals.

    What does this tell us? We must learn from history and never allow past mistakes to be repeated. Happenings in the South east are not ideal for development and progress of the people in that section of the country.

    The leadership in that region must put heads together and pull their people, from the trap that their youths are presently encircling them in. It is a no win situation for them, especially if people from other parts of the country are not keying into their methodology.

    The whole world knows that by all standards of fairness, the Igbo of the South east deserves to be President of the country, come 2023, but how this will materialise depends on the Igbos. Every Igbo man is pan Nigerian, and has his kith and kin cut across the length and breadth of the country, which gives him a networking advantage.

    They have the resources to make this happen but need to do this in humility and with respect for their fellow Nigerians. That hubris, that pride and arrogance must be subdued, that feeling of ‘I am the best,’ must be totally expunged from their mindset. The spirit of ‘I’, instead of the ‘we’ must be cleared, while the feeling of force over dialogue must also not come into play. That is why they must reexamine their strategies.

    Politics is a game, if you do not play it right, you will continue to end up on the losing side. I am not a fan of Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, director of publicity and advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum, but I totally agree with him that bringing the presidency to the South will not be by force. If you are to go by force, it will no longer be a democracy. We must decide on what we wish to practice.

    It is also noteworthy that, while the Igbos are flexing muscles, they have not really narrowed down on the list they want to pick their presidential candidate from. While they continue with their belligerence against themselves and the world, supporters of Bola Ahmed Tinubu are already doing underground work, lobbying and campaigning to make their candidate become the next president.

    You do not sow yam and expect to reap corn, you must work hard, plan and adopt the right strategies. Identify the weak areas and collectively agree on what path to follow. As it is now, it will seem as if Igbo leaders are waiting to ride on the notoriety of IPOB, to become popular candidates.

    The ones that have been bold enough to tell the truth are being hunted down and threatened, others are keeping quiet, including governors of the region. They are not able to come out with a working security outfit, like the South west have done. We must try to build a united country that is free from unnecessary ethnic and religious sentiments.

    History has shown that the Azikiwe-Awolowo division/betrayal was inspired by the British. If you have listened to the testimony of Mr. Smith, a Briton who witnessed it all in Nigeria, Azikiwe was blackmailed by the British into that alliance with the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, not withstanding the fact that Zik by nature was a pan Nigerian.

    Ordinary folks have been made to fight this imaginary war over the years. The achilles heel of the Igbos is the tendency to assert their superiority through bullying in whatever form, the same way some of the Fulanis are doing now that they are in control of leadership of Nigeria. We must all remember the fact that, no empire lasts forever. No matter how good, everything is dependent on time, circumstances and chance.

    This is the chance for the South east but will they take it? Some have said that, even if the presidency is zoned to the South east on a platter of gold, they will not be able to produce a candidate, because it will be impossible for them to agree on one among themselves.

    The South had only come this far in the pursuit of the 2023 ticket, because of the strong leadership that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has provided for the southern governors forum. Even within this forum, you can see the South east governors dragging their feet. Let us see if they will prove us wrong.

    Vanguard

  • Ekweremadu Tasks Igbo Diaspora on South East Stability, Security

    Ekweremadu Tasks Igbo Diaspora on South East Stability, Security

    …Says SE NASS Caucus exploring political solution towards Nnamdi Kanu release

    Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekwermadu, has enjoined the Igbo in diaspora to offer strong voice against violent agitations and also bring their influences to bear in the search for security and stability in Igbo land.

    This was even as he gave assurances that the South East Caucus of the National Assembly, which he is the leader, was also working towards defusing tension in the region as well as finding a political solution that would result in the release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    Ekweremadu blamed the agitations by various parts of the country on a flawed federal system, injustice, poor management of the nation’s diversity, failure of the federal government to secure lives and property, and needless clampdown on self-determination agitators when dialogue and giving every part of the country a sense of belonging could have sufficed.

    He, however, insisted that violent agitation was not the answer.

    The lawmaker bared his mind in a lecture entitled “The Igbo in Diaspora: A Perspective” that he delivered virtually at the Igbo Heritage Lectures and Ugwumba Excellence Award event, which held in Pretoria, South Africa, Sunday evening.

    He observed that one of the worst things that could happen to Ndigbo at this time was to allow their homeland to be turned into a theatre of war.

    “The injustices and marginalisations are palpable and must be addressed. But by all means, we must ensure the stability of Igbo land because only by so doing can Alaigbo (Igbo land) prosper economically and also elicit local and international support and sympathy over their plights.

    “What has happened in Alaigbo in the past few months is odd, ‘un-Igbo’, and sacrilegious. Destruction, waste of human lives, and economic losses have been the lot of our region. In particular, the sit-at-home has hemorrhaged Igbo lives and economy and it is good the IPOB has said they are no longer interested in the sit-at-home. No wise man brings war into his home. Our people prosper on industry, commerce, and the informal sector. Most of them survive on daily income.

    “Therefore, while we are at liberty to employ every legitimate and democratic means to press for justice and equity, we must all work together to condemn and end the violence, irrespective of whatever quarters it is coming from.

    “This is a special appeal to Ndigbo in South Africa, in particular, to wade into the orgy of violence in Igboland and help to restore normalcy. Ndigbo at home expect the Igbo in diaspora to lead the campaign against violent agitations and insecurity in our region because threats to Igbo businesses, the peace, security, and stability of the South-East are threats to our very existence as Ndigbo”, he stated.

    Continuing, he said: “As the intellectual bank of Ndigbo with extensive exposure to liberal and progressive democratic ideals, and access to international resources, the Igbo in diaspora are well positioned to elevate the intellectual content of the Igbo struggle for justice and equity.

    “How best can we address the issues of exclusion, imbalances, detention of many Igbo sons and daughters in various correctional centres across the country, the issues of clampdown on unarmed protesters, and the challenge of extra-judicial killings in Igbo land without recourse to violent agitations?”, he added.

    On Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Ekweremadu said: “Let me also assure you that the South East Caucus of the National Assembly is not resting on its oars. We are working quietly and surely to address these issues, including finding a political solution to the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu matter.

    “We did it before in the case of Chief Raph Uwazuruike in 2007. We also did it in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in 2017. And God willing, and with your support and prayers, we will succeed again in the matter of Nnamdi kanu to promote peace and stability in our region”.

    Ekweremadu, however, enjoined the Igbo in diaspora to show interest in leadership recruitment in Igbo land.

    “The Igbo diaspora must show more than a passing interest in leadership recruitment at all levels in Alaigbo. If possible, please, come home and run for elective offices. Those who cannot come home should prompt and support other candidates of their choice. The bottom line is to ensure that our local, state, and federal political offices are occupied by our best and those who have Igbo at heart. That to me, is the beginning of the real liberation struggle for Ndigbo because charity begins at home”, he concluded.

    ENDS

    Uche Anichukwu
    Media Adviser to Senator Ekweremadu
    Former Deputy President of the Senate
    11/10/2021

  • Bakare: 1999 constitution is a lopside sham, the Nation needs restructure

     

     

    Serving Overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC) and Convener, Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare, has described the 1999 constitution as draconian and lopsided sham which must be torn down for the country to move forward.

     

    In his State of the Nation address tagged: “The Black Box of Nigeria’s Politics,” which was relayed from his Lagos church, yesterday, he said if President Muhammadu Buhari does not tear the constitution down and push for restructuring of the nation, not only would history record that he failed to rise to the occasion, he would have squandered a great opportunity.

     

     

     

    He said many of those who say Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable pay lipservice to a version of unity that serves their selfish interests.

     

    “Our founding fathers signed a contract in 1960 detailing the terms and conditions of our union or unity following a series of negotiations. This contract was then updated in 1963 following due consultations. While the 1999 Constitution opens with the preamble: “We the people,” ‘we, the people of Nigeria’ were neither duly consulted nor did we accept the conditions under which we are now being governed. How, then, can anyone hypocritically insist that our unity is non-negotiable? Did we not negotiate it in 1960 and 1963?

     

    “The majority of the champions, promoters and supporters of the “our unity is non-negotiable” slogan pay lipservice to a version of unity that serves their selfish interests. What they are insisting on, in reality, is that ‘our disunity is non-negotiable’ and that we must be forced to live together irrespective of the inherent dysfunctionality of the terms and conditions. The continued insistence on altering the set rules in the midst of our spirited game of national development, and the subsequent imposition of a draconian and lopsided concoction of a constitution in 1999 is the most inhibiting, corrosive spanner thrown into the wheel of our national unity and faith, peace and progress, from that time until now. I am fully persuaded, as are many fellow compatriots within and outside the shores of Nigeria, that the 1999 Constitution, whether as amended or to be further amended by the National Assembly is nothing more than a glorified death certificate.”

     

     

     

    Pastor Bakare added that what the country needed ws a geo-political structure that would provide an enabling environment for every zone to maximise its geo-economic opportunities and potentials under a strong country and that this can be achieved by a pragmatic approach to restructuring Nigeria rather than by mere zoning of the presidency.

     

    “Once upon a time, the Berlin walls separated Eastern Germany from Western Germany until President Ronald Reagan in his indomitable manner spoke lucidly on live television to the president of the then Soviet Union.

     

    “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall. Mr Gorbachev eventually did, and Germany is better off for it today. In the same spirit, I say to President Muhammadu Buhari. ‘Mr President, stop passing the buck to the National Assembly. Tear down this inhibiting concoction of a constitution; tear it down so we can build a truly great nation.’ This is one enduring legacy your administration can still secure before your time in power draws to a close. If you do, present and unborn generations of Nigerians will remember you for it and write your name in gold when the history of this period is written. If you don’t, history will record that you failed to rise to the occasion and squandered a great opportunity.”

     

    He warned that those clamouring and waiting for genuine change to happen through the forthcoming 2023 presidential election without first insisting that the “imposed sham of a constitution must be torn and discarded are merely putting the cart before the horse. This is nothing but a prescription for retrogression. No tangible progress can ever be made by such an exercise in futility. It would be tantamount to building a superstructure on a faulty or shaky foundation.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com