The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: Opinion

  • Okoye V Okoye: Rude boy’s wife file for Divorce

     

    The marriage between Paul Okoye aka Rude Boy, one half of the defunct music group, P-Square and his entrepreneur wife, Anita Tonye Okoye is over as the latter has filed for divorce.

     

    Sources close to the couple disclosed that an official petition citing irreconcilable differences as the basis for divorce was filed at an Abuja court recently.

    The couple got married in 2014 after dating for 10 years and they both have three beautiful children together.

     

    The news of the couple’s impending divorce comes as a rude shock to both of their families and close friends.

    The source further revealed that both parties will proceed amicably with the legal resolution of the marriage and be the best parents to their children. “Paul and Anita have always been very good friends and like every couple they have had issues for a while but plan to remain on good terms and keep the friendship they have always had since their days as university students,” the source said.

     

     

     

    Meanwhile, Anita has since relocated with the children to the United States of America where she is studying for her Masters degree.

     

    All efforts to reach Paul Okoye for confirmation have been unsuccessful.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Halting Insecurity -Ohuabunwa

    Former chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group and president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Dr Sam Ohuabunwa is interested in succeeding President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.In this interview, he spoke about his New Nigeria Group Agenda/ movement, the current situation in the country among other topical issues. What is your take on the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria?No normal human being is happy. Personally, I’m distraught because I value human life. Whenever I hear that people are kidnapped, killed or brutalised, I have this feeling, suppose it’s me or any member of my family. I feel pains because humanity is one. Nigeria is supposed to be one, so whatever happens to one is supposed to affect the other. Honestly, I never thought that Nigeria would get to this horrible situation. Thus, much more is needed to be done to change the ugly tide.How do you feel particularly about the activities of killer herdersmen? The truth is that political leaders have not manned up to stop this monster from a neutral angle; that is from non -partisan point. That’s why the problem remains. You can imagine the minister of justice /Attorney general comparing cow movement with dealers of automobile spare parts; that is the height of partisanship. That frame of mind cannot bring solution to the problems in Nigeria. The government has shown clearly that they care about a particular group of people at the expense of others. As a person, you have the right to hold opinions and personal biases but once you become a governor or president, you must bury your personal bias and embrace all and sundry. This is what Nigeria political leaders don’t know.Did you expect less from the AGF? Is he not following the footsteps of his master?I was utterly embarrassed. I didn’t expect that from a “supposed “ learned person. For God’s sake, he is not Attorney general of one man; he should speak and act in a way and manner that shows independence of thought and neutrality of mind. Yes, he could be following the steps of his master. The AGF ought to communicate in a more healing, reconciliatory manner. He should advise the president aright and not otherwise at least for the toga he puts on; the world is watching. His utterances should be inclusive, he should not be defending one group against another. There is no relationship between banning animals which destroy crops, and human beings who do legitimate businesses.Do you think Nigeria’s situation is irredeemable or are we heading towards Somalia?If Nigeria problem is irredeemable, I wouldn’t be talking with you, thus I believe it’s redeemable. But it requires change of course, change of orientation; we need a new Nigeria where equity, justice, fairness, and all the tenets of democracy would rein supreme. A country with economic prosperity, not a strangulated economy as we see it today; the country bleeds economically and otherwise. A country that would move from third (3rd) world to first world; from there we shall progress to productivity enhancement which would require investment and ultimately create jobs which create wealth and wealth deals with poverty. We see a country where potential are utilized, where destinies are supported, where purposes in life are fulfilled, a country where every child would be treated equally and enjoys equal opportunities. That is the country we expect. Luckily, I met that kind of country in the past. I met it way back in the 60s and 70s when we grew up. The Nigeria I knew then is what I envisage again but I desire to take it a bit higher but at worst, we should take it to the same level and condition it was in the 60s and 70s.There are discordant voices as to where the next president should come from, coupled with the Electronic transmission of election results brouhaha, do you think elections would hold in 2023?Yes, I believe it will under any condition. But we need very credible elections; that’s why we support the electoral Amendment bill especially the electronic transmission of results. Because for a long time, our elections have been fraught with so many loopholes and conflicts. Remember, Late president Yar’Adua admitted it. And that was why we opposed Jonathan when he wanted to run under a faulty electoral system; so we advise that he fixes the skewed electoral system first else you won’t win. So 2023, elections would hold but we are afraid; the NASS should stop telling us cock and bull story and all that hogwash about network problem and electricity in their very constituencies they represent. Yes, they carry out electronic transactions through their phones without complain. You can see how NCC contradicts itself on network coverage report. You and I know that every nook and crannies of this country have network coverage at least with no smart phone, our people can get network, even in Arochukwutypical village where I come from. So, they are telling half truth which is outright lies. They are striving to preserve their perpetuity in office. But when it’s God’s time for a better change, it will happen no matter how people try to resist it, it will happen. Their plan is to throw the country into confusion but God will frustrate them, howbeit, every right thinking person will support electronic transmission of results.Is restructuring the way forward?Yes, very well. It’s few persons who are bent on suppressing others that enjoy the skewed status quo. You know we are supposed to operate a federal system of government where the federating units are free to manage their resources and be in charge of its welfare at the same time; the central controls a critical sector with a minimal power; in this case, it has the shape of a pyramid, but the situation in Nigeria today is reverse. The federal system of government we claim to practise is concocted; what we have is an inverted pyramid, that is why the country is unstable because the structure is disorganized. So, the call for restructuring is a call for a change back to the right form, shape and design it ought to be. Call it reform, call it re- Engineering or reconfiguration, call it rigid, it all means retracing our steps and putting the foundation in the right position, form and manner.This is a country where the intellectuals elect mentally -poor persons; why do people with ideas, leadership capacities choose to stand aloof?The truth is if you are a self- respecting person, one driven by moral and ethical codes, if you are driven by morals, you won’t want to dabble into a space where your values are put in the line or challenged. Many of us have tried to go close to politics, but the way it been practice gives it a very debilitating name . secondly, the kind of characters that swim in politics have made it look as if it’s their enclave and when they see good people coming in, they consciously set obstacles for you and you run away. Third, they have monetize Nigeria politics, that if you are a civil servant or a private business man or woman, they intimidate you with too much money, so you are unable to compete because with thelevelof poverty in the country many people listen to the stomach infrastructure you spoke about, thus, the monetization and demonisation in Nigeria politics is becoming unbecoming. And besides, Nigeria political equation is not balanced because there are no constants, here anything goes, everything varies. In Nigeria, so many people have what it takes to lead excellently, yet they lose out in elections because someone else is announced the winner, so their is no logic. There is no predictability, so no sane person want to near such system. Predictability starts from the wards. If you can win from your ward you can predict the ultimate outcome. Now there are so many methods, some are good, some bad -but which ever; at least you know the outcome, that is one problem solved. The next challenge is winning the outer electorate, which strategies to deploy, is it by giving them money, gift items, by your ideologies or what, hopefully we shall get it better because for now we are not getting it any better, it has been one step forward, five steps backward. These are things that makes men of ideas stand aloof. I have been in the background writing series of articles but theydidn’t help, until God told me to stop writing and pontificating, I should go there and offer myself for the work. So God convince me , then I over grew these inhibitions, now I’m ready to go into the field and face it squarely and by His grace we shall make it and enforce a change. We have waited enough for some people to effect desired changes but all to no avail, and some people have told me not to waste my little resources on politics, instead I should use it and get myself pleasure outside this country. These people have resigned to fate and run away from Nigeria because they believe Nigeria is irredeemable. But they are wrong. So they laugh at my move and we are serious. We want to make Nigeria the hope of Africa. My conviction is divinely motivated.How prepared are you in the presidential race for 2023?First- our vision is to build a first world country that would work for all. We need a country that would exude the virtues of industry, freedom, equity, integrity, justice, love for one another, true patriotism, sense of responsibility, belongingness, morality and Godliness. For now, the New Nigeria Group has reached out and set up structures in at least 30 States and still moving; we are a movement, not a political party yet; we want to garner much support especially from young people; in the cause of this move, we are building structures; with the structures, we shall either align with a proper established political party or a political grouping. We are recruiting young people across divide. This movement is for young people. Our mission is to make Nigeria better or if anything better is not feasible, then let’s take it back to where it was in 60s and 70s. We have seen better days before. Why would we deteriorate? Are we not supposed to get better and improve as days go by. If we can’t get any better, then we must return to our better days when Nigeria has value in the comity of Nations. Nigeria must move from a fourth world country to first world Nation. We must move from a country that kills talents and destinies to a country that supports destinies and talent.

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Enugu 2023: Zoning of governorship positions in the Enugu started from the inception of the state in 1991 – Onoh

    Son of one of the most prominent founding fathers of Enugu State, Dr Josef Umunnakwe Onoh has stated that zoning of governorship positions in the state started from the inception of the state, in 1991 when the state was created.A squabble broke out in Awgu, last week, when one of the stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rev Hyde Onuaguluchi, in an Enugu West senatorial political rally mounted the podium to say that there was no zoning of governorship in the state.Onuaguluchi’s statement generated tension in the arena and in the state since his statement ran counter to an already established mindset that the 2023 governorship will be zoned to Enugu East senatorial district, having rotated to the other two districts from 2007 to now.However, in a reaction to the debate that followed Onuaguluchi’s gaffe, Onoh Jnr countered Rev. Onagulachi and described him as a rebel who had never agreed with the popular decision of stakeholders in the state. By Clever AdvertisingOnoh said: “I can authoritatively confirm that there is rotation in Enugu state because I was in the company of my father the day he made the statement at Odenigwe’s residence, after that, they proceeded to the sports club where Enechi Onyia came around 6 pm to drop the minutes of their meeting.“Hyde (Onuagulchi) rebelled against that decision and walked away and my father clearly told him openly that he will never be Governor of Enugu state. My brother Gabriel was then the Mayor of the coal city and the last Mayor to rule over what is now Enugu East, Enugu South and Enugu North. “The reason for my father’s decision in the rotation principle and why he asked Enugu North senatorial zone to go first was because of the call he got from Commodore Ibute Ukiwe who narrated the decision of the supreme military council informing him that he wasn’t going to get the two states he wanted, Wawa state (changed to Enugu) and Adada state.Ukaiwe told my father that they opted for Enugu state and Adada was dropped which pained my father a lot. So in order to ensure peace and harmony, the zoning arrangement was born and it was agreed by these respectable and distinguished gentlemen of blessed memory hence Enugu North senatorial District had the grand honour of producing the first executive governor of Enugu state.“The resolve was so strong that on the night of the day late Dr Joe Nwodo was disqualified, my father insisted on a replacement rather than Hyde Onuaguluchi having his way. Joe Nwodo was replaced with Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo his younger brother we were at Mr Adams House at Ogui road to pick him up by 10 pm at night to come and take a photograph of Okwesilieze so he can rush and replace his form. The rest they say is history. “Eventually in 1998, at about 7 pm, a golden brown Lexus s400 pulled up at our family house in Ngwo, I was having dinner with my father, I was drawn by the sleek design of the vehicle and behold three men walked out and I recall my father smile and saying “James o’gunu bu ina cho bem? (What brings you to my house)? He smiled; I stood up and greeted Uncle Jim Nwobodo, then next was H.E, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo and a dark man whom I didn’t know as at then only later during the conversation he was introduced as Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani. “Jim came to solicit for my father’s support to ensure Chimaroke wins the election and be elected as Governor of Enugu State. One statement he made that triggered my memory was when he said to my father, ‘CC, you brought Okwesilieze Nwodo in 1991 I supported you and our agreement still holds so it’s the turn of our zone to produce Governor and my father asked him what zone, he now said Nkanu. At this point my father fumed and said Nkanu is just a local government and not a zone that it’s like Ogui, Ngwo, Nike-Odenigbo, Amechi-uwenu and Amechi-uwani, referring to the entire Enugu East senatorial zone. “Then Jim corrected himself and said it’s the turn of Enugu East, at which my father now asked Chimaroke some questions I won’t go into and Okwesilieze assured him everything was going to be okay and he specifically said to Chimaroke ‘I hope you know after you it will Enugu west, I hope you will do the right thing when that time comes, he smiled and said yes.“He now asked me if I will leave APP and join PDP because I was contesting for the position of a councillor at New Haven ward. That was how I joined PDP and despite all odds, Chimaroke still honoured the same agreement, so did Sullivan Chime and so will Gburugburu (Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi). And when the time comes again tomorrow’s Ex-Governor will hopefully do the same and take his place in the sun.”

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • FG owes CBN N15.51tn, borrows N14.86tn under Buhari’s Regime

    The Federal Government’s total borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria through Ways and Means Advances has ballooned to N15.51tn, rising by 2,286 per cent in six years, data collated from the CBN have shown.The N15.51tn owed by the Federal Government to the central bank is not part of the country’s total public debt stock, which stood at N33.11tn as of March 2021, according to the Debt Management Office.The public debt stock comprises the debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory. Ways and Means Advances is a loan facility used by the central bank to finance the government in periods of temporary budget shortfalls subject to limits imposed by law. According to Section 38 of the CBN Act, 2007, the bank may grant temporary advances to the Federal Government in respect of temporary deficiency of budget revenue at such rate of interest as the bank may determine.The Act says, “The total amount of such advances outstanding shall not at any time exceed five per cent of the previous year’s actual revenue of the Federal Government.“All advances shall be repaid as soon as possible and shall, in any event, be repayable by the end of the Federal Government financial year in which they are granted and if such advances remain unpaid at the end of the year, the power of the bank to grant such further advances in any subsequent year shall not be exercisable, unless the outstanding advances have been repaid.” In the first six months of this year, the Federal Government borrowed N2.4tn from the CBN, more than half of what it got in the whole of last year.The N2.4tn is also much higher than five per cent of the Federal Government’s retained revenue of N3.9tn in the previous year.As of June 2015, a month after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) came into power, the total government borrowing from the apex bank stood at N648.26bn.It jumped from N856.33bn in December 2015 to N2.23tn in December 2016, the CBN data show.The total borrowing from the bank grew by N1.08tn in 2017 to N3.31tn. It rose further by N2.1tn in 2018 to N5.41tn.The Federal Government’s borrowing from the CBN surged by 61.18 per cent (N3.31tn) to N8.72tn at the end of 2019.Last year, the government turned to the apex bank for a record N4.9tn to plug its fiscal financing gap, bringing its total borrowing to N13.11tn as of December 2020.A global credit ratings agency, Fitch Ratings, had in January raised concerns over the Federal Government’s repeated recourse to its ways and means facility with the central bank.According to the agency, the use of central bank financing in Nigeria, which predates the COVID-19 pandemic shock, could raise risks to macro-stability in the context of weak institutional safeguards that preserve the credibility of policymaking and the ability of the central bank to control inflation.“The CBN’s guidelines limit the amount available to the government under its WMF to five per cent of the previous year’s fiscal revenues. However, the FGN’s new borrowing from the CBN has repeatedly exceeded that limit in recent years, and reached around 80 per cent of the FGN’s 2019 revenues in 2020,” it said.In February, the International Monetary Fund said Nigeria’s monetary policy operational framework should be reformed in the medium term, adding that the central bank financing of budget deficit should be phased out in order to reduce inflation.“The increasing reliance on CBN overdrafts has come with negative consequences. The financing is costly for the Federal Government at interest rates of MPR plus 300 basis points, and for the CBN, with sterilisation done through issuance of OMO bills,” it said.The IMF added that a complete removal of central bank financing of fiscal deficits would require higher domestic revenue mobilisation.The Washington-based fund had on April 28, 2020 approved Nigeria’s request for emergency financial assistance of $3.4bn to support the country’s efforts in addressing the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 shock and the sharp fall in oil prices. In a letter of intent to the IMF, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, and the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, said the recourse to central bank financing would be eliminated by 2025.They added that the existing stock of overdrafts held at the CBN would also be securitised.Central bank borrowing quite large – RewaneThe Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr Bismarck Rewane, described N15.51tn as ‘quite large’, stressing the need for the government to securitise it.Read AlsoOur debts will keep rising, revenues declining – FGNigeria among highest IDA borrowers, says World BankWorld Bank lists Nigeria, nine others as countries with high debt risk exposureHe said, “N15tn is about 45 per cent of total money supply. So, if, for example, those ways and means advances were securitised today, people will have to invest in government securities and it will reduce money supply by 45-50 per cent.“What we need to do is to actually securitised this formally. But I think that right now, the Federal Ministry of Finance or DMO is paying interest on the ways and means advances. So, the effect is that there is a cost to the borrowing, and the central bank is receiving the interest on it.”According to Rewane, the central bank can easily sell the instruments under the open market operations.He said, “The quantum is quite large but to the extent that interest is being charged on it, it may not be as destabilising as the number may make it appear.“Two, the amount that has been taken out of liquidity with CRR (cash reserve ratio) compensates mainly for the extra liquidity that is created by these ways and means advances.”Minimise CBN loan facility, ex-MPC member tells FGA former member of the CBN Monetary Policy Committee, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, said the government should minimise its usage of central bank financing, adding, “I hope they are borrowing to finance capital projects, not for recurrent expenditure.”“The ideal thing is to avoid the ways and means facility, and most countries avoid that,” he said.According to the former Director-General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, government’s dependence on the WMF creates inflation, crowds out private investment and limits the way the CBN can carry out monetary policy.He said, “Assuming that they are printing money to do this, then it will be too much money chasing few goods, which will be inflationary. That is why it is good to minimise it; the jump is quite much.“There is a need for transparency. If they are doing all of this, and they are also borrowing externally, they need to be transparent – telling us what the monies are being used for.“They are also borrowing a lot from IDA (World Bank), ADB, etc; they are issuing Eurobonds and Sukuk bonds. When it is becoming too many, there is a problem. I hope it is well managed, otherwise it is not good for the economy.” The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, had said in April that the Federal Government printed N60bn to augment what the three tiers of government shared in March. The claim was faulted by the CBN governor and the finance minister.The MD/CEO, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr Johnson Chukwu, said the central bank borrowing was putting pressure on the exchange rate and the inflation rate, with ‘liquidity that has no productivity attached to it coming into the system’.He said, “What that means is that the central bank has been struggling with mopping up excess liquidity as a result of injection of liquidity not coming from productive activities but rather from Federal Government’s W&M borrowing.

    “In the first five months of this year, total Federal Government revenue was N1.8tn, while expenditure was N4.8tn, leaving a gap of about N3tn, which is the reason why you saw that over N2tn borrowed from the central bank. ”According to Chukwu, the securitisation of the ways and means advances will further increase the interest obligations of the Federal Government.“It might be difficult for the Federal Government to securitise those borrowings. The key thing for me is that we need to restructure the fiscal framework of the country so that we take out this dependence by the Federal Government on CBN funding,” he told our correspondent.Bloomberg reported on February 16, 2021 that the Federal Government had set the terms for the conversion of its stock of central bank overdrafts into long-term notes in a bid to create transparency around its dependence on that source of funding.The DMO Director-General, Mrs Patience Oniha, was quoted as saying that the N10tn debt would be exchanged for 30-year notes issued to the central bank, adding that the agreement on timing for the conversion needed to be finalised to get the required approval from the cabinet, at the earliest in the second quarter.In June, London-based Capital Economics, in a report titled ‘The perils of deficit monetisation in Nigeria’, noted that over the past six years, on average around 55 per cent of annual budget shortfalls had been financed by the CBN.“Many of the problems plaguing Nigeria’s economy – from high inflation to a persistently overvalued currency – are tied to the government’s sustained reliance on the central bank to cover fiscal financing gaps,” it said.

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Katsina State Governor urges citizens to take up arms and defend themselves against Bandits

    Governor Aminu Masari has urged Katsina State citizens resident in areas prone to activities of bandits to acquire weapons and defend themselves.Masari noted that it is morally wrong for people to submit cheaply to the bandits without any attempt to defend themselves, according to a statement by his Media Aide, Malam Abdu Labaran,The governor said this during his visit to Jibia town to condole with the families of 10 people that were recently crushed by operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) through reckless driving. According to him, security is everybody’s business, pointing out that it is not the responsibility of the government alone.“It is the people’s meek submission that emboldens the bandits to continue with their heinous activities with murderous frequency.“People must divorce their minds from the mistaken notion that security is government’s sole responsibility alone,” Masari said. Meanwhile, the Special Task Force charged with maintaining peace in Plateau and environs has warned against any protest over the attacks on commuters in Jos on Saturday.“In the interest of peace, youths planning any protest over the incident should shelve that plan. There is a curfew in place; no one should attempt to violate it,” Maj. Ishaku Takwa, the Media Officer of the task force, said in a statement in Jos. He said that information at the disposal of the task force indicated that the protest is proposed to commence from the Jos Central Mosque axis to the State House Assembly premises.Takwa warned that the 24-hour curfew imposed by the state government in Jos North Local Government Area had not be lifted, hence anyone found wanting would be decisively dealt with.“Our attention has been drawn to a message circulating on social media calling on Muslim youths to embark on peaceful protest slated for Wednesday, August 18“The message stated that the demonstration is expected to commence from Jos Central Mosque to the State House of Assembly Complex.“While we will not want to join issues with the organisers of the planned protest, it is instructive to state that in view of the fragile nature of peace on the Plateau, this protest is unnecessary and uncalled for. We are fully aware that religious leaders have distanced themselves from the planned message. They have categorically stated that they are not in support of the peaceful demonstration. We are, therefore, sending a strong warning to those planning this demonstration and the originators of the message to have a rethink.”

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Rivers State House of Assembly Bans Open grazing

    The bill prohibiting open rearing and grazing of livestock has been passed into law by the Rivers State House of Assembly.The bill with the caption: “Rivers State Prohibition of Open Rearing and Grazing Bill, 2021” was passed into law yesterday following a committee report presented by the House Committee Chairman on Agriculture, Ansalem Ogwugwo.

    Majority Leader of the House, Martin Amaewhule, who led the debate, said the bill would address issues of encroachment of farm produce and unlawful killing of farmers in the state.Speaker of the House, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, in his submission, expressed the confidence that the bill would address challenges emanating from open rearing and grazing of livestock in the state.After an extensive debate, the lawmakers passed the bill into law. Meanwhile, the House of Assembly also enacted the “Rivers State Residents Registration Agency Bill, 2021.”Speaker Ibani, in his resolution after Committee of the Whole, said the bill came to cure some anomalies and also ensure government did not face further expenses in the dwindling economy.He said the bill would enable the state enhance effective service delivery.

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Chief Evarest Nnaji Odengene’s Birthday: Celebrating an Astute Entrepreneur and Uncommon Humanitarian

    Chief Evarest Nnaji Odengene’s Birthday: Celebrating an Astute Entrepreneur and Uncommon Humanitarian

    Chief Evarest Nnaji Odengene’s Birthday: Celebrating an Astute Entrepreneur and Uncommon Humanitarian

    By Prince Ejeh Josh

    In the magnificent words of Lord Ni (Confucius), an all time celebrated Chinese political philosopher, reformer, instructor and paragon of Chinese sages, “A man of humanity is one who…desiring attainment for himself, helps others to attain their goals.” This is true of one of the unrivalled minds of our time, Chief Evarest Nnaji Odengene, a household name in major entrepreneurial conglomerates in the Nigeria.

    Captain Evarest Nnaji Odengene, fondly called “Odengene” by business associates, friends, and the public, has come to assume a household name in Enugu State and beyond. It was not a popularity gained by luck, media campaigns, or political movement. It’s simply a name that has, over the years, become synonymous with goodwill, philanthropy, humanitarian champion, human rights defender, free education, scholarship, freedom and emancipation of the oppressed. It’s with a dint of struggle in search for a just world for humanity, and the desire to give back to the society that the Odengene Peoples Movement became a force and triumph of light over darkness for humankind.

    Like the French theologia-physician, Albert Schweitzer, would aptly note in his natural principle of contentment: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve others. Chief Odengene, in all sincerity, has found satisfaction and contentment in doing what he knows how best to do; service to humanity. Such services have always been selfless. He does it without the glare of the media. Yet he keeps the good works flying. He keeps turning lives around. He keeps lifting people from dungeons to the palace. He keeps sponsoring young minds in entrepreneurship and leadership mentoring. His positive impacts have been interrogating many minds with an imposed moral duty to key into the same venture of uplifting humanity.

    Chief Evarest Nnaji

    While all these great works are ongoing, engaging the media to showcase these uncommon feats and flair for human emancipation, to him, is needless. However, like the timeless legal axiom of “res ipsa loquitur” has been indelibly engraved in the hearts of men, Chief Odengene’s selfless service to humanity has become a common philosophy intrinsically written in the minds of the people. The facts of Chief’s uncommon humanitarian gestures are speaking loudly for him.

    It’s pertinent to, once again, ask this question: Who is Chief Odengene? While many people have been celebrating his exploits and humanitarian feats, not many seem to know him beyond that. His entrepreneurial prowess and corporate dexterity appeared to have eclipsed his super intellectual records, oscillating from one of the most technical disciplines, Aviation, to behavioural sciences like Political Science, etc. It takes an intellectual and an uncommon enigma to switch courses and disciplines and remain focused as a topnotch prodigy.

    Although, his exploits in the business, corporate and academic world including his aristocratic background would see him fall in the elite class in the rung of the economic ladder, Chief Odengene, a Us-trained Pilot, and distinguished alumnus of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) from the prestigious Department of Political Science, would neither consider himself as one nor see himself as someone who should be operating from the Olympian height. His reasoning is even more inspirational than many would imagine. Chief Odengene has always stepped down from that height of flamboyance and aloofness many of his contemporaries have placed themselves just to identify with the people. That’s humility par excellence. More inspiring is the fact that he runs an open door policy. His office and residence are comfort zones for the general public. That’s a kind of leader the world urgently need in a world sharply divided by economic imbalances and unimaginable class vaults.

    As a successful entrepreneur who started from the scratch, towering to the status of an international investor, and managing multi-billion dollars business conglomerates such as:
    1. Odengene Air Shuttle Services Limited (OAS Helicopters) Nigeria.
    2. Odengene Air Shuttle, Inc. (USA)
    3. Odengene Group of Companies Ltd
    4. Electrostatic Laser World.
    5. OAS Offshore Logistics Ltd, etc, despite the economic recession bedeviling the country, one would readily be compelled by awe-struck admiration to salute his enterprising spirit and innovative drives, adjusting and re-adjusting to the peculiarity of economic fluctuations. Uncommon entrepreneurs like him are needed in Nigeria’s position of leadership today to deploy the same business intelligence and mastery to reorganize the economy, reform the moribund and rigid economic platforms from which the country has been operating.

    What determines and, indeed, defines the character of every great mind is their responsiveness to their environment. Chief Odengene, in his sojourn in the private sector as a leading entrepreneur in services, production and technology, has mentored a great number of young ones who are doing amazingly great in their own businesses. That’s the true definition of leadership. Many households and families have become economically viable through of Odengene’s spirited gestures. He believes in hard work and would never hesitate helping people attain their dreams through sponsored trainings both in Nigeria and in many countries of the western world. Offering free education (scholarship) from primary school level to university level to hundreds of students by him is no longer news. Setting up businesses for the youths in a bid to empower them to become productive citizens and useful to themselves and their families has also become an established bromide. Odengene’s Foundation, a foundation floated by Chief Evarest Nnaji as a way of giving back to the society, has become a blessing to thousands of households. The foundation is dedicated to the economic emancipation of the less privileged, education of the indigents, defence of the weak and defenceless, hope for the despondent, voice for the voiceless, and corporate social responsibility.

    Today, Chief Odengene marks, yet another golden and meaningful life on earth. A purposeful life dedicated to serve God and humanity. A life through which tens of thousands of people have drawn inspiration. A life repute for community development services. A life known for nation-building. A life that will continue to make meaning to the good people of Enugu State. And what do we wish this godly life? Abundance of grace. Good health of mind and body. More windows of hope. More services. More leadership assignments. God’s grace and goodness. Happy Birthday, Chief Captain Evarest Nnaji Edeh (Odengene). Congratulations.

    Prince Ejeh Josh, a Legal Practitioner and Security Strategist, writes from Independence Layout, Enugu.

  • Gani Fawehinmi’s son dies at 52

     

    MOHAMMED Fawehinmi, son of the late rights activist and legal practitioner, Gani Fawehinmi has died at the age of 52.

     

    The younger Fawehinmi died on Wednesday, a source said.

     

     

    “He complained of difficulty in breathing this morning and was taken to the hospital and that was all,” the source added.

     

    Mohammed obtained a law degree from the University of Buckingham, England and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1998.

     

    In 2003, he had a terrible accident in Lagos, which affected his spinal cord and confined him to the wheel chair.

     

     

    The detail about his death is still sketchy as the family is yet to make a public  announcement.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Ortom: FG spares fulani herdsmen and goes after Kanu and Igboho

     

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has again berated the Federal Government for lack of commitment in tackling the security challenges in Nigeria.

     

    According to the governor, security forces in the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) have demonstrated capacity with the arrest of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu; and Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.

    Ortom, who spoke on Channels Television’s ‘NewsNight’ programme on Monday, therefore, challenged the Buhari regime to go after bandits and Fulani militiamen killing, raping and kidnapping people all over the country with the same gusto it has used to pursue separatists.

     

    The PUNCH reports that in the last few months, secessionist agitation has been loud in the Southern part of the country, championed mainly by Kanu and Igboho. The agitators cited perceived injustice in the allocation of resources and appointment into critical offices, insecurity, under-development, amongst reasons for wanting to leave the country.

     

    Kanu, who was based in the United Kingdom, was recently hastily extradited from a foreign country. He has been detained in the custody of the Department of State Services and is facing terrorism-related charges before Justice Binta Nyako at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

     

    On the other hand, the secret police raided Igboho’s Ibadan residence in July, killed two of his associates and arrested 12 of them. The DSS declared Igboho wanted after he narrowly escaped the raid. He was, however, intercepted at an airport in Benin Republic while he tried to catch a flight to Germany. The agitator has spent about three weeks in a Beninese custodial facility while the Nigerian Government has been pushing for his extradition.

     

    Many Nigerians have constantly lampooned the Buhari regime for allegedly sparing bandits and terrorists on the rampage in the northern part of the country while security forces clamp down on Igboho, Kanu and other separatists.

     

    Speaking on Monday night as a guest on the television programme monitored by The PUNCH, Ortom alleged that Fulani militiamen have consistently targeted his state because he banned open grazing.

     

     

    The governor said, “I see a lot of lack of commitment on the part of the Federal Government in ensuring that we have security in this country. I will give an example: recently, the Federal Government has demonstrated the capacity by going after Nnamdi Kanu, who was leading IPOB. I am told he was even arrested in a foreign land with the cooperation of Interpol and so on.

     

    “I heard that Sunday Igboho has been arrested. With that kind of commitment, it shows that the Federal Government has the capacity.

     

    “Today, bandits, Fulani militia are terrorising the entire country, the country is in disarray and these Fulani militias have come out with video clips…and they have identified where they are. It was amazing that a top government official comes out to say that the Fulani militias are invisible. How? Are they spirits? Why is the government not going after these Fulani militias and bandits that are terrorising the entire country and terrorising my state?

     

    “Just two days ago, two humanitarian workers were gunned down in my own village by these Fulani militias and their phones taken away. And the Fulani militias took the phones and when one of their (victims’) brothers called, they confirmed that they had killed them and they are in possession of their phones and that they should tell me to repeal the prohibition of open grazing otherwise they have the right to continue to kill since I said there would be no open grazing in Benue State.

     

    “These people who are here, who are calling themselves bandits and are kidnapping our children from school, who are calling themselves Fulani militia and are killing people, driving them from their lands and taking over, why is the Federal Government not going after them like they went after Sunday Igboho and went after Nnamdi Kanu?”

     

    Ortom said over 1.5 million persons have been displaced in Benue State due to the attacks by marauders, adding that the All Progressives Congress administration has failed in all aspects of governance.

     

     

    “APC has failed this country. Is it security, is it economically, politically and socially? Where are we today? We can’t go to our villages. How many Nigerians can move from Lagos to Kano, Abuja to their villages? It is a problem. APC has completely failed, so, why should I go there to join them? To do what?” he queried.

     

    The PUNCH had earlier reported that presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, said separatists were not the only ones feeling the maddening heat of the government but bandits and terrorists were also being treated in the language they understand.

     

     

     

     

     

    Sources: www.punchng.com

  • 6 people killed as sit at home turned bloody

     

    No fewer than six persons were reportedly killed in separate incidents as the sit-at-home directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) took a bloody turn in Nkwogu, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Abia and Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday.

     

    Following abduction of Nnamdi Kanu in Kenya by security agents in collaboration with Nigeria government and rearraignment in a Federal High Court in Abuja for continuation of his trial by the Department of State Services (DSS), the pro-Biafran group declared sit-at-home for every Monday until his release.

     

    In Abia, the exercise witnessed the setting ablaze of three passengers in a transport company vehicle while the driver was shot by gunmen.

     

    Police spokesperson, Michael Abattam, said the incident was under investigation.

    In Nnewi, eyewitnesses said they heard gun shots at Izuchukwu Junction as early as 6am and found bodies of two young men. But nobody could explain who shot them.

     

    Sources said one of them was suspected to be a leader of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), and the other, a commercial motorcyclist in the area.

     

     

     

    Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, said he did not have details: “Yes, something happened in Nnewi but the information is still sketchy. There is a little bonfire on the road but the police have removed them. We are still monitoring the situation. Police presence is everywhere.”

     

    The sit-at-home order witnessed partial compliance in Imo State as most shops and other public places were initially under lock and key in the early hours of 7 and 8 am. But someshops later opened for business.

     

    At Orlu, believed to be the epicentre of crisis in recent times, roads such Banana junction, Okporo among others were deserted and shops closed. Except for vehicles of security operatives patrolling the roads, the roads were deserted. All banks were also shut.

     

    At the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, three airlines had touched down at press time but the passengers remain stranded as there were no airport taxis or commercial motorcycles to take them to their various destinations. The roads leading to the airport were a shadow even as vendors selling around the airport did not turn up for business. The popular Douglas road where the Eke-Ukwu Owerri is located was partially open for business.

     

    In Anambra, the order was largely observed in Awka, the state capital as banks, markets including the popular Eke Awka, filling stations and others were closed while most roads were deserted.

     

    Although security personnel were sighted in some locations, most people stayed indoors either in obedience or out of fear of the unknown.

     

    In Onitsha, markets, banks, filling stations and other business premises were closed. It was also the same in Ekwulobia and other urban centres in the state.

     

    Police spokesperson, Tochukwu, told Daily Sun that the police provided adequate security to enable people go about their lawful businesses without fear.

     

    “Our patrol vehicles are everywhere. Shops are a little bit open. Some that did not open were sitting in front of their shops. But our men are still patrolling around the cities.”

     

    •Masked men invade Enugu communities

     

    In parts of Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, scores were injured, robbed and valuables destroyed as masked men on motorcycles invaded Ogrute, headquarters of Igbo-Eze North LGA smashed tables, looted shops and injured anyone on sight.

     

    At Nkwo Aji community being a market day, the masked men descended on traders who came earlier to display their wares and attacked everyone with various weapons.

     

    People of the area who normally sell palmwine were counting losses as suspected IPOB members descended on the palm wine tappers/ sellers at their section smashed gallons of palm wine and beat up sellers as everyone ran for safety.

     

    At the old Nkwo market, they also attacked a patent medicine store, broke the sliding glass shielding and scattered various drugs. A muslim faithful residing in the area popularly known as Momoh was also attacked as they damaged his motorcycle.

     

    There were also reports of attack on hapless residents and shop owners in Isiugwu, Okpo, Imufu and Onicha-Enugu communities in the area.

     

    A businessman in Ogrute was also attacked in his farm at Imufu where they beat up the wife, struck the man with iron rod and collected the cash on him.

     

    Traders at the Nkwo Aji market were helpless as the market was deserted while those who normally come to purchase or sell perishable goods on the Nkwo market day were stranded.

     

    •Abia, Nsukka grounded

     

    Economic and social activities were paralyzed in Enugu as the entire Coal City witnessed the crippling of government and private businesses as civil servants (both federal and state) and public servants shun offices just as markets, banks, fuel stations, motor parks and even eateries did not open for business.

     

    Schools in the state were not left out as some of them, especially private ones, sent SMS to parents and guardians not to bring their children and wards to schools.

     

    Not even the confusion in the discordant voices in IPOB were able to avert the lockdown, as people who thought it would not work and came out early were disappointed as they waited in vain for vehicles, while those who drove returned when it was obvious they were the only people on the road.

     

    The situation also affected the media as newspapers vanished from known newsstands. At the popular Obiagu where newspapers are sold, everywhere were deserted and children turned the streets to football field.

     

    A fruit seller who opened shop around 10am around Agric Bank bus stop said he did because his goods are perishables but noted that he was yet to make any sale by noon.

     

    A motorist, John Agu said: “We are happy that we are observing it. Though we did not go to work, it is still good because the Federal Government should know that we the Easterners are not happy at all. They should release our leader, Nnamdi Kanu, because he has not done anything wrong to deserve this insults he is getting from them.”

     

    In Aba, Abia State residents kept indoors and left their shops and business houses under lock and key. Streets and major access roads in the city centre, including the ever busy Milverton Avenue luxury/mini bus terminals for long distant travels were all deserted. Banks and markets such as Ekeoha Market (Shopping Centre), Ariaria international Market, Ahia Ohuru (Ngwa Road Market), Cemetery/Eziukwu Road Market, and others were shut down.

     

    However, no security agent was seen in all the locations our Correspondent visited, though they were on duty in their barracks and stations.

     

    Speaking to Daily Sun, an Aba resident, Mr Nnanna Ezeonyia, said he returned from a journey to hear there would be a sit-at-home but thought it would not be effective, but only came into the town to see that every where was deserted and looked like a ghost town.

     

    He commended Igbo for bonding in one spirit in their quest for a better placement in Nigeria or the opportunity for a country of their own.

     

    Economic activities were also paralysed in the university town of Nsukka and its environ.Banks closed their banking halls but allowed customers to use their Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) to withdrawals.

     

    In major motor parks, passengers who wanted to travel to different locations like Abuja, Owerri, Anambra were stranded as drivers refused sell tickets or load their buses. Also, major markets like Nsukka Main Market, Building Material Market and Ikpa Commodity Market were all under lock and key

     

    A passenger who identified himself as Patricia Eze said she was traveling to Gwagwarada in Abuja but was stranded.

     

    However, government establishments like University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nsukka council secretariat, some primary and secondary schools were opened.

     

    The ever-busy Enugu Road Nsukka by Nsukka known for traffic gridlock witnessed free with scanty flow of vehicular and human movement.

     

    As at the time of filing this report, Nsukka town and its environ remained calm and peaceful as there were no reports of harassment or violence.

     

    •Partial complaince in Asaba, Ebonyi, Aba

     

    The exercise recorded partial compliance in Ebonyi and Asaba, Delta State capital.

     

    Areas where t was observed in the Delta State capital included Okwe, Akwebulu and Oko, where commercial activities were halted in the morning hours. The areas are considered as IPOB base in the capital city.

     

    It also affected travelers to Onitsha in Anambra State, as commercial buses were not available on the road.

     

    Security personnel were also seen around major roads to forestall break down of peace and order.

     

    In Abakaliki, all the transport companies located along Afikpo road opened for businesses but there were no passengers.

     

    Some parks including popular Ishieke park located along Water Works road in the metropolis were opened when Daily Sun visited the park. However, commercial banks loacted at Ogoja road and Afikpo road did not open but their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) were dispensing cash.

     

    Also, some shops opened for businesses in the capital city with free human and vehicular movements though not as it used to be on a normal day. Many filling stations in the capital city did not open.

     

    However, workers defied the sit-at-home order as they were seen in their offices at Ochudo Centenary City Secretariat and the old government House.

     

    However, in the Abia state capital, Umuahia, there was partial compliance to the order.

     

    Although banks and schools did not open, gates of markets in Umuahia were opened and people moved about their businesses freely while  commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators plied the streets of the city without hindrance.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • NCDC: Cholera death toll now 816

    ­

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Monday said medical interventions would not stop the outbreak of Cholera in the country.

    This is just as it put the current death toll at 816.

    This was contained in a statement by the centre’s Director General, Chikwe Ihekweazu, and titled ‘Cholera in Nigeria: Urgent call to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene.’

     

    According to the statement, the NCDC is working with other agencies and partners to ensure that the spread of the disease is adequately curtailed.

     

    The statement partly read, “The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is leading the national response to an outbreak of cholera across states in Nigeria. This has been exacerbated by poor access to clean water, open defecation, poor sanitation, and hygiene.

     

    “Between January 1 and August 1, 2021, 31,425 suspected cases of cholera, 311 confirmed cases and 816 deaths have been reported from 22 states and FCT.

     

    “The affected states are Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross River, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, Adamawa, Katsina, Borno and FCT.

     

    “Following an increase in the number of cholera cases, the National Cholera Emergency Operations Centre was activated on the 22nd of June 2021. The EOC which is hosted at NCDC, includes representation from the Federal Ministries of Environment and Water Resources, National Primary Health Care Development Agency World Health Organisation and partners.

    other support.

     

    “A reactive oral cholera vaccine campaign led by NPHCDA was conducted in Bauchi LGA, Bauchi State from 24th to 28th July 2021.

     

    “But none of these medical interventions will solve the underlying issues leading to cholera outbreaks.”

     

    Iheakweazu explained that since Cholera is a waterborne disease, the risk of transmission is higher when there is poor sanitation and disruption of clean water supply.

     

    He added that wrong disposal of refuse and practices such as open defecation endanger the safety of water used for drinking and personal use.

     

    Such situation, he explained, leads to the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera.

     

    He warned that without proper water, sanitation and hygiene, Nigeria remains at risk of cholera cases and deaths.

     

    The NCDC boss added, “The long-term solution for cholera control lies in access to safe drinking water, maintenance of proper sanitation and hygiene.

     

    “We continue to advocate to state governments to prioritise action for solutions that ensure access to and use of safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene practices in communities.

     

    “Additionally, we urge Nigerians to keep their environments clean, only drink or use water that is boiled and stored safely, ensure food is cooked and stored in a clean and safe environment, avoid open defecation and wash their hands regularly with soap and running water.

     

    “Cholera is preventable and treatable; however, it can be deadly when people who are infected do not access care immediately. Nigerians are advised to visit a health facility immediately, if they have sudden onset of profuse watery diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and weakness.

     

    “As the NCDC continues to work with partners to lead the health-sector response to cholera outbreaks, we call for an urgent improvement in access to clean water, proper sanitation and hygiene.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • IBB: June 12 secret

     

    Nigeria’s former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), has opened up on why he annulled the June 12, 1993 the presidential election won by the late Chief MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party.

    In an interview with Arise TV on Friday, the former head of state admitted that there was a lot of pressure from within and outside the military and noted that if the true results of the election had been declared, the army would have staged a coup which would have turned very bloody and set the country backward.

     

     

     

    Though the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had declared June 12 Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Babangida said that it took the manoeuvring of his regime to stabilise the country at the time to avoid a bloody coup.

     

    “If June 12 had materialised, there would have been a coup d’état which could have been violent,” he said. “That is all that I can confirm. It didn’t happen thanks to the re-engineering and the way we manoeuvred. It could have given room for more instability. There was pressure from outside and within the military. The military could have done it because they had the weapons to do it.”

     

    Speaking on the agitation for secession by separatist groups like the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and Ilana Omo Oodua, he said even though everyone has the right to agitate, the issue of breaking up should not come up because according to him, it has been long established that Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable.

     

     

     

    He said: “We always believe that the person who should run the country must believe in Nigeria and that is why we supported Olusegun Obasanjo for President. If he didn’t believe in Nigeria, we would not go for him at all. Even if it is democratically or militarily imposed, you must have that core belief. It is good to agitate for what you want but because there is this belief that this country should be one and when you talk about war, you see that Nigerians usually don’t want anything that would disturb their peace of mind.

     

    “When we were in the military, we talked about certain issues and the unity of Nigeria was one of them. As far as we were concerned, the unity of Nigeria, free market, federalism were all settled issues. The unity of Nigeria for us was non-negotiable. We decided to be one many years ago. Why should we keep on repeating conferences on how to remain one? There are issues we should not still be talking about now. We have already decided that Nigeria will remain united, so what we should be talking about is how to strengthen the unity of the country.”

     

    On the high rate of insecurity across the country, especially in the North East, he attributed it to the failure of leadership. He said that there is disconnect between the leadership and the followership and that we don’t have core values that everyone defends. He also said the problem with restructuring is that it means different things to different people and until there is a unified definition and understanding of the concepts, it will not be actualised.

     

    His words: “The problem of insecurity is due to leadership. If there is no disconnect between the leadership and the followership, when people relate with each other at various leadership levels, then we would not have problems. We don’t have core values in the country that everyone defends.

     

    “Conferences have been done but the tyranny of the elite is the main problem. The leaders should understand Nigeria and Nigerians. Anyone who wants to lead Nigeria should be able to use his intellect. Nigerians are very resilient people, so if you want to lead them, you have to take a lot of things into consideration.

     

    “The problem with restructuring is that it means different things to different people. We don’t have a common interpretation; we have not defined it. My definition is to give the people from the lowest level of governance to the highest, the opportunity to participate in how they are governed.”

     

    The former military ruler also gave his opinion on the crisis rocking the two major political parties in Nigeria while dismissing fears that the country is gradually slipping into a one-party state. He said Nigerians will never allow a one-party system and would protest if anyone supports it.

     

    Also speaking on zoning the presidency in 2023, he said the qualifications and competence of whoever will emerge president should be the most important rather than where the person comes from.

     

    “Nigerians would never allow a one-party state to happen. Whoever would attempt to do that will not be allowed to succeed and this is the good thing about this country. They will talk, demonstrate and engage you so that you don’t do the wrong thing. I am not involved in any party because I am an elder statesman right now. However, I still maintain that a two-party state is the best thing for the country. We set up a committee to tell us why things went wrong and it was very revealing. We found out that up to the first and second republic, everybody was gravitating towards a two party system even though there were a lot of other parties. Now we have over 70 parties but no one is talking about them except the APC and PDP. During Obasanjo’s time, we came up with five parties but they all gravitated towards a two party system, so Nigeria can do well with a two-party system.

     

    “On the zoning of the 2023 presidency, we have to make a choice. Do we want to practise democracy the way it should be practised or the way it is being practised? Or, do we define it according to our whims and caprices? If we are going to do it the way it is being done all over the world, we should allow the process to continue because it is through the process that we would be able to come up with a candidate that would lead the country. His qualifications should be more important regardless of where he comes from. I have started visualising a good Nigerian leader, a person who travels and has friends everywhere he travels, a person who is vast in economics and a good politician. I have seen one or two already who are in their 60s,” he said.

     

    When asked about his regime’s performance in the aspect of the economy and the fight against corruption, he said what happened during his administration cannot be compared to the level of corruption today. According to him, those in his regime were ‘saints’. He also said he has no regrets on the economic policies of his regime, insisting that those who followed his policies are the ‘towers of industry’ today.

     

    “You can’t compare what happened during my administration with the facts on the ground now. From what I read in the media, I think we were saints when compared to what is happening under a democratic dispensation. I sacked a governor for misappropriating about N313, 000. Today, those who have stolen billions are parading themselves in the streets. So who is better at fighting corruption? Nigerians voted for APC based on what they promised on the economy, corruption and security, so it is also Nigerians that would decide for themselves and know if these promises have been met.

     

    “Having left office for the last 28 years, I think the decisions that my administration took were right. A lot of things have been happening since then which convinced me that we didn’t do badly; it is just that we were misunderstood. I told Nigerians that those who will take advantage of Structural Advancement Programme (SAP) would succeed in life, but those who couldn’t would go under. Today, I’ve been proven right. People who took advantage of what we did are today the towers of industry. I think I made a contribution in society on how to make it better.

     

    “I didn’t declare war on the media, rather, I liberalised it. Today, you have private televisions and newspapers. I believe that the media is an essential part of society, and they should play their role for the country. The media and the public would not allow the government to clamp down on them. You can’t intimidate Nigerians,” he said.

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com