Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State on Tuesday said that he and other Northwest governors have met and resolved to depart from the previous idea of giving money to bandits.

This was just as he said his administration would focus on rural development as a way of improving the livelihood of the rural dwellers aimed at tackling insecurity in the state.

Sani who stated these while featuring on a Channels Television interview programme on Tuesday, however, disclosed that Governors of the region troubled by banditry also resolved to meet President Bola Tinubu to discuss the security challenges of their zone.

“I hosted a meeting with the governors of the northwest and Niger state where we came out with a framework to tackle insecurity. We agreed that we will work together and move away from the decisions made by the previous governments of giving money to the bandits.

“We are planning to meet His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss the insecurity,” he said.

On his resolve to focus on rural areas, the governor said it’s aimed at improving the human capital index of the state, noting that the plan would be achieved through “improving primary education, upscale of the healthcare centres, construction of critical roads, supporting agricultural services and empowering women and youth through vocational skills.”

Sani hailed his predecessor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, for the successful implementation of the Kaduna Urban Renewal Project while assuring that his administration would build on that and extend the developmental projects to the rural areas which would help in curbing insecurity.

On the issue of the removal of subsidies, the governor also said he met with the organised labour unions in the state and they have resolved to work together to achieve the Kaduna State Project.

“I had a meeting with the organised labour in Kaduna State and we came out with some resolutions. They assured me that even when the national body embarks on a strike they will not participate.

“And this is because I have been working with them closely in the last few years in Kaduna. They are also aware that I have been part of them because of my involvement in the fight for the rights of workers in the last 30 years.

“For the first time they are working with someone who was involved in the fight for workers’ rights and they believe this is their government,” he added.

Canada has announced visa-free travel for visitors from 13 different countries across Asia, Africa, Central and South America on Tuesday.

The visa-free travel is extended to Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts-Nevis, Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Morocco, Seychelles, st. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand and the Philippines, according to the Canadian government.

While north Africa’s Morocco and east Africa’s Seychelles joined the list, Nigeria the most populous African nation didn’t make the cut.

“An expansion of the electronic travel authorization better known as the eTA programs makes it easier for “known travellers” from those countries to come here for fun and business,” Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said in a statement.

He said the expansion not only enhances convenience for travellers, it will also increase travel, tourism and economic benefits, as well as strengthen global bonds with these 13 countries.

“The known travellers from these countries can save a lot of money as a result of the visa exemptions.”

A visitor visa currently costs $100 per person and $500 for a family of five or more, but an eTA only costs seven dollars per person and is valid for as long as five years.

According to the government, introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travellers to visit Canada for up to six months for either business or leisure.

“Corruption is paid by the poor”— Pope Francis

I have been teaching post graduate students Public Policy and Governance for the last few years. I have found that the segment of the course that deals with decision-making and the policy environment excited all my classes over the years. In particular, we have ended all sections of the course dealing with policy making and governing through crises with the conclusion that character of the leadership, as well as the nature of the crises, are the two basic factors that determine some form of success or failure, yet they are not easily amenable to scientific analyses or predictive accuracy.

Every class I have taught had dwelt at length on the murky outlines of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy policies, from philosophy to design, to options to challenges of implementation and monitoring. Every class went through the challenges leaders had with corruption and waste around the policy, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of leadership that had allowed the problems around the policy to get successively worse. I had found very few students who, at the end of discussions, were willing to end the greatest scam this country had tolerated in the name of social service, principally for political reasons.

Everyone with even an elementary understanding of our oil and gas assets and policies around them has known that the fuel subsidy monster needed to be tackled decisively a long time ago. Many people, in and outside Nigeria, knew how deeply entrenched the interests around sustaining the policy had become. One of its strengths is that it had succeeded in selling the idea that removing the policy was the ultimate anti-people policy any administration should contemplate.

No leader had had the political will and courage to remove it, phase it out in a manner that either reduces the shocks and provides reliefs against them, or engage key stakeholders and managers of public opinion in agreeing on options and strategy. The more the resistance around removal of the subsidy dug in, in any form or manner, the more the beneficiaries of the scam walked away with trillions. Ironically, the strongest opponents of the subsidy removal argument have failed to see that the real problem was unspeakable corruption and weak political will of leaders regarding the subsidy, not the subsidy itself. We ended up preserving two evils: gigantic corruption and the sustenance of a policy which fed it. Defenders of public interest, including labour, appear to have given up on convincing governments to explore a combination of solutions in the face of the sheer magnitude and complexity of the systemic scam, and had become stuck at the argument that the subsidy had to be preserved at all cost.

It is, today, President Tinubu’s lot to carry the cross of all past follies and weaknesses, and he has to do this under tremendous pressure to make a choices under tremendous pressure. He should know he is bearing the failures of predecessors; the prospects of a virtual uprising; the worst beginning for a presidency that should place the highest premium in building acceptance, alliances and coalitions; the absence of a robust policy and administrative framework that should think well, prepare for crises management and lead the nation to a point where worst consequences are tampered by strong evidence of empathy and competence.

In one fell swoop, he has taken on only one out of many related challenges that will not necessarily turn the removal of subsidy into a magic wand of sorts.

Pervasive corruption in scales rarely seen anywhere in the world and its tolerance and encouragement by successive regimes have destroyed and distorted the fundamentals of an economy that could have been nurtured into one of the most prosperous outside advanced industrialized countries.

Corruption and poor governance stopped the development of local refining capacities; created cartels around a severely abused subsidy policy; enabled smuggling of refined fuel and stealing of crude in industrial scales; created multiple exchange rates that destroyed local industrial capacities and made multiple billionaires with the right connections; bankrupted the economy and accumulated huge debts; created the fiction that the removal of subsidy is a declaration of war on the poor; deprived the country of development assets; and kept away foreign investment, even in the oil and gas industry, away from a country with quite possibly the worst image for its leaders and business environment.

Tinubu’s cross will not be about removing subsidy. It is about endemic corruption and weak political will to fight it. He will have to explain to Nigerians why he is different, and why they should trust him. Making the case that the country is broke and cannot sustain the subsidy will be difficult to sell to a population with very little faith in leaders. The country has been broke for a long time, and President Tinubu’s predecessor spent the last few years twisting the knife with weak political will and a propensity for easier choices.

He could remove subsidy and make life a lot more unbearable, but he will not get ten Nigerians who will believe that he has answers to consequential rises in food prices and just about everything that has to be bought. He could gain some sympathy if he can hold up some evidence that subsidy is a huge scam, and he could prove it with solid evidence and culprits and punishments.

If he can show some ripe-and-ready evidence of massive corruption around fuel subsidy and the exchange regimes, a few Nigerians may accept it in exchange for some hardship that will expose and eliminate entire systems and persons. If he does not show Nigerians that the subsidy policy was hijacked by a den of thieves, he should not expect the poor to roll over into more hardship.

What will be difficult to sell is the idea that we are too broke to keep subsidy on petrol, a service we have a right to expect, but everything else stays in place. Even more difficult to sell will be the idea that no one was responsible for making the subsidy unsustainable, as if it was run by saints. We just became broke, lets live with it. If we are too broke to sustain the subsidy regime, Nigerians will say, where will reliefs come from, and when? Will they come from the $800 President Buhari said he borrowed to provide palliatives? More debts?

Palliatives have become a dirty word since COVID days; does President Tinubu know that? Will the corruption that brought us to where we are today allow President Tinubu to put in place reliefs that will touch the poorest of Nigerians? Will he take on scams around exchange rates, crude theft, smuggling, funds set aside for turnaround maintenance, and a dozen brazen abuses the economy was made to suffer, to allow a tiny part of the elite run the classic rentier state?

These questions may sound pedestrian, but few Nigerians can ask questions which reflect deep understanding of economics and governance. One of President Tinubu’s tasks is to explain it to them while he is still running after hitting the ground from Eagle Square on May 29th. But see his problem. He does not yet have a cabinet with people who will help him explain complex phenomena to Nigerians whose quality of life took a dive on his first day in office.

Not just any people, but people who are good enough to do justice to positions he will assign them; competent enough to do it well; with obvious records of achievement and personal integrity and, above all, who understand that Tinubu’s war is against corruption, and the fiasco he is about to deal with is only one battle in this defining war. The only way Tinubu can win the battle which will pitch the people and those versed in systemic plunder on one side, and his brand new presidency on the other, is to commit to fighting deep-seated systemic corruption in Nigeria. It is a tall order, but it really is what this gathering storm around subsidy is all about.

That is the cross Tinubu will bear successfully, or it will crush his presidency.

In the last five days, residents of rural communities in both Zamfara and Sokoto states have been at the receiving end of renewed terrorist attacks which survivors say are aimed at forcing the new governors in the states into negotiating with the assailants.

On 29 May, new governors were inaugurated in all seven states in the north-west region and Niger State in central Nigeria; the states most affected by banditry.

Some former state governors of the region like Aminu Masari of Katsina, Abdulaziz Yari and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara at different times, entered into peace accords with the terrorist gangs operating in their state. However, the deals quickly fell through with the gangs returning to kidnapping travellers and villagers and carrying out widespread killings in the area.

PREMIUM TIMES spoke to two victims of kidnapping in Zamfara State who said that the renewed onslaughts are being perpetrated to force the new governors into negotiating with the outlaws.

“When we were at the bandits’ camp, we heard on several occasions the bandits discussing how they would intensify attacks on communities and highways to force the new governor to embrace dialogue with them,” a 37-year-old local trader in Katuru village in the Shinkafi area told PREMIUM TIMES.

The victim, who asked not to be named for fear of his safety, said the terrorists who abducted him were under Bello Turji, the notorious banditry kingpin operating in northern Zamfara and eastern Sokoto.

Another victim of kidnapping who was abducted recently along with her three brothers in Gora in Zamfara State said the leader of the terrorist gang that kidnapped them reprimanded his boys for abducting a “small girl” when they should be killing people and abducting high profile community leaders.

“Walahi, I heard it with my ears when he was shouting at his boys. He said they should let me go. He said he wanted them to kill a lot of people and abduct big people so that the government will know they are serious. He said if the governor is serious, he would call them and listen to them because they’re indigenes of the state too.

“I was taken to the main road in the evening while my brothers were held. Our family members had to gather money for their release,” the 24-year-old, who now lives with her uncle in Talata Mafara told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone.

A community worker who has conducted extensive research on banditry in Zamfara State, Buhari Moriki, said the reports could be true.

He said he supports sitting down with the terrorists but that it must be done on two conditions.

“I support the idea of dialogue but it must not be the one that will allow the bandits to keep their weapons. It should also not be a situation where the bandits will be provided with money or to be given priority over other residents.

“When they lose such priority and money, they’ll return to their old ways. They also use the money given to them to buy more arms and continue to perpetrate violence,” he said.

He advised that government should reach out to local leaders who can sit with the terrorists and their leaders to reach an agreement.

When contacted, the Zamfara State governor’s senior special assistant on media and publicity, Mustapha Jafaru-Kaura, said the state government was not aware of such reports.

He said the governor has always been clear that he would not dialogue with terrorists.

“His Excellency (Dauda Lawal) has been clear about the issue of a peace accord. He even granted an interview to Radio France (International) and he said that he would not sit with the terrorists to discuss anything. Besides, it’s not the government that goes around looking for bandits to discuss with,” he said.

Attacks continue

After what appeared to be a lull in terror activities in the North-west during the elections, attacks have increased since new governors were sworn in on 29 May. Within three days, in the past week, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that terrorists have killed at least 61 people and abducted several others in Zamfara and Sokoto alone.

Last Saturday, the terrorists killed 21 residents in Janbako, a community in Maradun in Zamfara State. Most of those killed were vigilante members. Three residents of neighbouring Sakkida were also killed during the same attack

Over 30 women and girls were abducted in Gora on the same day. The abductees were later released by the terrorists.

Similarly, in the Tangaza area of Sokoto State, 37 people were killed in Raka, Rakar Dutse, Bilingawa and other communities in the area and nearby Gwadabawa.

The abduction of motorists on Shinkafi-Kaura Namoda road, Zurmi-Kaura Namoda road, and long Shinkafi-Isa-Sabon Birni roads has also increased.

[Premium Times]

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to appear before it on 19 July over a 53 million dollar-judgement debt arising from the Pars Club refund.

Inyang Ekwo, who gave the order during the hearing of a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1193/2017, insisted that the court would not hear Mr Emefiele’s motion for stay until he appeared in court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ekwo had, on 20 October 2022, ordered the CBN governor to appear in court on 18 January over his alleged refusal to obey the order of the court for the payment of the judgement debt in favour of a lawyer, Joe Agi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

However, the 18 January proceedings could not go on as scheduled. This prompted the court to adjourn the case until 20 March subsequently.

Mr Agi had sued Linas International Ltd, Minister of Finance and CBN, to court as judgment debtors, following an application for garnishee made by him as judgment creditor in the case.

The suit is one in a flurry of legal actions associated with the federal government’s refund to states and local governments the amounts of funds said to have been over-deducted from their accounts to offset Paris Club and London between 1995 and 2002.

Linas International Ltd and its promoter, Ned Nwoko, had initiated the first significant suit, which culminated in a court judgement awarding them huge amounts of money for their roles in helping states and local government areas to discover the excessive deductions from their accounts.

Since then, countless entities, lawyers, and other professionals have surfaced, claiming to have provided one form of consultancy services or the other to recover the money for the states and local governments.

Mr Agi, through his suit, seeks enforcement of a judgement that he obtained against Linas International Ltd for his role in helping the firm to secure the recovery of the funds.

Upon resumed hearing on Tuesday, Mr Agi’s counsel, Ayodele Arotiowa, said Mr Emefiele had yet to comply with the court’s order compelling him to appear in court.

Audu Anuga, SAN, who appeared for Mr Emefiele and CBN, however, pointed out that the court did not sit on the previous date scheduled for a hearing.

“There is an intervening circumstance which we have brought to the court’s attention by filing an affidavit of fact,” he said.

The judge then asked when Mr Anuga filed the appeal.

“The appeal was filed on 28 October 2022,” the lawyer responded.

He said besides the appeal, they also filed a motion for a stay of execution.

[Leadership]

The ongoing controversy over the removal of fuel subsidy appears to have caused a heavy crack within the fold of the labour unions in the country, especially the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

DAILY POST reports that the union had earlier announced that it would commence an industrial action effective today, (Wednesday) June 7.

However, after a meeting with the Federal Government, the NLC leadership called off the strike.

The Trade Union Congress, TUC, was the first to toe that line after a similar meeting with the FG, with the NLC absent during the earlier dialogue.

The development has not gone down well with the state chapters of the unions who feel they were not carried along before their leaders reached the agreement with the Federal Government.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who led the government delegation, disclosed the resolutions reached with the labour unions after a meeting at the Aso Villa.

According to him, the Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC would establish a joint committee to review the proposal for any wage increase or award and establish a framework and timeline for implementation.

“The Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC would review the World Bank Financed Cash transfer scheme and propose the inclusion of low-income earners in the programme”, the communique reads in part.

A chairman of the NLC in one of the states told DAILY POST that their members were not happy with the hasty withdrawal of the industrial action without the Federal Government shifting ground on the main issue.

He spoke after the NLC convened a National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting on Tuesday, to inform their members of the latest development.

The State chairman, who was not pleased with the outcome of the meeting said: “It was a one agenda meeting to brief us on their resolution with the federal government.

“You have seen the communique the national body signed; they have confirmed to us they were part of it. All those things stated therein were the issues they raised before the federal government.

“So we will set up a technical committee that will look at them and come up with a lasting solution, so to speak, that will help to assuage the sufferings of the people with regard to the removal of the fuel subsidy.

“There was nothing much. We were briefed and they informed us that they were part of those items in the communique; that it was their agreement.

“For me and some others also, I expected a situation where the new price regime would have been suspended. The issues that were raised should hold sway but they have to suspend the price regime while this discussion goes on.

“That would have made them to hasten the discussion and come up with a workable agreement. Thereafter, the new price regime can now come in.

“But since they have decided to put the horse before the cart, then let it be. That’s just the resolution as contained in that document. They are meeting on June 19th, it’s on that day that the technical committee will take off.

“Of course, it has to be as soon as possible. It’s not going to be an indefinite thing.”

Recall that the NLC had last Friday directed its members and affiliates to begin nationwide protest and withdrawal of services from Wednesday (today) if the federal government fails to compel the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, to reverse the petrol pump price increase.

On Wednesday last week, the NNPCL announced a new fuel price template nationwide. The effect saw fuel pump prices increase from N197 per litre to over N500 nationwide.

The development followed President Bola Tinubu’s inaugural speech announcing the removal of fuel subsidy.

Tinubu had promised he would stop the controversial scheme if elected president.

He spoke before the February 25 election at a business luncheon with business owners titled: “Business Forward” in Lagos, where he hinted that, no matter how long people protest, it would not stop him from removing fuel subsidies.

He maintained that Nigeria would not continue to subsidise fuel consumption in neighbouring countries.

“How can we subsidise the fuel consumption of Cameroon, Niger, and the Benin Republic. No matter how long you protest, we are going to remove the subsidy,” he said.

Although former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government had announced the subsidy policy would end by June when the budget for the initiative would expire, Tinubu bears the brunt of its implementation.

Prior to the announcement of the suspension of the strike, the Federal Government had approached the National Industrial Court in Abuja seeking an interim order restraining the NLC and the TUC from going on strike as planned, pending the determination of the motion on notice.

DAILY POST reported that the National Industrial Court granted the FG’s application and ordered the Labour unions not to strike.

The FG had submitted that the proposed strike could disrupt economic activities, the health sector and the educational sector.

They also claimed that the strike may gravely affect the larger society and the well-being of the nation at large.

Meanwhile, the TUC has demanded that the “minimum wage should be increased from the current N30,000 to N200,000 before the end of June 2023, with consequential adjustment on the cost of feeding allowance, like feeding, transport, and housing”.

While addressing journalists on Monday, the union’s President, Mr Festus Osifo, and General Secretary, Mr Nuhu Toro called for the immediate implementation of the demands, including a Tax holiday for government and private sector employees earning less than N200,000 or 500USD monthly.

TUC also asked that “A representative of state governors would be a party to any negotiation and must commit to implementing the new minimum wage.”

They also called for introducing PMS Allowance for workers that earn between N200,000 to N500,000 or 500USD to 1,200USD.

The NLC said the authorities should have listened to the poor masses before removing the fuel subsidy.

Prof Oguguo Egwu, the Ebonyi State chairman of the Congress, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Abakaliki.

“The increase has led to the suffering of the masses. Imagine paying N550 per litre of fuel in Ebonyi here. Go back to the status quo and let us have room for negotiation. There is a need to listen to the poor.

“The federal government can do it without inflicting injury on citizens. Make sure that the people are not suffering. Have the interest of the masses at heart and not cause injury to them,” Egwu said.

On his part, the Enugu State chairman of the NLC, Comrade Barrister Fabian Nwigbo, told DAILY POST in an interview that the national body of the NLC would be meeting by 2 pm on Tuesday (yesterday) to deliberate on the communique reached with the federal government.

Nwigbo lamented that the action being taken by the Federal Government, including its meeting with the NLC, is belated because people are already suffering.

He stated that the government should have put in place measures and palliatives to cushion the effect of the new policy.

”The national body has just invited us for a meeting at 2 pm today (Tuesday), and I think it is in line with that information on social media. So we, all of us in different States, have been discussing on our platform, waiting for that meeting to know whether that was what happened in that meeting, and then the way forward.

”But for now, we have not been properly briefed. I only got a message this morning inviting me to a virtual meeting by 2 pm. at the national office.

“So the practice is that since we had our emergency NEC last Friday, we were told not to do anything other than issues raised and agreed upon during that meeting, one may not comfortably discuss those items in that communique without hearing from the national.

”I cannot say exactly whether they (States) are carried along because I don’t have that privilege of that information. However, it is normal for state governments to wait and decide from agreements between labour or critical stakeholders and the federal government.

“So states will not come out now to say, remove fuel subsidy or don’t remove fuel subsidy, or we will do this or do that. They are waiting for that to be concluded at the national level. And after that decision, they will be given direction on what to do.

“I am aware that the presidency is saying that it has discussed with the Governors and that discussion will continue regarding what should be the palliatives that will help cushion the effect of this fuel subsidy removal.

“But to me, those things are belated. If you want to remove fuel subsidies, after removing them, you start talking about how to improve things for people; it is belated.

“Ordinarily, even with the communique that is coming now, issues ought to have been discussed and the communique in place before he removed the fuel subsidy.

”What I am saying in effect is that whatever they are doing now, even the meeting between the NLC and government representatives, for me, it’s belated; people are already suffering.

“And you know, in Nigeria, once the commodities prices have already stepped up, they can never come down, no matter what you decide. But there is nothing we can do; we will continue.

“If we succeed in our actions by his grace, the government may decide to put in our agreement certain things that may help people survive this harsh condition that the federal government has put everybody into.”

However, the Director-General of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, MINILS, Ilorin, Comrade Issa Aremu, hailed the ongoing dialogue between FG and the Labour union.

Comrade Aremu told DAILY POST that the current policy debate is good for national development, adding that what is needed is to “work out win-win options” for the downstream petroleum sector in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

He expressed optimism that through the exchange of facts, negotiations and compromises, both the government and labour would find common ground for the inevitable reform of the downstream petroleum sector, which he said the sector unions, namely PENGASSAN and NUPENG, have been pushing for years.

“Neither policy reversal nor mass protest is an option, but genuine negotiation and social dialogue would make the deregulation policy a reality without compromising the welfare of the citizens with respect to welfare and securing jobs,” he said.

Comrade Aremu commended the initiative of President Bola Tinubu for meeting with labour leaders, which he described as “not only labour friendly but a leader that is accessible and open to engagement”.

He challenged labour and civil society to reciprocate the presidential gesture with creative options to protect public and private jobs.

Meanwhile, the NLC says it has rejected the ruling of the National Industrial Court, NIC, favouring the Federal Government against the interest of the masses and workers in the country.

Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this in a communique jointly signed with Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, General Secretary of the Congress at the end of an emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

It said that the NEC meeting was called to discuss the outcome of the dialogue between the NLC and the Federal Government on the petroleum product price hike.

The NLC said the NEC in session resolved that there was a need to show the government that it was important to comply with laid down laws and court rulings.

“Especially as it concerns obedience to the rulings of the Courts and their brazen disregard to the 2023 Appropriation Act.

“To therefore support and accept the decision of the leadership of Congress to suspend the proposed strike action in compliance with the flawed rulings of the NIC.

“Also to allow negotiations to flow freely and enable final agreement during or after the 19th June, 2023, negotiation round with the federal government.

“To however register in strongest terms its disgust and disapproval with the ruling of the NIC for its continuous weaponization of the instrument of Exparte injunction in favour of the government.

“That it is against the interests of Nigerian workers in defiance of the position of the Supreme Court on the use of this instrument,” the communique read.

Congress further stated that all Affiliates and State Councils of Congress are hereby directed to suspend further action and mobilisation until the outcome of the final negotiations.

The communiqué commended all Affiliates and State Councils on their robust mobilisation towards a successful nationwide strike and to also remain vigilant in case there is a need to continue.

[DailyPost]

The House of Representatives has called for a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to determine its assets and liabilities as well as its current market value.

According to the House, the audit has become necessary due to the metamorphosis of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation into a limited liability company.

The House’s Ad Hoc committee on NNPCL’s assets and liabilities in its report which was presented to the legislature on Tuesday, claimed that its findings showed that asset worth $64bn (about N28tn) was unveiled by former President Muhammedu Buhari but during the transfer, only $58.8bn (N26tn at the official rate of N450 to $1) was transferred, leaving a balance of N2tn unaccounted for.

It recommended that NNPCL should re-assess its accounting system.

The committee presented  its report a week after the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari,  said the Federal Government still owed the company N2.8tn that it had spent on petrol subsidy.

The House on December 1, 2021, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to determine the assets and liabilities of the NNPC before it was fully privatised as prescribed by the Petroleum Industry Act, which was to carry out the exercise within eight weeks.

The probe was based on a motion moved by a member, Ibrahim Isiaka, titled ‘Need to ascertain the total consolidated inventory, assets, interests and liabilities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries before transfer to the NNPC Limited to ensure a glossary accounting system.

Following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, the NNPC and its subsidiaries had been unbundled with the creation of an NNPC Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission, and the Nigerian Midstream and the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

The Corporate Affairs Commission also in September 2021 incorporated the NNPCL in line with the provisions of the PIA.

The House, at the plenary on Tuesday, considered and adopted the report of its ad hoc committee to ascertain the total inventory, assets, interest, and liabilities of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the NNPCL, Garba-Deen Muhammad, told our correspondent that the firm had nothing to hide and would answer any question from the Reps members.

“They have been asking us questions and we’ve been answering them. So if they have any more questions for us, we will oblige and attend to them.

“We respect them and recognise their rights to perform their functions. NNPCL doesn’t have anything to hide.”

On refineries, he explained that the company would ensure that the facilities deliver up to expectation and was working hard to get the plants running.

In its report, the committee stated, ‘’From findings, asset worth $64bn (about N28tn) was unveiled by Mr President (Buhari) but during transfer, only $58.8bn (N26tn at the official rate of N450 to $1) was transferred, leaving a balance of N2tn unaccounted. NNPCL should be meant to re-assess her accounting system.”

 The committee recommended that the NNPCL and Federal Government “should work modalities that will ensure removal of subsidy in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act that stipulates that subsidy be removed within six months of operation of the PIA.”

The committee also recommended that the investments and operations of international oil companies should “be further investigated and scrutinised” before implementation and Fund for Innovation Development.”

The committee further recommended that “External auditors should audit the liabilities of over N2tn being inherited by NNPC Limited on behalf of the federation. There is a need to further establish the current market values of NNPC, especially under a devalued naira regime.

“The Federal Government should investigate foreign desk offices of NNPC subsidiaries with locations abroad, and make IOCs establish offices in Nigeria and develop a framework that will make the companies answerable to the laws of Nigeria.

“Forensic auditors to first audit all NNPC accounts with all the banks to verify the following: the true amount owed any bank as per loan(s) granted, the exact movements of funds from NNPC accounts as well as overcharges by banks which is a huge amount of money and will be a source of additional revenues to the Federal Government, and the defaulting banks should be made to refund the sum discovered back to NNPC/Federal Government with interest.”

P’Harcourt equipment

The committee also recommended that the NNPC should “auction the equipment and transfer proceeds of equipment awarded for Port Harcourt refinery in the sum of $250m (yet to be supplied) to NNPC Limited.”

According to its findings, the committee noted that the NNPC was alleged to have over 25 subsidiaries, whose profits, assets, and liabilities were transmissible to NNPC Ltd, “but the NNPC only transmitted records of only 21 subsidiaries.”

The committee noted that the NNPC, in its latest Group Audited Financial Statements, reported total assets of N15.84tn for 2020 and N16.2tn for 2021.

“However, in direct contrast to that position, NAPIMS alone, in its audited account for 2020 reported N21.04tn,” it stated.

According to it, NAPIMS has total assets of N4.84tn more than NNPCL, which it claimed was a mystery that needed to be unravelled.

The report partly read, “The issue of subsidy/under-recovery that has bedevilled the nation over the years seems to have reared its ugly head in our findings. There is evidence that the subsidy/under-recovery cost is being overestimated. The same costs seem to be charged against the federation in the audited accounts of both NNPC and NAPIMS.

“Nigerian publications on the 3rd of January 2022, pointed to the fact that NNPC is asking the Federal Government to pay additional $1.5bn to five IOCs as outstanding cash-call balance. This is additional liability about to be passed on to NNPC Ltd.

“However, our findings show that as a matter of fact, the federation has actually paid the liabilities of over $2bn through President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive; found a liability of over N2tn that NNPC Ltd is about inheriting on behalf of the federation. No reasonable basis has been established for this liability which is associated with Nigeria Agip Oil Company.”

The committee said available information showed that the NNPC assets were stated at “historical cost and written-down values,” while some subsidiaries of the NNPC, with locations in foreign countries, buy crude oil and gas from NNPC “without evidence of their payments for the purchases.”

It added, “These companies are indicted to be operating without employees and no fixed assets; yet over N30bn is traceable to some of them;

“Standard Chartered Bank is closing all its Nigerian branches and the nation has so much to worry about, considering the huge funds warehoused therein in the names of NAPIMS and NNPC.”

According to the committee, 80 companies supposedly owe the sum of $5.76bn on royalties, $1.0bn on gas flare penalty, while concession rental is $13.173m and royalty on gas is $409.58m, with royalty on gas in naira, N39.82bn.

“Hence, the recommendation is to recover the above debts and transmit to NNPC Ltd or confiscation of assets value of the debt from the debtors and transfer to NNPC Ltd,” the panel declared.

The committee also disclosed that NNPC spent over N1.48tn ($396m) on the rehabilitation of refineries between 2015 and 2022 “without significant outcome.” The Port Harcourt refineries received about $1.5bn for total rehabilitation, which was awarded to Technimont SPA of Italy, “whereas the same refinery awarded the contract for equipment of the refinery for over $250m yet to be delivered.”

The report further read in part, “The Ministry of Petroleum Resources; Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Central Bank of Nigeria, Auditor-General for the Federation and the Accountant-General of the Federation could not provide the committee with the exact monetary value of total assets and liabilities of NNPC. The CBN was only able to provide how much was paid into the Federation Account by NNPC and deposit banks of the organisation.”

The House of Representatives also called on the Federal Government to outsource the nation’s three refineries to international companies.

The refineries have a combined capacity of 410,000 barrels per day, for maximum production

The House also asked the NNPCL to take full responsibility for the delays in rehabilitating the moribund refineries, urging the nation’s oil firm to be sincere with Nigerians on the true state of the facilities.

However, the Trade Union Congress opposed the calls for the privatization of the refineries, describing the move as a ploy by the political elite to sell the assets to their cronies.

The Secretary General of the congress, Nuhu Toro who spoke in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja described the idea as “laughable.”

He said, “It is laughable. They want to sell the refineries to themselves. We don’t agree. It is a no, no. They can’t be allowed to sell our national assets.”

PENGASSAN backs  privatisation

But the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria said the call by the National Assembly to allow private entities to run Nigeria’s refineries was in order.

The National Public Relations Officer, PENGASSAN, Kingsley Udoidua, said, “PENGASSAN has always declared what should be done on matters like this. If you look at the NLNG (Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited) model, it is both the combination of privatisation and the government’s stake in it, which is the model we’ve been canvassing for.

‘’So, if that’s what the National Assembly means, then it is fine because PENGASSAN’s position is that the government should follow the NLNG model. If you study that model, it is partly government and private.’’

The Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, Wale Oyerinde, emphasised the critical importance of transparency in the privatisation of refineries, as he lent his support to the growing demand for the privatisation of the facilities.

He said, “The oil refineries are some of the many national assets that have faced serious operational challenges for reasons yet unclear. To improve efficiency in the operations of government assets, we believe that transparent privatisation, with Nigerians owning a majority share, will serve the best interest of Nigeria and its citizens.’’

LCCI speaks

Also speaking, the Deputy-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gabriel Idahosa said the refineries should have been privatised a long time ago.

According to him, allowing the private sector to take over the refineries would engender competition which would inevitably lead to growth, similar to what followed the privatisation of the telecommunications sector.

Idahosa said, “We’ve been saying it for over 30 years. At the time that Yar’Adua came in, two of the refineries had already been privatised. They reversed the privatisation, and that is what we have been suffering from till now. If they did not reverse the privatisation at the time, we would not be talking about anything like fuel subsidy or building of refineries.’’

Similarly, an economic expert at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Prof Sheriffdeen Tella, argued that if the refineries were privatised, it would present another avenue for the government to draw in revenue through Company Income Tax, Personal Income Tax, Land Grants, among others.

In the report on the state of the refineries, the House also frowned on the slow rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, blaming the NNPCL and demanding that the contractor be sanctioned for failing to meet some of the terms of the contract.

 The committee recommended that the NNPCL should take full advantage of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 to fast-track the rehabilitation programme of the refineries “for a deregulated business environment and restore the refineries to minimum 90 percent nameplate capacity utilisation.”

 The committee also said the NNPCL and the contractor, Tecnimont SPA of Italy, should ensure that Phase 1 of the rehabilitation works in Refinery Area 5 of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which has a processing capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, is restored to 54,000 barrels per day of processing capacity, representing 90 percent capacity utilisation, “should unfailingly meet the new target date of September 2023,” from by March 2023.

The NNPCL and Tecnimont SPA of Italy were also urged to ensure that Phase 2 of the rehabilitation works in Refinery Areas 1&2 of the New Port Harcourt Refinery, with an installed capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, is restored to the estimated processing capacity of 135,000 barrels per day, representing 90 percent capacity utilization.

This is expected to lead to a combined processing capacity of 189,000 barrels per day from the OPHR and the NPHR and achieve the targeted date of December 2023.

 The committee also said the NNPCL and another contractor, Daewoo E&C Nigeria Limited, should ensure that the WRPC quick-fix repairs project for the restoration of Refinery Areas 1&2 to operate at a minimum 60 percent, with an expected processing capacity of 75,000 barrels per day petroleum product output, meets the 12 months’ target date and comes on-stream in September 2023.

 The House also resolved that “The NNPCL should ensure the immediate award of contract for the rehabilitation of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company.

 “The NNPCL should strive to achieve the three to four-year standard regular Turn Around Maintenance global best practice for the refineries after the full completion of rehabilitation works to ensure sustainable refinery operations and value maximization.’’

The report also stated, “The Federal Government and the NNPCL should consider outsourcing the Operations and Maintenance of the refineries to reputable international oil companies to guarantee the reliability, optimal operational availability and to maximise value for money to the nation;

 “The Federal Government and the NNPCL should suspend the Direct Supply-Direct Purchase (oil swap) arrangement, remove subsidy on Petroleum Motor Spirit, deregulate prices on the product to ensure competitiveness and provide adequate palliative measures to reduce anticipated economic impact and hardship on Nigerians and the economy.”

 The House equally resolved that “a forensic audit of all the rehabilitation projects in the three refineries be further conducted, as obvious omissions were noted in the submissions made by the NNPCL, seeming duplication of projects observed and possible double payments made.”

 The lawmakers further resolved that the 10th National Assembly be mandated to carry out legislative oversight on the ongoing rehabilitation works to ensure that the nation achieves the expected processing capacity of 189,000 barrels per day from the PHRC and 75,000bspd from WRPC, plus additional processing capacity from the Dangote Refinery, in order to meet the nation’s domestic needs for petroleum products by December 2023.

 The 10th Assembly was further mandated to ensure continuous legislative oversight of the ongoing rehabilitation programme by the NNPCL at the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries in order to achieve project target timelines and rehabilitation of the refineries to bring them back to maximum refining capacity.

The House further resolved that “The Federal Government should ensure the activation of all the 37 non-active licences approved and issued to certain private refineries for maximum operations and competition, in order to eliminate the possibility of a monopoly in the downstream sector or revoke such licences and reissue to desiring competent companies.’’

It added, “The NNPCL should be called to take responsibility for the continued failed assurances for the commencement of operations and coming on-stream of the Port Harcourt refinery and the failure of the contractor (Tecnimont SPA of Italy) to deliver on the contract terms and project target timelines.

‘’The NNPCL (should) be called to be sincere to Nigerians in the overall interest of the nation on when exactly the Port Harcourt Refinery Rehabilitation Project will be delivered and the facility fully functional.

 “The contractor handling the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, Tecnimont SPA of Italy, be reprimanded for the failure to deliver on the terms of the contract agreement, demonstrating a lack of capacity to achieve expected project target timelines, and continuously shifting the expected operational dates from December 2022 to March 2023; from March 2023 to the second Quarter of 2023, and from second Quarter of 2023 to now September 2023.”

 The committee also recommended that the NNPCL should pay the €202,500.03 outstanding payments due to SAIPEM Nigeria Limited on the contract for the Technical Plant Survey of Warri and Kaduna Refineries as the job was concluded and fully reported.

 According to the lawmakers, the nation’s three refineries became unproductive from the year 2010, making the following range of losses: PHRC at 7.6 percent losses to the tune of N132.526bn from 2012; WRPC at 6 at losses to the tune of N111.376bn from 2014; and KRPC at 10 percent losses to the tune of N122.621bn from 2014.

[Punch]

….President tilts towards N-West, may unveil dark horse tomorrow

•Wase, Abass to get ministerial slots

•We won’t allow any external interference —Kawu

AHEAD of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, there are strong indications that President Bola Tinubu may have changed his mind over the choice of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Mr Tajudeen Abass as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

Vanguard was reliably informed that barring any last minute changes, the President may also pick the next Speaker from the North-West and announce his choice on Thursday.

It was further gathered that Tinubu had sent emissaries to notable aspirants among the G-6 to placate them.

A member of the G-6, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tinubu had to “bend backwards a bit by appeasing the G-6 because he wants to have a stable administration once he kicks off with his cabinet.”

The source said: “As at Monday night, the President was still sending emissaries to notable aspirants among the G-6 but it appeared that they were still very angry with the way they were treated by those who presented the proposal to the president before his inauguration. 

“Quite honestly, the President is greatly disturbed that the impasse had to drag on for too long. He thought it was a mere protest that would fizzle out with time. 

“But having realised that there is more to it, he had to bend backwards a bit by appeasing the G-6 because he wants to have a stable administration once he kicks off with his cabinet.

Akpabio’s fate uncertain

Speaking on Akpabio’s aspiration for the Senate Presidency, the source said: “In all these, the issue of the Senate Presidency is paramount because that is the most important. To be honest with you, Akpabio still has a lot of issues around the bid to be Senate president. 

The President sent independent hands to secretly find out the strength and weaknesses of each of the aspirants, including the G-6  and the Yari group.

“It will shock you that the outcome is negative because if we don’t break the G-6 by appeasement, we will not go anywhere; so also the Yari and Orji Kalu alliance.”

Dark horse to be unveiled on Thursday

A Reps-elect, who spoke on the possibility of a dark horse being unveiled, also disclosed that the current deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Idris Wase and Tajudeen Abass, may be given ministerial slots to represent their states.“The source said: 

For the G-6, I think we have made a tremendous progress because the president has conceded to drop the choice put forward by the outgoing speaker, I mean Abass, but he still insisted that the northwest must produce the speaker.”

“So, what he has personally proposed that will be unveiled on Thursday is that he would return to his original plan of Sani Jaji because that was his choice initially and originally before the surprise recommendation came from Femi Gbajabiamila.

“His argument is that Jaji is well known to him, he belongs to the G-6 and since they have resolved to support one of them, he presents him and that may be announced on Thursday evening.   And by way of having an inclusive arrangement, Abass and Wase are likely to come on board as ministers to represent their states.”

Kawu’s stand

Meanwhile, Akpabio’s aspiration to be Senate president appears threatened, following concerns yesterday that some senators-elect may have withdrawn their support for the APC-backed candidate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The development came as a senator-elect from Kano State, Sumaila Kawu, cautioned President Bola Tinubu against interfering in the election of presiding officers of the two chambers of the 10th National Assembly.

There were indications that senators-elect who were hitherto expressing support for Akpabio, are reportedly withdrawing on account of issues connected with his relationship with the National Assembly when he held sway as Minister of the Niger Delta.

Three years ago, at a public hearing of an investigative panel in the House of Representatives, which was set up to probe corruption allegations at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Akpabio reportedly fingered the lawmakers as major beneficiaries of contracts.

Some of the senators-elect hinted that they were having a rethink on Akpabio’s bid over accusations that he was disrespectful to the institution of the legislature when he, as the Minister of Niger Delta, openly accused National Assembly members of hugely benefiting from large contracts in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, without proof.

“It is important that people who have gone to court, people who genuinely did jobs should be paid for their jobs. For me, I am not against it because, of course, who are even the greatest beneficiaries? It is you people. 

”I just told you that we have records to show that most of the contracts in the NDDC are given out to members of the National Assembly,” the then minister had said.

His utterances before the panel have now come back to haunt him. 

Deputy Director-General of Akpabio/ Barau Campaign Organisation, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), had on Monday, appealed to senators-elect to support Akpabio’s bid.

A senator-elect who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the withdrawal of support for Akpabio, querying how he could preside over a National Assembly he once despised.

He said:  “I have withdrawn support for Senator Akpabio. It is not only me. Many of us have withdrawn our support and it will show on the floor.

“I used to have very high regards for Senator Akpabio as a person but I cannot support him to be the Senate President.

“How can he (Akpabio) come and preside over an institution which he once described as a cesspit of corruption after benefitting from the same institution?”

On his part, Kawu said:  “The constitution is explicit about how the president and deputy president of the Senate shall be elected. For instance, Chapter 2 of the 9th Standing Orders of the Senate 2022 (as amended) stipulates the procedures for selection of presiding officers of the Senate.

“Similarly, Section 50(1)a of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) states that, ‘there shall be a President and Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.

“Also, section 50(1)b stipulates that, ‘A Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.

“It is therefore clear that, the election of these Presiding Officers is purely an internal affair that concerns only members of the National Assembly and therefore, they should be allowed to decide who among them would occupy the positions in order to avoid repetition of the past mistakes – we may all recall the incidences of the 7th and 8th National Assembly.”

[Vanguard]

Dapo Olumide, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nigeria Air, says the aircraft used for the unveiling of the national carrier was a chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines.

Speaking when he appeared before a house of representatives committee on aviation on Tuesday, Olumide said the aircraft was returned to Ethiopia about two days after the unveiling.

“It was a chartered flight,” he said.

His remark was a reaction to comments from members of the committee who said the aircraft bore the colours of the Nigerian flag.

Responding, Olumide said: “As a chartered flight, you can paint the aircraft in any colours you want”.

“On a chartered flight, the aircraft was to come to Nigeria to Abuja and go back 48 hours later.”

Olumide also said the necessary procedures for the establishment of a national carrier were not completed before the unveiling.

“We have a five-phase process to go through with the regulator. After the five phases, you can get the AOC certificate. Until then, you do not have an airline. So we are in the five-phase process of getting the airline,” he said.

“We are in stage one. We left stage one but we replaced all the key management of the airline. We replaced all of them. When you replace them, you have to go back to phase one. That is the requirement.

“We have not gotten to phase two yet. We are going to go into phase two but to go into phase two, there are certain documents you must attach to your request. One of which is called the schedule of events. There are other technical documents. We are in the process of putting these together.”

Also speaking, Mohammed Oduwowo, managing director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), corroborated Olumide’s position.

“We had an approval. We granted the aircraft a flight permit. It was meant to be a chartered flight from Ethiopia to Nigeria. It was a chartered flight. It went back the following day,” he said.

Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation, unveiled Nigeria Air — the national carrier — about three days before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

[TheCable]

The Coronation of King Charles III of England on May 6 was the exhibition of the British Culture and Tradition. Give it to the British in terms of tradition, they are experts. You can’t take it from them. They don’t have a written Constitution but they maintain their tradition and culture.

We have a written Constitution but we have deleted our culture and tradition from our constitution and that is our greatest dilemma.
Marcus Garvey famously wrote: “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”.
Our traditional rulers represent the best of our tradition and culture. They have been and they will continue to be. Even in our struggle for independence they played prominent roles. It was not only the politicians that struggled for our independence, traditional rulers, journalists and others were in the struggle too.

From May 23 to June 26, 1957, Nigeria took a bold step towards nationhood at the London Constitutional Conference at Lancaster House. Prominent traditional rulers were delegates to that conference. Among whom were, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi KBE, who was acting governor of Northern Nigeria in 1957 and the Emir of Kano between 1954-1963, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Dr. Muhammadu Kabir Usman (January 1928- March 8, 2008), the 49th Emir of Katsina, the Ooni of Ife, Sir Titus Martins Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi (15 November 1889 –July 3, 1980), KCMG, KBE, who later became the governor of Western Region, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Daniel Akomolafe Anirare Aladesanmi II (1907- 7 January 1983, the Attah of Igala, Alhaji Aliyu Ocheja Obaje GCFR (1910 – July 16, 2012) , the 26th Attah of Igala and Chief Uyong Essien Akpan Efion-Iwat Effembe Ebit Akpan Amaide Oku (9 November 1872- 15 October 1976), traditional ruler of Uyo in Akwa Ibom state.
When I was growing up in Idanre, my hometown in the late fifties, myself and my cousin, Chief Babu Akinbobola used to visit our friend, Chief Pino Olatunji, to see the car of his father, Chief Olatunji, who was the Lisa of Idanre, second in command. It was a red Pontiac American car.

Chief Pino used to oblige us to enter the car. Lisa Olatunji acquired the car as a member of the House of Chiefs in the then Western Region to represent the then Owa of Idanre, Oba David Aladegbule Arubuefin Aroloye II, who reigned between 1918 to 1969, who was too old to travel then. Three days before traveling to Ibadan, for the meeting of the Western Region House of Chiefs, there would be festivities in and around the house of Lisa Olatunji. The House of Chiefs by then, played important roles in governance in the Western Region.
During that time, some members of the House of Chiefs were Ministers without portfolio. Among them were Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele (18 April 1882 – 30 May 1964) who reigned from 1955 to 1965, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Tewogboye II, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Samuel Omotosho Abimbola, who reigned from 1958-1982, the Obi of Agbor, Oba Obika A. Gbenoba, the Olu of Warri, Oba Erejuwa II who reigned from 1951 to 1964 and from 1966 to 1986, Ọmọ n'Ọba n'Ẹdo Uku Akpọlọkpọlọ, Akenzua II (7 January 1899 – 11 June 1978) , the Oba of Benin, who reigned from 1933 to 1978, the Olowo of Owo, Sir Olateru Olagbegi II (August 1910-1998), the Owa Obokun of Ijesha land, Oba A.O. Biladu III, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Sir Ladapo Samuel Ademola(1872-1962) who ruled from 27 Sep 1920 - 27 Dec 1962 and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona (89), Ogbagba Agbotewole II, who was crowned on April 2, 1960.
On January 15, 1966, when General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi GCFR MBE (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966) took over power, there were five constitutions in the country. All the five constitutions upheld the traditional institutions in Nigeria. We had the 1963 Constitution, the Constitution of Northern Nigeria 1963, the Constitution of Eastern Nigeria 1963, the Constitution of Western Nigeria 1963 and the Constitution of Mid Western Nigeria 1964.

On assuming power, General Ironsi suspended the five constitutions under decree number 1. He replaced them with a national government. At that time, the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammadu Mera, was the President of the Northern House of Chiefs, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Rufus Adesokeji Aderele Tewogboye II, who reigned between 1942 and 1974 was the President of Western House of Chiefs, Chief Essien Uyo was the President of Eastern House of Chiefs and Oba Akenzua was the President of the Mid-Western House of Chiefs.
General Ironsi immediately banned twenty-six tribal and cultural associations. They are Borno State Union, Egbe Atunluse Ibadan, Egbe Igbomina Parapo, Egbe Omo Oduduwa, Egbe Omo Olofin, Egbe Omo Yoruba, Egbe Yoruba Parapo, Ekiti Northern, Ekiti Parapo, Ekiti Progressive Union, Ibadan Parapo, Ibibio State Union, Ibo State Union or Ibo Union, Ibo Youth Congress, Ibo Youth League, Idoma Tribal Union, Igbira Tribal Union I and II, Ijaw Progressive Union, Kajola Society, Lagos Aborigines Society, Oganiru Society, Okaa Society, Oshun Parapo, Otu-Edo, Oyo Parapo and Yoruba State Union. I still wonder till today the need to ban cultural and tribal associations.

General Ironsi also banned eighty-one political parties. They are Action Group, Afenmai Peoples’ Congress, Awo National Brigade, Bornu Youth Movement, Calabar Emancipation League, Calabar, Ogoja, River State Movement, Common Peoples Party of Nigeria, Communist Party of Nigeria, Democratic Party of Nigeria, Dynamic Party, Eastern Nigeria Liberation Movement, Eastern Peoples’ Congress, Ghana-Nigeria Socialist Group, Habe Peoples’ Party, Ibadan Crusaders of Freedom, Ijumu Progressive Union, Kalabari Peoples’ Congress, Kano Peoples’ Party, Kano State Movement, Lagos Citizen Rights Protection Council, Lagos and Colony Peoples’ Congress, Lagos Separate State Movement, League of Northern Yorubas, Mabolaje Party, Middle Belt Congress of Nigeria, Middle Belt Peoples’ Party, Mid-West Democratic Front, Mid-West Youth Association, Moslem Peoples’ Party, Movement for Colonial Freedom, Muslim United Party and the National Convention of Nigeria Citizens.
The National Emancipation League, National Youth Council of Nigeria, National Youth Front, Niger Delta Congress, Niger Delta Volunteer Service, Nigerian Communist Party, Nigerian Council for Peace, Nigerian Labour Party, Nigerian Marxist Group in Germany(GDR), Nigerian National Alliance, Nigerian National Democratic Party, Nigerian National Youth Brigade, Nigerian Peoples’ Party—The New Nigeria, Nigeria Socialist Group, Nigerian Workers Liberation Movement, Nigerian Youth Congress, Northern Elements Freedom Organisations, Northern Elements Progressive Union, Northern Elements Women’s Association, Northern Opposition United Party, Northern Peoples’ Congress, Northern Peoples’ Congress Youth Association and the Northern Progressive Front were also banned.
Other association prohibited are the Northern United Party, Northern Youth Movement, Okpara Youth Brigade, Oshun United Party, Oyo United Party, Peoples’ Party, Peoples Progressive Party, Republican Party, Rivers State Movement and the Socialist Labour Party, Socialist Movement of Nigeria, Socialist Party of Nigeria, Socialist Workers and Farmers Party, Socialist Youths of Nigeria, Tarka Youth Pioneers, Tiv State Party, United Action Committee, United Middle Belt Congress, United National Independence Party, United Progressive Grand Alliance Youth Front, United Peoples’ Party, United Progressive Grand Alliance, United Working Peoples’ Party of Nigeria, Zikist Movement and Zikist National Vanguard.
The 1963 Federal Constitution guaranteed the existence of the Oba of Lagos.

Section 41-46 of the Federal Constitution states that “there shall be a Parliament of the Federation, which shall consist of the President, a Senate and a House of Representatives. 42. Without prejudice to the provisions of section 46 of this Constitution, the Senate shall consist of ---- (a) twelve Senators representing each Region, who shall be selected at a joint sitting of the legislative houses of that Region from among persons nominated by the Governor; (b) four Senators representing the Federal territory; (c) four Senators selected by the President, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. (2) The Senators representing the Federal territory shall be (a) the Oba of Lagos, who shall be an ex-officio member of the Senate; (b) a Chief selected in such manner as may be prescribed by Parliament by the White-Cap Chiefs of Lagos from among their own number; and (c) two other person selected for that purpose in such manner as may be prescribed by Parliament. (3) A joint sitting of the legislative houses of a Region may regulate its own procedure for the purposes of this section. 43. Without prejudice to the provisions of section 47 and 88 of this Constitution, the House of Representatives shall consist of three hundred and twelve members. 44. Subject to the provisions of section 45 of this Constitution--- (a) a person shall be qualified for selection as a Senator if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of forty years; (b) a person shall be qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of twenty-one years and, in the case of a person who stands for election Northern Nigeria, is a male person.

Section 4 of the Northern Nigeria Constitution states that “there shall be a Legislature for the Region, which shall consist of the Governor, a House of Chiefs and a House of Assembly and which shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Region. 5. (1) The House of Chiefs shall consist of ---- (a) all first-class Chiefs, who shall be ex-officio members of the House; (b) ninety-five Chiefs having such qualifications and selected in such manner as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; and (c) an adviser on Moslem Law. (2) The seat in the House of Chiefs of a Chief other than a first-class Chief shall become vacant in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region.
(3)In this section---

“Chief” means any person who is for the time being recognized by the Governor as a Chief; “first-class Chief” means any Chief whose office is for the time being graded as that of a first-class Chief under any law in force in the Region 6. (1) The adviser on Moslems law shall be appointed by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier. (2) A person holding the office of adviser on Moslems law may be removed from office by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier. (3) If the adviser on Moslem law is vacant or if the holder of the office is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his office, the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, may appoint a person to act in the office, and any person so appointed shall continue to act until his appointment is revoked by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier.

The Mid-Western Constitution states that “there shall be a Legislature for the Region, which shall consist of the Governor, a House of Chiefs and a House of Assembly and which shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Region. 5---(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 9 of this Constitution, the House of Chiefs shall consist of ----(a) the Oba of Benin, the Olu of Warri and the persons for the time being holding such other chieftaincies as may be prescribed by the Governor, who shall be ex-officio members of the House; (b) fifty-one Chiefs having such qualifications and selected in such manner as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; (c) such Special Members, being Chiefs, as may be selected by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier; and (d) four members selected by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, to represent the interests of groups of persons resident in the special areas within the meaning of subsection (4) of section 14 of this Constitution, being groups whose interests, in the opinion of the Governor of the Governor acting as aforesaid, are not represented by members of the House of Assembly for constituencies in those areas. (2) A person shall not be a member of the House of Chiefs by virtue of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section during any period when he holds office as Governor: and the number of persons who are for the time being members of that House by virtue of that paragraph or paragraph (c) of that subsection shall not in the aggregate exceed ten. (3) The seat of a member of the House of Chiefs shall become vacant--- (a) in the case of a member other than the Oba of Benin, the Olu of Warri or a Special Member, in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; and (b) in the case of a Special Member, if he is removed from office as such a member by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier. (4) In this section “Chief” means any person who is for the time being recognized as a Chief under any law in force in the Region. 6. Without prejudice to the provisions of subsection (5) of section 10 and subsection (13) of section 33 of this Constitution, the House of Assembly shall consist of sixty-five members.

The Constitution of Eastern Nigeria states that “4. There shall be a Legislature for the Region, which shall consist of the Governor, a House of Chiefs and a House of Assembly and which shall have power to make laws for peace, order and good government of the Region. 5 (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 9 and 34 of this Constitution, the House of Chiefs shall consist of --- (a) all traditional rulers, who shall be ex-officio members of the House; (b) first-class Chiefs appointed to represent provinces in the Region; fifty-five Chiefs having such qualifications and selected in such manner as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; and (d) such special members (not exceeding five) having such qualifications as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region as may be selected by the Governor acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier. (2) The seat in the House of Chiefs of a member other than an ex-officio member shall become vacant in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region. (3) In this section--- “Chief” means any person who is for the time being recognized as Chief under any law in force in the Region; “first-class Chief” means--- (a) a person who, for the purpose of representing a Province in the House of Chiefs is appointed a first-class Chief under the provisions of a law in force in the Region; or (b) any person who is for the time being recognized as a traditional Ruler under any law in force in the Region. 6. Without prejudice to the provisions of sections 10 and 34 of this Constitution, the House of Assembly shall consist of one hundred and forty-six members.

The Constitution of the Western Nigeria states that “there shall be a Legislature for the Region, which shall consist of the Governor, a House of Chiefs and a House of Assembly and which shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Region. 5 (1) The House of Chiefs shall consist of---- (a) the persons for the time being holding such chieftaincies as may be prescribed by the Governor, who shall be ex officio members of the House; (b) eighty-seven Chiefs having such qualifications and selected in such manner as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; (c) such Special Members, being Chiefs (not exceeding four) as may be selected by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier; and (d)if he is not a member of the House of Chiefs apart from this paragraph, the President of the House. 2 (a) The seat in the House of Chiefs of a member other than an ex officio member or a Special Member shall become vacant in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; (b) The seat in the House of Chiefs of a Special Member, including a Special Member appointed by the Governor at any time before the coming into force of the Constitution, shall become vacant if he is removed from office as a Special Member by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, (3) In this section---“Chief” means any person who is for the time being recognized as a Chief under any law in force in the Region. 6. Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (5) of section 10 and sub-section (13) of section 33 of this Constitution, the House of Assembly shall consist of ninety-four members”.
These were institutions in existence till January 15, 1966 when General Ironsi suspended the constitution. From 1966 till 1979, the ARMY gave no role to the traditional rulers but in the 1979 Constitution a role was given to them.

In the third schedule of the 1979 Constitution, Section 140 states that 1. The Council of State shall comprise the following persons, namely--- (a) the President , who shall be the Chairman; (b) the Vice-President, who shall be the Deputy Chairman; (c) all former Presidents of the Federation and all former Heads of the Government of the Federation; (d) all former Chief Justices of Nigeria who are citizens of Nigeria; (e) the President of the Senate; (f) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (g) all the Governors of the States of the Federation; (h) the Attorney-General of the Federation; and (i) one person from each State, who shall as respects that State be appointed by the Council of Chiefs of the States from among themselves. 2. The Council shall have power---(a) to advise the President in the exercise of his powers with respect to the National Population Census and compilation, publication and keeping of records and other information concerning the same, Prerogative of Mercy, Award of National Honours, the Federal Electoral Commission(including the appointment of members of that Commission), the Federal Judicial Service Commission (including the appointment of members, other than ex officio members of that Commission) and the National Population Commission (including the appointment of members of that Commission); and (b) to advise the President whenever requested to do so on the maintenance of public order within the Federation or any part thereof and on such other matters as the President may direct”.
Regrettably, in the 1999 Constitution, which we are still operating till today, there is no role for the traditional rulers. Not a single reference to them. It’s as if the 1999 Constitution was written by a foreigner and I don’t know why. I believe tradition and modernity should complement each other. They should not be poles apart. While modernizing, we must preserve our tradition. The other day, I saw Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (70) from Efdom, Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna state, current Bishop, Roman Catholic Diocese, Sokoto, dancing with a cultural group while wearing his soutane. I don’t think his role at that event has diminished his role in the church.
On May 28, 2016, during his inauguration as President of African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Ayodeji Adeshina (63) exhibited the Yoruba Culture when he invited selected Yoruba dancers at his inauguration. It was a pure display of the Yoruba culture.

The institution of traditional rulers must not be allowed to perish. Everything must be done to sustain that institution. Luckily, we now have a President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who believes in our tradition and culture. It is not too late now to rejig Chief Clement Ebri’s Committee’s report that Constitutional recognition be given to the role of traditional rulers. Provision should be made for the establishment of state councils of traditional rulers as an advisory body in all states of the federation.
The composition of the council of state be expanded to include Chairmen of the state councils of traditional rulers (state council of chiefs) and provision be made for traditional council at each local government area to serve as an advisory body on matters of tradition and culture and similar issues at that level. These roles in no way confer executive, legislative or judicial functions on them.