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40—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 23, 2019 NATIONAL CARRIER: Please Ignore AMCON •Serika, Aviation Minister By Chris Aligbe This piece has become necessary following the recent proposal by the CEO of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to the National Assembly that the Minister of Aviation should merge Arik and Aero and use them to float a National Carrier rather than starting a brand new one, which has been on the works for the last four years. This suggestion made by Ahmed Kuru during his budget defence has, as expected, elicited a flurry of comments and interventions by well-meaning industry analysts and stakeholders; with some supporting AMCON’s position and others opposing it. Before now, the challenge was that many stakeholders were not convinced of the need for a new national carrier. But stark realities of our national losses in terms of humongous capital flight of over US$1.3billion annually on ticket sales alone by foreign airlines as well as the fact that countries like Uganda, Tanzania and Ghana, even Republic of Benin are set with the floatation of their national carriers with varying degrees of government equities have undermined the position of some stakeholders who hitherto argued that national carriers are now out of fashion. This, coupled with the fact that, try as they may, the collective operational strength and effort of our domestic airlines has proven grossly inadequate, albeit, unable to provide any anchor for redemptive hope. And so today, virtually the entire industry and, indeed, the vast majority of stakeholders are either clamouring for or desirous of a befitting national carrier. At least now, after many years of cacophony of clanging ideas, we have moved a step or two forward towards the quest for redemptive action in the airline sub-sector. We are no longer arguing whether or not, but rather, what will be the nature of the desired national carrier. Even AMCON, whose authorities did not support the idea when it acquired Aero and Arik, today, wants to key into the idea, though to achieve a corporate, rather than national motive. There are still a few who believe that Aero and Arik are airlines that belong to the government. It is not true. If they were, they would be under Aviation not AMCON that has no statutory responsibility on aviation but rather on debt collection. Any attempt to move outside this statute will occasion international litigations that could be unresolved for many years. This is because both the original owners and creditors will head to court to challenge the Federal Government. Even the idea of merging two airlines which the proponents have acknowledged “are not doing well” to form a new national carrier is fraught with so many intractable challenges that will make the product a disaster abinitio. Some of those include, but not limited to the following pertinent questions. 1. Can any healthy and virile establishment be founded on the back of unhealthy and struggling entities? 2. Will any sensible investor invest in such establishment? 3. Where no investors come, such a national carrier will exist on 100% government equity, just like the liquidated Nigeria Airways. Have we so soon forgotten the bane of Nigeria Airways? 4. Can AMCON’s liabilities from Aero and Arik, vicariously or inferentially, be assigned simplicter to the Federal Government? Ditto the assets? If not, then the argument of Federal Government owning two airlines – Aero and Arik fails to sail. Have AMCON and Supporter – Proponents stopped to consider the “Outline Business Case” (OBC) of its proposition on the use of Aero-Arik merger to float a national carrier? I ask this because in our present dispensation, all such Proposals/Promoters must first submit an OBC to the Infrastructure Concession and At least now, after many years of cacophony of clanging ideas, we have moved a step or two forward towards the quest for redemptive action in the airline sub-sector Regulatory Council (ICRC) for evaluation, guidance and approval. For those who are not aware, the Nigeria Air national carrier project had gone through this process, passed two to three approvals by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), successfully concluded the Development stage and was at the Procurement stage in compliance with ICRC approvals and guidance. In the entire three-year period of due process, Arik and Aero were never in consideration. AMCON’s proposal is therefore an unnecessary distraction at best and, at worst, an uncanny step to truncate the Nigeria Air Project. Kuru took his proposal to the National Assembly, having failed to secure consent from the Ministry of Aviation. Was it in good faith? Or an attempt to arm-twist? Any which way, the NASS has no statutory/ constitutional right to compel the Ministry’s acceptance of Kuru’s fantasy. I wish public officials should know and act within statutes. Kuru’s push is outside the oversight role of the NASS. I had thought that many a commentator, particularly the Support-Proponents of AMCON should have asked few questions based on Ahmed Kuru’s statement that “Arik is now positioned for profitability”. First, is Kuru sincere in his avowal? What are his indices of Arik’s profitability? AMCON took over Arik with 15 aircraft. How many aircraft has the airline now? What is the debt profile of Arik as at today? How much has AMCON recovered since it took over Arik. What is the operational status of Arik in terms of route network and schedule integrity? What about maintenance integrity which Arik had the highest rating on before AMCON’s takeover? We can ask on and on. But suffice it to remind us that at the time of takeover, AMCON was not only loud, but also voluminous with words in its effort to convince Nigerians on the way of Arik’s takeover. Every day, the deluge of information and “facts” of Arik’s indebtedness were deafening as they poured out like the unceasing sound of a pounding cataract. AMCON cannot therefore just take us for a ride by telling us at the National Assembly that “Arik and Aero are now positioned for profitability”. AMCON should publish its score-card to show the “great success” it has achieved so we can clap for it. I dare AMCON to do so because, as at today, what is known is that Aero is keeping faith and in about four years’ time, its close to N30billion outstanding debt will be paid off while Arik is not anywhere close. I am not surprised because as at when AMCON took over Arik and Aero, in all my public and media engagements, I described AMCON as an “undertaker” that had no modicum of competence and neither developmental vision nor growth plan to turn the airlines around. AMCON, in exercise of its statutory responsibility, applied the classic, albeit, the simplistic takeover model with features of general principles – seek court order, announce take-over, appoint Receiver-Manager, sack Management and replace CEO with its own appointee. Unfortunately, airlines are much more complex as they usually require a much more in-dept study and understanding of their state and what is required to enable the achievement of required objective(s). Airlines in the states of Aero and Arik at the time of AMCON takeover, first and foremost, required a turnaround. And since AMCON does not possess, and is not expected to possess turnaround competence for complex organizations like airlines, AMCON, knowing this, should have engaged renowned firm of Consultants or Turnaround Management Team to engineer their quick (usually 5 years) turnaround. If AMCON had taken this road, it would have found that at the time of take-over, Aero exhibited more turnaround symptoms than Arik, despite the fact of by “far larger volume of Arik’s debt”. Aero required a complete turnaround in every material particular; from Management, equipment, market share/positioning, work culture/morale, operational integrity, rundown facilities, safety standards, declined assets overall and impaired and mutilated vision arising from internal (Ownership- Management) wrangling. Arik on the other hand, was not a candidate for a holistic turnaround. This is because, although Arik was plagued, like Aero with all the afflictions (external and internal, most cases self-inflicted), ailments that over the decades have been and are still, the bane of airline operations in Nigeria, Arik had great assets, healthy and modern facilities, very young fleet, world standard maintenance and safety records as well as a vision that was not disjointed. Unlike Aero, what Arik needed was a laser beam on Management, Corporate governance and work culture that would appropriate all the positives to reverse the negatives. I have no doubt that both Captains Roy Ilegbodu and Ado Sanusi are doing their best at Arik and Aero respectively. All that I am saying is that if AMCON had studied the turnarounds of post-apartheid South African Airways by Coleman Andrews and his team, the post-Privatisation of Kenya Airways by Speed-wing, the IFC approach to pre-Privatisation of Nigeria Airways and the British Airways pre-Privatisation turnaround by the Lord King/Collin Marshal team, it would have understood the superiority of a Turnaround Team to classic use of Receiver Manager/CEO model. When I raised objections to AMCON’s approach in its take-over of Arik and Aero, I was not speaking apriori because I had seen how AMCON managed the assets of Virgin Nigeria/Nigerian Eagle after acquiring its N35billion debt. Its assets were left to rot away. Today, AMCON has not publicly rendered any account on that take-over. Yet, it is public funds, albeit, taxpayers’ assets and money. Is it not thought-provoking and informative to us – Aviation Stakeholders - that even at the time Kuru was trying to push its burden of Arik and Aero to Sirika, he was already working with Ernst and Young, CBN and NDIC for the liquidation of AMCON? Kuru in a just-concluded retreat told the House Committee on Banking and Finance just last week that of the 12,743 Eligible Bank Assets (EBAs) AMCON bought over which brought the Banks Net Book Value (NAV) to zero, only 4000 EBAs have been resolved while 8000 remain unresolved. He further confirmed that 71 of them are under receivership, which no doubt include Arik and Aero as we know. AMCON has only achieved about 31% of its assigned role. It is hoped that if the CBN and NDIC buy over AMCON’s N6.3trillion debt and sell it off internationally at a discounted rate as proposed by Kuru, then Arik and Aero may come fully alive again and become formidable. This will be great since our country is in dire need of at least 3 to 4 virile airlines to cope with the SAATM and the travel requirements of our people. Given the above position, it is therefore intriguing why Kuru was pushing his idea of Arik-Aero-based national carrier. I am sure by now Supporter-Proponents of Kuru’s unconvincing and unflyable kite know better. My simple advice to the Minister of Aviation is to just ignore Kuru and his AMCON and move on. The only and major success of AMCON as an institution has been to give the banks a debt-clean slate. Since CBN and NDIC can do this better, AMCON is an unnecessary and poor duplication. It should be wound up. •Chris Aligbe, Aviation Consultant Belujane Konzult Limited
Ojukwu and Contemporary Biafra Agitations By Kanayo Nnabuchi Makurdi, Nigeria (late Sept. 1966) were N foreshadowed by months of intensive anti-Ibo ovember 4 2019 was the posthumous and anti-Eastern conversations among Tiv, birthday of Dim Chukwuemeka Idoma, Hausa and other Northerners resident Odimegwu Ojukwu. The flurry of in Makurdi, and, fitting a pattern replicated events and discourses around his birthday leave in city after city, the massacres were led by the no one in doubt that even in death, Ikemba is Nigerian army. Before, during and after the still involved with the nation’s affairs. slaughter, Col. Gowon could be heard over the Expectedly, his roles, especially the events radio issuing ‘guarantees of safety’ to all surrounding the civil war, are always a subject Easterners, all citizens of Nigeria, but the intent of debate on such occasions. of the soldiers, the only power that counts in Because the victors write accounts of war, it Nigeria now or then, was painfully clear. After is not surprising that the narrative that Ndigbo, counting the disemboweled bodies along the nay Ojukwu, waged war against Nigeria Makurdi road I was escorted back to the city persists among a section of Nigerians. Also, by soldiers who apologised for the stench and despite the benefits of commonsense as well as explained politely that they were doing me and accounts by non-Igbo key players in the the world a great favor by eliminating Igbos”. January 1966 coup like Major Ademola Yet, Nigeria would never accept there was Ademoyega of “Why We Struck” fame or genocide. Neither would the victors agree that someone like Major-General Olufemi with the influx of lucky survivors (my parents Olutoye, Rtd. (Oba of Ido-Ani who, though not inclusive) with horrific tales, coupled with the a participant, was privy to the coup) that the subsequent collapse of Aburi Accord, duty objective of the condemnable called on Ojukwu to declare an independent multi-ethnic military putsch Republic of Biafra and he inevitably did. was to release Obafemi Nor would they direct their minds to the Awolowo from prison and fact that the Nigerian troops led by Col. install him as Prime Minister, Mohammed Shuwa launched the first the victors still tag it an Igbo offensive against Ndigbo at the Nsukka coup. It does not matter that end on July 6, 1967 to signal the Ndigbo were too well positioned in the political and economic scheme of things at the time to want to upset the apple-cart. It does not also matter that it was Igbo officers - General Johnson Aguyi- Ironsi, Col. Emeka Ojukwu, etc. - that foiled the coup. While I readily admit that General Johnson Aguyi- Ironsi’s delay in trying and punishing the coup plotters was very suspect and indeed a huge blunder that aggravated the hurts of other parts of Nigeria, which lost their cream of military and political elites, the victors would never see the failure of the General Yakubu Gowon-led government to protect the over 80,000 Ndigbo and their Eastern brethren (military officers and civilians alike), who knew nothing about the coup, but were nevertheless murdered in cold blood with about two million forced to flee back home, as the real cause of the war. Charles Keil, an American author and ethnomusicologist, who also researched a lot about Tiv ethnic group, was visiting Nigeria at the time. He narrated how thousands of fleeing Ndigbo, who got as closer home as Benue, were slaughtered by their neighbours. His words: “The pogroms I witnessed in It does not also matter that it was Igbo officers - General Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi, Col. Emeka Ojukwu, etc. - that foiled the coup Shortly after the court of appeal judgement which upheld the election of Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo state, the Director of Media in the Uzodimma campaign Organisation, Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba, told Saturday Vanguard in this brief chat why Uzodimma is heading to the supreme court. Emelumba, a two time member of Imo state House of Assembly, explained that the issue at stake is about the grievous omission of Uzodimma’s results from 388 polling units, which he said is an unpardonable electoral offence that can only be remedied by crediting the results to the candidate. Excerpts The court of appeal has just given judgement on the case of your governorship candidate, Sen Hope Uzodimma and Emeka Ihedioha and your candidate lost. What’s your next step? First of all I don’t think it is correct to say that we lost. Four out of the five judges of the appeal panel upheld the judgement of the election petitions tribunal in favour of the declaration of Emeka Ihedioha as the winner of the governorship election by INEC, but as you know one of the Judges, who I understand is a senior judge, disagreed with his colleagues and gave judgement in favour of Uzodimma and the APC and ruled that Sen Hope Uzodimma of the APC won the governorship election and ought to have been declared the winner of the election. So you see there are two judgements, one in favour of Ihedioha and the other in favour of Uzodimma. So you can’t really say we lost or that any side won outright commencement of hostilities to compel back to Nigeria the same people clubbed, mauled, quartered, and practically chased out in the pogroms spirit of “araba” (meaning let’s separate). A war ensured. The rest is a horrible history I hate to retell. Or you want me to recall that on fateful Eke market day, in a war between brothers, a Nigerian warplane flown by a Whiteman, descended low and dropped bombs in the centre of my town’s market brimming with civilians? No, what matters to me is for Nigerians, especially the younger generations, to recall the dire circumstances in which Ojukwu acted and why he remains a “god” among his people. Unlike the so-called Biafra “champions” of today, who grow stupendously rich on the contributions of their gullible followers, Ojukwu sunk his patrimony into Igbo’s survival. Therefore, that he fought a good cause is one thing virtually every full-blooded Igbo is ready to live or die defending. However, it is disturbing that many, especially the younger generation, who venerate Ikemba, do not know that he did not die a rebel. He died a Nigerian. Those who cash in on the mistreatment of Ndigbo, brainwash our people that they are out to complete what Ojukwu started. This shows IMO: Why y Uzodimma is going to Supreme Court t – Mbadiwe e Emelumba But what you have is a minority judgement. The PDP and Ihedioha have the majority judgement so we can say they won and you lost You are free to see it the way you want to but that does not make it right. Yes, Ihedioha and PDP may have the majority judgement but the benefit of history has shown that the majority is not always right or ultimately triumphant. A case at hand is many centuries ago when Thomas Hobbes came up with the theory of separation of powers in governance. The idea was roundly rejected by a vast majority of British people. In fact the British parliament banned his book and publicly burnt it as a sign of total rejection. Today, that theory applies not just in the governance of Britain but almost in all the countries of the world. So the majority was wrong after all. So in the instant case who says the majority is ultimately right? Let us wait for the supreme court to decide that So Uzodimma is going to be supreme court then? Absolutely. What is on ground today is that two judgements emanated from the court of appeal. We are definitely appealing against the one against us and I am certain that the PDP and Ihedioha will be appealing against the judgement that did not favour them. So this time around Ihedioha and PDP shall be appealing against a judgement because that judgement categorically stated that Uzodimma won the governorship election. Am sure you will agree that, that says volumes and brings a whole new scenario into the bargain But you people lost at both the tribunal and at least majority of the appeal court Judges also dismissed your case. What makes you SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 23, 2019—41 Gburugburu will forever be celebrated, not only among Ndigbo, but Nigerians and students of history the world over, as one of the few patriots in contemporary history, who rallied his people for self defence, yet mobilised them for a fast-paced reintegration into the mainstream social, political, and economic life of their nation. “Our dear nation and her leaders owe it to the memory of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, therefore, to strengthen Nigeria as an indivisible political entity where justice, peace, love, and unity reigns; where national interest is supreme; and where every Nigerian is free and able to actualise his or her legitimate dreams and aspirations unmolested in any part of the country, irrespective of religious, political, and tribal affiliations and origin. This is indeed the greatest honour and tribute he can get from us”. Also, Ojukwu left words on the marble at 2nd The Sunday Newspaper (TSM) Diamond Lecture, which he delivered on February 22, 1994. He said: “I do not deny the fact of secession in 1967 - this is a historical fact. What I deny is that the Igbo community to which I belong has been planning for SECESSION. Secession is not like COCAINE - it is not addictive. Today other people are feeling the pangs of what I felt some twenty-five years ago. These people have my sympathies. These people not having the guts to say so have continued to murmur the word in the hope that I will take up the refrain. I will not. Today I have more reasons to seek a better Nigeria”. Nevertheless, Ojukwu preferred the type of unity obtained in holy matrimony, one based •Ojukwu on social justice, not the unity of Jonah in the belly of the whale, as he described it. He said the former would lead to growth and happiness of citizenry, while the latter would only result in defecation – abortion of the nation. To him the extreme harms Nigeria’s failure to teach “Unity for Nigeria holds out the best chance history in our schools for many years has done for progress when that unity is a unity of to us. Going through picture and stories purpose…. Nigeria can most certainly remain published on 2nd Ojukwu Memorial Lecture one if oppression ceases and if the Nigerian organised by the Dim Chukwuemeka polity is adjusted to accommodate the Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, legitimate aspirations of every group in Nigeria Anamabra State, to mark his posthumous and if the members of every constituent group birthday, one read some comments pouring feel equal and secure in Nigeria”. invective on the organisers for decorating the By an “adjusted” Nigeria, Ikemba meant a birthday cake in Nigerian national colours. “restructured” Nigeria. Unfortunately, Obviously, they did not know or remember that whereas Ndigbo have continually declared Ojukwu was not only buried in the same their readiness to work for a united and colours, but was given a state burial by the restructured Nigeria as we saw at the Awka Federal Government. They did not know that Summit where they proffered a 10-point on return from exile in 1982, Ikemba joined template to that effect, the laissez-faire and the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) viewed as dismissive attitude of the Nigerian State to the a northern party instead of the Dr. Nnamdi sensibilities of Ndigbo and the urgent need to Azikiwe-led Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) restructure for a viable nation popularise viewed as an Igbo party. He also ran for the message and messengers of secession. But Senate on NPN platform. Ojukwu contested Ndigbo must ignore these messengers and fight for the Nigerian presidency on the platform of for that which Ikemba believed in- a APGA in 2003 and came third with 1,297,445 restructured Nigeria. votes. He vied again in 2007. His wife was With Igbo’s investments and populations also Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain. outside Igbo land unrivalled by any other tribe, Meanwhile, one does not think that Ojukwu with their enormous contributions to the nursed any illusions that the powers that be development of parts of the country other than would allow him to rule Nigeria. His actions their own unmatched by any other, Ndigbo were more symbolic than political – to make a have nothing more to prove as to their statement on his belief in Nigeria and to keep acceptance of Nigeria and commitment to her. Igbo’s equal stake in Nigeria alive. Nearest to The bible says that where a man’s treasure is, it in recent times was Senator Ike there also lies his heart. The real question is Ekweremadu’s decision to run for the Deputy whether Nigeria has accepted Ndigbo. And it Senate President in 2015 and 2019 when it is this feeling of exclusion among the Igbo became obvious that the Igbo had zoned Igbo masses that the pro-Biafra businessmen are APC members out of major political offices. feasting on. Instructively, Ndigbo do not Ojukwu’s commitment to Nigeria could demand a preferential treatment. All they further discerned from his widow at the earliermentioned memorial lecture. During her true political reintegration, and an enabling demand is justice, equity, level-playing ground, glowing tribute, she read in full Ekweremadu’s federal system to pursue their happiness, tribute to Ojukwu during his funeral seven years actaulise their potentials, and contribute to ago. According to her, the tribute not only national development- exactly what Ikemba eulogized, but also captured the person, wanted. Or is that too much for Ndigbo to ask essence, and ideologies of the ex-warlord. for? Excerpts of that tribute read: “Ezeigbo Nnabuchi lives in Awka think the supreme court will be different We remain very confident that we have a good case. We know that Sen Hope Uzodimma won the March governorship election in Imo state and we are confident that no matter how tortuous the road to Justice may be we will get there and Uzodimma’s guber victory shall be restored. The fact that the tribunal and majority of the appeal court Judges disagree does not really detract from the sacrosanct appeal of our case and it will never deter us. We are talking of omission of results from 388 polling units which when added makes Uzodimma the winner of the governorship election Now at the tribunal results from these polling units were tendered and admitted as exhibits. All the agents of other political parties duly signed and authenticated these results. The police was subpoenaed by the tribunal and they brought copies of their own results which corroborated what we tendered.. Neither INEC nor PDP brought any other results to contradict what we tendered and which were accepted by the tribunal. As a matter of fact the tribunal ruled and admitted the results formally only to upturn it’s own ruling at judgement But the crux of the matter is that this is about omission of results and no amount of technicalities should sweep it under the carpet because any type of omission in our electoral process is like an abomination. This is why when a party’s logo is omitted in the ballot paper the election becomes a nullity. Omission of results of a candidate is no less serious because it is a very grievous matter and unpardonable. It’s akin to sin against the holy spirit, in Christendom, which is unforgivable. The only remedy is to add the omitted results for the candidate not to sweep them under the carpet of technicalities. The good news is that a senior appeal court Judge has given life to this position and we are strengthened by his courage to stand for the truth So we are hopeful that the supreme court will not allow such a grave issue as omission of results to be slaughtered and sacrificed on the altar of trumped up technicalities. To answer your question directly we are not deterred by the instances you have mentioned but are confident that Justice will be served at the end of the day Was INEC not in court? A Thank you for this question. Yes INEC was represented in court by a Director who actually admitted in court that elections held in the 388 units and that resulted were collated at the ward Level but omitted at LGA level Did he say why? He had no explanation for that But did he disclaim the results you tendered? A No he did not because he didn’t bring contrary results .Rather, he in fact identified our results as the correct results from the units But some Imo people think that you people should let Ihedioha be because it is the turn of owerri zone to be governor This is unnecessary sentiment which falls flat on the face of reason. Imo people voted for Uzodimma across the three geo political zones in the state. I think what Imo people need is good governance not government by zone. So let’s leave the sentiments and face reality
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