ENUGU—The apex Igbo socio-cultural group,Ohanaeze Ndigbo,yesterday,appealed to the Igbo nation to remain calm in the face of seeming lopsidedness of appointments made so far by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ohanaeze was reacting to the strident outcries that have attended the appointment of the president’s ‘kitchen cabinet’.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo
President General,Ohanaeze Ndigbo,Chief Enwo Gary Igariwey, spoke at the Ohanaeze National Secretariat in Enugu during an appraisal meeting on the Igbo nation.
Chief Igariwey said,”we had a meeting of a select group with Ohanaeze NEC to discuss Igbo day celebration. It will be held on a low key. Branches are free to celebrate as they want. But Ohanaeze national will mark Igbo day on a key.
“It will be a day of retreat,tact and unity. The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Akonauche na Njiko’ (tact and unity).
On the issue of appointments, the PG said,”we ask our people not to be disappointed on the seeming lopsidedness of appointments made so far by the president.
“Our people should remain steadfast, think of home, and galvanise efforts towards the development of Igbo nation because nobody will do it for us. We have helped in building Lagos and Abuja among others. It is time to do the same in our own place.
“We should recreate that zeal and develop our place. This years’ celebration is not a time of festival and masquerades,but a tiime for rethink.”
Also, former Secretary General of Ohanaeze,Chief Joe Achuzie,who was miffed by the lopsided ‘kitchen cabinet’ appointments, charged Ndigbo to remain strong and form a veritable opposition that will take over power come 2019.
According to the former scribe,”having known that the president has distributed key positions to his brothers, what worries me is that ministers have been regarded as mere servants by the president. In other words, if an Igbo is appointed minister,he or she will be a mere servant.
“The question is, are we to take up such positions to go and serve him,to go and make him popular? Without an Igbo man being a minister, I do not think the president will survive. So,Igbo should not take ministerial position.”
Nigeria’s foreign reserves is now on a steady decline against the backdrop of the decision by Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to protect the Naira from depreciation.
N100 note
As at last trading day on Wednesday, September 23, the reserves had fallen to $30.485 billion, about $1.139 billion drop from this year’s peak of $31.624 billion recorded about six weeks ago, August 9.
Foreign reserves, which mirrors an economy’s relative strength and ability to finance its imports and foreign investors’ obligations, had witnessed an upward growth since June from $29 billion, reversed the trend on August 9 and has since been on the decline.
The declining trend, according to financial sector analysts, is a result of CBN’s operations in the foreign exchange market, where it tries to meet demands at a predetermined exchange rate amidst declining oil revenue.
However, foreign exchange market reports still indicate continued excess demand which has continued to put pressure on exchange rate, while premium on parallel market continue to widen.
The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said that the weak performance of the external sector and its vulnerability to external shocks reflect the dismal contributions of the non-oil sector and low produc-tion in the economy.
Many financial analysts have also attributed the outflows to recent announcement by USA investment banker, JP Morgan, that it was withdrawing Nigeria from its Government Bond Index for Emerging Markets, GBI-EM.
Afrinvest Group, a Lagos-based investment banker, said the development would further pressure the external reserves as funds attracted to the economy through GBI-EM, will be expected to leave the financial system.
Barely 48 hours to September 30, the deadline given by President Muhammadu Buhari, to release the list of his long-awaited ministerial nominees, the social media was again abuzz on Monday, with a list of politicians and technocrats who are speculated to make the ministerial nominees to be sent to the Senate tomorrow.
However, this list is not an official list from the Presidency. Again, this is not likely the real list because some names such as that of Dr Kayode Fayemi, Femi Falana and Engineer Segun Oni are all from Ekiti State. According to the constitution, the President must appoint a minister from each state.
Here is the list:
Prof. Tam David West
Femi Falana (SAN)
Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (rtd)
Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola
Wale Edun
Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru
Chief Bode Mustapha
Engineer Segun Oni
Dr Kayode Fayemi
Dr. Abba Ruma
Chief Kanu Agabi
Donald Duke
Babatunde Raji Fashola
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
Rotimi Akeredolu
Oby Ezekwesili
Festus Odimegwu
Engineer Funsho Kupolokun
Yinka Folashade Oredola
Bisola Adegbenro
Isaiah Danjuma (son of TY Danjuma)
Dele Momodu
Kehinde Lawanson
Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN)
Pat Utomi
Charles Chukwuma Soludo
Meanwhile, as Nigerians await the official announcement from President Buhari:
* Who would you want to be on the list?
* Who would you want removed from the aforementioned names?
A former Special Adviser on Media to the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati, has said many journalists failed to appreciate the delicate and sensitive nature of his job, as they pestered him to react to some national issues while he held the post.
Dr Reuben Abati
He said this on Monday in Abeokuta on the sideline of the 2015 annual lecture of the Ogun State Correspondents’ chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.
Abati, who had earlier spoken on the theme, ‘Media and Economic Renaissance,’ said some journalists covering the State House did complain that he would not pick their calls whenever they wanted to get his reactions.
He noted that some of them failed to realise that he was a government spokesman and not a ‘journalist’ at that point in time, as they still expected his scathing criticisms and personal conviction.
He said, “Once you are in government, you are no more a journalist. It’s just like a royal court, the king does not go out there, he sends someone to deliver his message to the people. You are an agent to a principal.
“The job of a government spokesman is delicate and sensitive. If you are a careless spokesperson, you will blow up a country. It is not everything that a hunter sees in the bush that he talks about.
“But my colleagues, the journalists, still wanted me to talk as Abati, the columnist or Abati as a panelist in Patito’s Gang. Loquacity is not an asset when you are a government spokesman.”
Dwelling on the topic of the lecture, Abati called on media owners and journalists to be abreast of the economic policies of government, since such policies would affect them and their organisations.
He said, “We must prioritise issues of economic diversification. We must be interested in economic policies, we must acquire the skills to interrogate and analyse economic policies and we must interrogate people at the helm of affairs so that we can be crusaders of good society.”
He urged journalists to put political office holders on their toes to implement viable economic policies for national development.
Abati, who was the former chairman, The Guardian Newspaper Editorial Board, noted that most of the past economic policies put up by successive governments failed due to lack of dedication and continuity on the part of public office holders.
He bemoaned the idea of a new administration wanting to start everything afresh even when the immediate past government had some viable projects and programmes that would put the country on the path of sustainable development.
He said former President Jonathan introduced over 60 economic reforms which, he claimed, had been discarded by the incumbent administration, noting such lack of continuity in economic policies would breed socio-political instability.
He noted that the agricultural policy of the Jonathan administration dwelt on the entire value chain in that sector.
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, the CEO of Rock City FM and a former Commissioner for Information in Ogun State, Mr. Niran Malaolu, advised journalists to stop ‘crucifying’ their colleagues when they were appointed as commissioners, advisers, or senior special assistants.
Rather, he said, they should support them and make them succeed.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has clarified that the state only got N9.6 billion out of the over N29 billion it applied for in the Federal Government’s bail-out funds for states.
Fayose vows to lead opposition against APC
The governor, who spoke on Monday in Ikogosi-Ekiti during the opening ceremony of a two-day retreat for commissioners, permanent secretaries and heads of agencies, also said out of the N5.6 billion applied for by the 16 local governments in the state, the FG only approved N991 million.
In a statement in Ado-Ekiti by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor made the clarification following insinuations that the state government did not want to pay pensions arrears and gratuities of retirees.
“You people know that I don’t hide anything from you when allocations come. We applied for N29 billion from the bail-out fund. It is to cover the August and September 2014 salary arrears left by the Fayemi government, leave bonus, pensions, gratuities and others. But for reasons we don’t know yet, the FG only approved N9.6 billion for salaries leaving other issues.
“The 16 local governments applied for N5.6 billion and we did all the necessary papers and presented them to the appropriate authorities, but only N991 million was approved. We were later told by the Central Bank of Nigeria that about 14 states had similar problem with the small amount approved for local governments.
“I have since written to them to rectify the situation and I hope they will do that quickly. It is only the Federal Government that can explain why they only approved one item, salary, out of the many items we presented to them on the workers’ issue.
“We have nothing to hide and people should appeal to the FG to release the money in full. We know it is loan that we will repay with nine per cent interest,” he said.
The governor also explained that the state had experienced a sharp decline in monthly allocations in recent time.
“Last month we had a shortfall of N500 million and this month we have a shortfall of N600 million. The economy is dwindling and in bad shape and the Federal Government must do something about it urgently,” he noted.
The governor also gave the assurance that there would be transparency in the disbursement of the CBN’s N2 billion loans to small and medium scale enterprises as soon as the state receives it.
He urged participants and civil servants to be loyal, committed and dedicated to their duties.
He promised a conducive atmosphere for them to work and motivation to deserving ones.
The Head of Service, Dr Gbenga Faseluka, expressed the determination of public servants to put in their best.
President Muhammadu Buhari is free to pick his ministers, his party said yesterday.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said the party trusts the President’s judgment.
President Buhari
Buhari is expected to send the names of his ministers to the Senate for confirmation latest tomorrow. Speaking after a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, Odigie-Oyegun said: ”We know that the President will do what he needs to do. What happened or did not happen between us and the President is a matter for the party as a family. It is a family affair, but he will do what he needs to do, when he needs to do it. You can trust him on that.”
He also promised that the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) would soon be inaugurated. “You know that we have been pretty busy, but I want to assure you that it will soon be inaugurated.”
Odigie-Oyegun announced the decision to fix another Bayelsa State governorship primary for today in Yenagoa.
He spoke to reporters after the meeting which was briefed by Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the chair of the panel that organised last week’s primary, which was cancelled.
With Odigie-Oyegun at the briefing were Deputy Chairman (North), Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni, National Vice Chairman (Southsouth), Primce Hillaard Etta, National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed and National Women Leader Hajia Ramatu Tijanni Ali
The chairman said: “The main issue that occupied us today at the NWC meeting has to do with the Bayelsa governorship primary. We want to make it very clear that as a party, the APC guides very jealously its record of free and fair primary.
“The NWC sees it as a duty to provide a level playing ground for all those who aspire to offices in this party. Unfortunately, in Bayelsa State, we had serious security challenges and so, the process could not meet the standard which this party has set for itself.
“So, we had no alternative than to stop the process by ensuring that the chairman of the panel is effectively moved out of the venue with the help of security agencies. We decided thereafter that there should be a proper fresh primary.
“So today, the party decided and we have written to INEC appropriately that the party has decided to conduct fresh primary for the Bayelsa governorship election, beginning tomorrow. So, the process for fresh primary will begin tomorrow.
“We are getting in touch with the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to please assist us by ensuring effective security.
“Let me make one thing clear. The issue of who is candidate or not is not the issue here. That is not what is in consideration because it can be any of the 19 aspirants that obtained the form to contest that election.
“But for the APC, the party of change, it is essential that in party processes, elections within the party are also seen to be free, fair, totally above board and without any form of force. That is what we hope to achieve beginning from tomorrow. The venue remains Yenagoa because by law, you cannot change the venue because that is part of the electoral Act.”
On whether the party plan to discipline members who announced the result of the primary in disregard of the guideline, the chairman said. “We sent people to do a job and it got to a situation where they had reasons to fear for their safety – rightly or wrongly. Anything that anybody does in such a situation to keep body and soul in one piece is welcome.”
On the alleged plan by Timiprieye Silva to challenge the decision of the party in court and the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, Odigie-Oyegun said: “That is what the courts are for. We will cross that bridge when we get there. The Saraki issue is in court and I will not want to say one word about it”
Speaking on security for the fresh primary, the chairman said: “They say once beaten, twice shy. I am not a security man; I am not a security expert. But I am sure that the IGP is fully abreast with with what happened that day as well as what can be done and need to be done to avoid a repetition and we trust his judgement.”
…..confesses to paying ransom contrary to police report
A former Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, said yesterday that he paid ransom to his abductors before his release last week.
Olu Falae
He provided shocking details of how he was starved, made to trek kilometres and forced to sleep on leaves while it rained.
The former presidential candidate said he was kidnapped on his birthday by six Fulani herdsmen last Monday at his Ilado farm on the outskirts of Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Speaking to reporters at his home in Akure, Falae said the armed hoodlums threatened to kill him every 30 minutes, until they received information that the ransom had been paid. He did not state how much was paid to the abductors, who initially asked for N100 million, which they reduced to N90 million. A family member said they could raise only N2 million.
Falae, 77, said: “There were six of them with three or four guns and every half an hour or so they will say, ‘Baba we are going to kill you, if you don’t give us money we are going to kill you.
“On Wednesday, one of them said we are leaving here on Thursday morning. Since we cannot leave you here alone, if we don’t get what we want we are going to kill you.
“And they said they gave me until 3pm. I thank God that at 21 minutes before 3pm, one of them came and said ‘the money don complete’.”
Reliving his ordeal, he said: “When the hoodlums came, they slashed me with their cutlasses, they said I was not cooperating. And they dragged me barefooted into the bush.
“After dragging me around for about two hours, they stopped somewhere for us to rest and there they asked me to phone my wife and tell her that I have been kidnapped and taken out of Ondo State, which was a lie.
“About 2.30pm on Monday, we started walking with very few stops until 2am the following morning. I guess I must have covered a minimum of 15 kilometers.
“That morning, I did not take anything. So all day, I had no food, no water and I walked close to 15km. How I survived I cannot really remember. I had no food in my stomach, I had no shoes, my clothes were torn.
“At a point, one of them gave me a pair of slippers. Later, they called for a motorcycle. The motorcyclist took me away. I had no clue where we were going. Finally, they dumped me somewhere, where I was, until I was released on Thursday.
“In that place, we all slept on leaves. Unfortunately, it rained in the night and I was drenched. One of them brought a small umbrella to cover my head, but the rest of my body was not.
“They offered me bread, but I told them I could not eat it. I demanded for a bottle of coke, which was what I drank every day to have energy and to continue with the march, because we were always moving.
“They were changing locations two to three times a day. I suspect it was to prevent the police from tracing them.”
The ex-finance minister said although the confirmation of the payment of ransom was made on Wednesday afternoon, he was not allowed to go until Thursday morning.
“So the following morning, they said I should go. One of them took ropes to stitch my buba, which was tattered.
“So when I came out of the bush, I found a motorcyclist, who gave me a lift to Owo.
“The place was about 10km from Owo town. The place was between Owo and Ifon. And I walked to that place. I guess we must have trekked about 25km.
“Miraculously, I was not tired, I was not hungry and I was not afraid of them at all. Each time they said, ‘Baba we will kill you,’ I will tell them, ‘no, insha Allah, you will not kill me’.
“I did not break down, but I want to tell you that when I got back home I became completely exhausted.
“But I am now 80 per cent fit and I know in the next few days I will be 100 per cent again.”
The 77-year-old warned that such attack should not be allowed to happen again as it could result to even graver consequences.
“It is not because of me. As for me, I am a very humble person, but by virtue of what God has made me and the status He has given me, it is an insult to our race that a man like me could be abducted by a bunch of hoodlums.”
He added: “By the way, one of them told me ‘Baba, if after you leave us you talk nonsense I will come and catch you again’. That is the kind of insult I received.”
Asked if the kidnappers were illiterates, Falae replied: “Only two of them could speak some English. They were between 25 and 35. They were Fulani but they spoke Hausa.”
Falae said it was likely his ordeal was closely connected to his conflict with Fulani herdsmen, who consistently grazed on his farm.
“The cattle rearers have been giving me a hard time for the past two or three years. Because I have a dam on the farm, so they like to bring their cattle there to drink water, then they eat my crops.
“This time they ate up my maize farm. We took pictures, and it was videoed, the police went there. They were asked to pay compensation, they begged and paid half and we accepted it.
“That was about two months ago. Whether it was one of them who went to bring his brothers to come and deal ‘with this wicked man’, I don’t know. It is plausible.
“My view is that this is my home. I have not gone to farm on anyone’s territory. This is my home where I was born. I have every right to farm here and live in peace here. So, this is totally unacceptable.
“I once told the commissioner of police that if he cannot protect us and protect my farm, then I will protect myself. There will be self-help, if government fails to protect its citizens.
“It would have been unfortunate if that were to happen. The IG met me and assured me that they will give us protection.
“I hope that we in Ondo State and in Yoruba land would consult to ensure that we enhance our protection. We cannot be slaves in our own territory.”
The former SGF said he was not surprised that the police could not trace and arrest the kidnappers because of the manner of their movement and operation.
“These fellows were permanently on the move. Day and night they were walking. Through farm lands, through water, through swamps…they were scared, they knew they could be traced with GPS, that was why they were running around all the time.
“I was not surprised at all that the police could not trace them before they decided to let me go.”
