06062019 - NSECURITY: Danjuma, Lekwot, others take Nigeria's case to UK

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16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 MOU: From left— Oluwatoyin Sanni, CEO, Emerging Africa Capital Group; Teju Abisoye, Acting Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, LSETF; Nkem Okocha, Founder, Mamamoni Limited and Okhai Olaghere, Director, Fosad Consulting, during the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, signing between LSETF and Mamamoni Ltd on empowering 100 women startups in Lagos. Kogi APC group passes confidence vote in Oshiomhole •Fingers Bello in alleged plot to remove him LOKOJA—THE Kogi Rainbow Democrats, a pressure group within the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi State says the group will resist any attempt by governor Yahaya Bello to coerce the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party into giving him second term ticket against the wishes of the APC members in the state. While condemning the recent letter by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, who called for the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Deltans appreciate Okowa, Ibori synergy for stronger Delta —PDP chieftan By Elizabeth Uwandu A remarkable SABA—THE achievements of the Okowa administration in good governance has been traced to the leadership synergy of two goal oriented brothers and political associates; Chief James Ibori and incumbent governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. The assertion was made by the immediate past Executive Assistant to Delta State Governor on Communications, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, By Alemma Aliu BENIN CITY—AS Nigeria prepares for June 12 Democracy Day, a group, Castle Of Legends Initiative, COLI, yesterday called for the immortalisation of foremost nationalist, Chief Anthony Enahoro who they said is being left un-honoured among his generation of those who fought for the independence of Nigeria. Addressing a press conference in Benin City yesterday, Chairman of the group, Chief David Edebiri,the Esogban of Oshiomhole, the group alleged that the Kogi State government was sponsoring rebellion against Oshiomhole, however, they vowed to resist them. They stated this in a communique signed by Mallam Yusuf Adamu Dogoyaro, Chief Convener. According to the communique "As a noble socio-political assembly of Kogi people, we are constrained to postulate in the haze generated by the reckless and anti-party diatribe against the most dynamic chairman of APC’s history (Comrade Adams Oshiohmole ) by the while responding to questions during a phone-in radio program where his views were sort on the cordiality of the two Delta foremost leaders. Oghenesivbe, a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and International Communication Association (ICA), noted that Deltans trusted and still appreciate the synergy of both leaders especially in sustaining progressive political structures and pointing the way forward in institutionalizing the fundamentals of good governance through so-called National Vice Chairman of the APC - who is currently on the payroll of the Kogi State government. "Gov. Yahaya Bello and few anti-democrats in the APC at the expense of the suffering, suppressed and depressed Kogi tax payers; and whose ultimate goal is to distract President Muhammadu Buhari from clinical evaluation of the monumental failure that lies ahead of the APC in Kogi if the governor is returned. "We here and now call for the immediate and unconditional expulsion of the APC national Vice Chairman for his infantile, mischievous and inglorious betrayal of the spirit of his party by fanning the embers of discord and acting in manners to breach public peace in Kogi State. "It is obvious that people like the Kogi governor can never be comfortable with the Oshiomhole led APC due to the abysmal performance of the administration in Kogi state. The hallmark of the Oshiomhole led NWC has been the task on party leaders across board to ensure they deliver dividends of democracy to the people through the provision of basic amenities. "The party under Oshiomhole has stressed the need for party members to be disciplined, imbibe internal democracy and rule of law." credible choice of leaders. He observed that the enviable and watertight relationship between the governor and Chief Ibori has grown stronger in terms of mutual political cross fertilization of socioeconomic ideas, moderation and restructuring of political structures, strategic team work in peace building, positive external political relations and steady partnership in advancing the prosperity, progress and unity of the good people of Delta State. GridCodes tech'll boost crime fighting —Onu By Emmanuel Elebeke A immediate BUJA—THE past minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu says that Immortalise Enahoro, group tells FG Benin lauded President Muhammadu Buhari on his recognition of the late Chief M.K.O Abiola and the declaration of June 12 as Nigeria's Democracy Day but said that such recognition and honours would not be complete without Enahoro being honoured. "We cherish these landmark developments, as they are capable of galvanising our people towards increased patriotism and strengthening commitment to national service. “It is in furtherance of this laudable initiative that the COLI call on President Buhari to give kind consideration to the immortalisation of late Enahoro, which is long overdue. He was a journalist, politician and ebullient nationalist fighter. In all of these endeavours, he was in the forefront of the struggle for Nigeria’s independence and defence of the rights of our people in the face of the high-handed and draconian policies of the colonial administration. It is also on record that Chief Anthony Enahoro moved the historic motion in 1953 calling on the British government to grant selfgovernment in 1956." Nigeria could effectively improve governance, boost commerce, fight crime and better manage intelligence through the adoption of locally made GridCodes technology. Onu stated this while setting up an interministerial committee on the adoption of Gridcodes technology. He said the setting up of the committee was in furtherance of a directive given by the Chairman of the Nigerian Digital Addressing Council, Vice President, Prof. Yemi OsiIbajo, to review GridCodes Technology for national adoption by the Federal Government. The Vice President had directed that a special consideration be given to every local technology for National Digital Addressing Scheme. US services sector activity perks up, eases gloom over economy United States (US) services sector activity expanded at a brisk pace in May and industries hired more workers, offering some respite for an economy that is slowing following a temporary boost from exports and an accumulation of inventories in the first quarter. The survey from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) yesterday followed a raft of weak reports on consumer spending, housing and manufacturing that suggested a sharp loss of momentum in economic growth early in the second quarter. Slowing growth, worsening trade tensions between the United States and China, and looming U.S. tariffs on goods imported from Mexico have led some economists to expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this year. The U.S. central bank early this year suspended its threeyear monetary policy tightening campaign. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday said the central bank was closely monitoring the implications of the trade tensions on the economy and would “act as appropriate to sustain the expansion.” Oil slumps 4% on US inventory build, equity rally caps losses Brent futures were down $1.77, or 2.9 percent at $60.20 a barrel by 10:54 a.m. EDT (1454 GMT), having briefly traded in positive territory early in the session. WTI was down $2.17, or 4 percent, at $51.31 a barrel. U.S. crude, gasoline and distillate stocks rose last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Crude inventories rose 6.8 million barrels in May 2019, compared with analyst expectations for a decrease of 849,000 barrels. “The across-the-board inventory builds makes for a very bearish report,” said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital. A surge in imports and a increase in domestic production boosted inventories, he said. “The inventory gains came despite strong demand for crude oil from refiners and gasoline from drivers,” he said. The rise in refinery runs has paled in comparison to the jump in imports, particularly waterborne imports to the Gulf and West Coasts, said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at ClipperData. W/Africa Crude: Trading favours late buyers as prices trend downward Slower than usual trading for July-loading cargoes has encouraged sellers to drop prices but with offers remaining relatively high, especially for some Nigerian grades, traders said late buyers will stand to benefit from discounts. Heavy delays of around a week were reported to loadings on the Trans Forcados Pipeline despite flows reportedly resuming on May 24 after a shut-down caused by a fire. Shorter delays were reported to loadings of Bonny Light, also operated by Royal Dutch Shell. Angolan crude cargoes, which have been significantly discounted across the board in recent days, started to sell more rapidly. One of three Mostarda grade cargoes on offer was heard to have been sold to India’s Reliance — likely an early July loading shipment by Angola’s Sonangol, though the seller and the price did not emerge. The slow sale and repeated discounts from about $1.20 above dated Brent in late May to around 30 cents this week mark a lack-lustre month for the new, high-sulphur offshore grade amid sluggish Asian refining margins. Chinese importers to apply for tariff waivers on US goods Chinese importers are preparing applications for waivers on import tariffs levied on more than 700 U.S. goods in the Sino-U.S trade war, after the finance ministry said it would start taking submissions. The Ministry of Finance last week posted a list of goods for which waivers could be granted that includes meats such as beef and pork, soybeans, coal and copper scrap. The waivers are for tariffs imposed in July last year on $50 billion worth of U.S. goods in retaliation for similar measures taken by Washington. Beijing has since imposed additional tariffs on thousands of goods as a bitter trade war has escalated. “We’re preparing our application, we’ll soon submit our materials,” said Shi Lei, a manager at meat importer Beijing Hopewise. “This is good news for us.” Stories credited to Reuters
Zamfara judgement: There is triumph in defeat IHAVE always looked forward to any pronouncement from Professor Itse Sagay with palpitating anticipation, and whenever it came I gulped it with relish. With Sagay there is never beating about the bush. He would not refer to a spade as a tool with a sharp-edged typically rectangular metal blade with a long handle, etc. No. Sagay will call a spade, a spade. Full stop. That’s why his commentary on the Zamfara nullified elections was a delight. Obviously he had a different opinion from what the Supreme Court Judges pronounced and he went on to say it as only Sagay would. Here are my picks from the comments made by the professor of law as published in the Daily Post of May 30. He described the judgement as: ‘a national tragedy’, ‘unimaginable injustice’, ‘unprecedented tragedy’, ‘installing losers in office’, ‘undemocratic calamity’, ‘technical law completely overthrowing justice’, and ‘burying democracy’. He concludes by urging the All Progressive Congress, APC, to approach the Supreme Court to review its judgement. The national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had earlier spoken in a similar vein but to my surprise his tones were uncharacteristically subdued. The only allusion to anger in his remarks was when he said ‘the Supreme Court ruling amounted to imposing total strangers on the people of Zamfara’. He seemed to face the reality of living with the ruling. The party he said would not appeal the Supreme Court ruling, instead it will now take its case to God. I can understand the anger of Professor Sagay who is not only a member of the APC, but also holds office as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption. I sympathise with him, along with Comrade Oshiomhole and all those who voted massively for the APC to win virtually every seat in the Zamfara election only to find out all their efforts were wasted. According to the Supreme Court, their votes were wasted votes.The Supreme Court went on to award all the seats (with the exception of one) that the APC won to the opposition PDP who came a distant second in the elections. In one of the strangest twist of events in election annals, those who were declared winners became losers, and the losers became winners. In other words, triumph became a defeat and defeat was amply rewarded. One only finds this kind of scenario in the fictional world of Frank Kafka. But that’s how far our sympathies can go. The fact is that there seem to be no one sympathising with what happened to the APC in Zamfara. Most people would readily rather gloat over the misfortune that had afflicted the party. I spoke to a number of people and they just shrugged their shoulders and said that the APC in Zamfara State dug its own grave. They asked: Why sympathise with a party that frittered away the trust of their supporters in the courts as a result of intra-party feuding that became impossible to settle amicably? The Zamfara saga played out in the open, right from the day when the primary elections started. Former Governor AbdulAziz Yari with the might of Zamfara government on one side, and Senator Kabiru Marafa and the group dubbed Abuja politicians as protagonists in the other camp, led A great pity that the Zamfara matter ended the way it did in the style of Kunar Bakin Wake their troops in a relentless, pitched battle. Admittedly many states had this kind of problem in all the major parties, but somehow they were able sort out themselves and hold acceptable versions of primaries. But despite all admonishes from the APC party headquarters, all the camps in the Zamfara debacle continued to feud, mulishly bent on selfdestruction, disregarding all entreaties. Obviously Senator Marafa was not in the mood to back down and Governor Yari was unyielding, so convinced of his powers as chief-of-state. The stage was, therefore, set for this grand tragedy to the party. As I watched the events unfold, I recall the story of Kunar Bakin Wake, a Hausa story I read many years ago. Those familiar with this Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 —17 17 Hausa mythology will recall the account: It is a story of a powerful prince in one of the towns in the defunct Hausa Kingdoms. The prince clearly intoxicated by his powers preferred to ride on the shoulders of strong young men, instead of riding horses and camels which he had plenty. The young men in the town hated the prince for this strange preference, but all of them just sulked, and acquiesced when called by the prince for a ride. One day, Bakin Wake, a strong hefty young man decided that whenever the prince called on him for a ride he would take them to the next level and end it all. And that was what he did when his turn came to give the prince a ride. That fateful day Bakin Wake went to the palace and picked the prince on his broad, muscular shoulders for an evening ride. The prince was gaily dressed, resplendent in a bulbous gown with a colourful turban on his head. He rode on the shoulders of Bakin Wake through the town holding a whip in his hand which he used to prod Bakin Wake and also acknowledge the greetings of his subjects he met on the way. However, in a bizarre turn of events, Bakin Wake held on to his rider and diverted to a rubbish dump that was furiously on fire where he threw himself and the prince, both of them perishing in the raging inferno. A great pity that the Zamfara matter ended the way it did in the style of Kunar Bakin Wake. A greater pity that no one is shedding any tears for what had befallen the party there. One only hopes that the Supreme Court pronouncement that has now entered the history books in what lawyers would now refer to as a landmark judgement, will serve as a check on the haughtiness of many of our political actors. FROM MY MAIL BAG: Many thanks to readers who faithfully follow this column and raise issues with me. My last two pieces on the Kano Emirate attracted many reactions. My elder, Inuwa Jibrin, a veteran journalist living in Kaduna was one of the first to call. He goes over my column always with a fine tooth comb. He pointed out to me that the Attah of Igala, I referred, to as Umaru Obosi was actually Umaru Ameh Oboni. This was further corroborated by a text from Jonathan Achimugu. Similarly, Shehu of Borno, Sanda Umar Kyarimi whom I wrote died in 1968, actually died in 1967. I thank Baba Gana from UMTH Maiduguri for this correction. Inuwa Jibrin also pointed out to me that the Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Inuwa Abbas that was appointed in 1963 reigned for six months and not three months as I wrote. Baba D Hamidu also sent a text wondering why I skipped the Lamido of Adamawa Ahmadu, the son of Lamido Maigari,who was deposed in 1953 and exiled to Biu, where he lived and died. He was succeeded by Lamido Aliyu, the father of the current Lamido Barkindo, who was destined to enjoy a very long reign. On the article titled, "Banditry – the Police Hold the Key", Professor Hamman Tukur wrote: "I hope your article will help in bringing the problem of effective policing to the front burner. The fact is Nigeria Police is ill equipped, poorly trained and motivated. A Senator gets N13.5m as monthly running cost, how much does a Commissioner of Police get? It is too much optimism to expect a police that collects money from motorists on the highway to contain banditry or any form of insecurity. It is sad that it doesn’t appear the government has any effective solution. It is addressing the problem as if it has all the time in the world. Same persons, same methods will always give same results. May God protect us". Creating a sustainable and accountable democratic system in Nigeria IAM very worried about the state of Nigeria’s democracy. Not because I think that we have witnessed anything unusual in our 2019 elections, but because we think it is unusual. We seem to think that our democratic process took a step back during this political process. It didn’t. It has always been this way. All we have seen is the exploitation of the same flaws that have existed for a very long time, and which ultimately have the potential to create such division, that our integrity as a nation is under threat. For a young, and immature democracy, and that is what we remain, there is a certain expectation that the system will have flaws. That it will be imperfect. But the requirement for the population to continue to believe in that system is that it shows progress towards a better, more inclusive, more representative solution to our democratic needs. To understand the trajectory of this problem, we just need to look at voter turnout in our presidential and then gubernatorial elections. In 2015, voterturnout at the national level, as a percentage of registered voters, was around 40 per cent. I think 69 million registered voters resulted in approximately 30 million votes. In 2019, with registered voters up to over 80 million, we saw fewer votes. As a simple metric, when more people have the ability to vote, and less do, there is something wrong with the system. Less people have belief in its integrity, less people believe that if they vote it will change anything; more people feel that voting puts them at risk and so we end up with a government that is elected by a smaller There are solutions to these problems which, with proper leadership, can be implemented quickly and smaller percentage of the population. Continuing that journey only has one result: Government by the few over the many. Despite the disappointing trajectory, I do not believe that all is lost. There are solutions to these problems, which with proper leadership can be implemented quickly. I want to talk about four key areas of intervention that can put us on the right track, and I hope that this triggers some debate. I am not taking a partisan position. These views are expressed with no agenda beyond the desire to see that some of the fundamental building blocks our nation needs to thrive, are built. The starting point, and the focus of this article, is a clear understanding of the numbers, and that starts at the very basic question about our population, its size, its growth rate and its geographic diversity. We must know how many people live in Nigeria, where they live and some basic information about them. You cannot operate an independent, transparent and accountable political system without this. I will present some views on how to solve this later on. The second intervention is the depth of political, and broader, education of our people. The manipulation of elections is only possible because the population allows it. Whether you are a hired thug, a vote seller, a compromised agent, a greedy INEC official or an intimidated activist, your complicity in a broken system starts from a lack of understanding, and is extenuated by a lack of belief in its integrity. Which brings me to the third intervention? We must take action to reform the structure, number and governance of our political parties. They must be accountable and the rules that govern them must be enforced. Finally, we must make some changes to the voting system that we use. I don’t think it is possible for any truly independent commentator to look at how the elections were conducted and claim that the system works. It absolutely does not. It remains hugely susceptible to manipulation. By both sides. But some simple reforms, the more nuanced use of technology, and a voters database that reflects the actual population would dramatically enhance the integrity of the process. I will interrogate each of these themes in individual articles over the coming weeks, and I want to reiterate that this process is one of reflection. It has no political bias. I have spent nearly five decades in pursuit of a system that can empower Nigeria to achieve its potential. I have seen and understand many of our mistakes. I know the flaws that exist that politicians retain, in order to exploit, and I believe that failing to address them means that the ethnic, religious, demographic and kleptocratic drivers that seek to exploit division, will remain in the ascendancy, with dire consequences. I believe that they can be countered. That investments in education, political institutions, data and technology are the solution and that with the appropriate political will can be achieved quickly. C M Y K
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06062019 - NSECURITY: Danjuma, Lekwot, others take Nigeria's case to UK

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