Recently, I have been seeing some contracts of employment (offer letters) laced with some obnoxious clauses; one of which caught my attention is the clause that you are not allowed to leave the job for a so-so number of years and if you do you will have to pay the company a so so amount. This is to say that as a part of the employment requirement, you are not allowed to quit or resign from the job for whatever reason for a period of years and if you do or if you intend to do that you will refund the company 80% of the salary they have paid you and if you decide to play smart and relocate out of the country or elope, the guarantor whom you provided and have signed off on your behalf before you got the employment will be closed on by the company. 

A friend who got a job with an investment bank drew my attention to this because his offer letter also contained this clause and 

an internet user recently posted something similar to this; he was offered a job as a medical laboratory scientist, with a pay of N270k per month but with a non-negotiable clause in the offer letter that he must not leave or resign from the job for the next 2 years and if he does or intends to resign before the expiration of two or more years he must refund 80% of every monthly salary ever collected. 

This type of contract of employment clause as I have got to know is quite familiar in the banking and medical industry. 

Now the big question is; what is the legality and enforceability of clauses like this in the contract of employment; are they legal and are they enforceable in court? 

The simple answer is that conditions or clauses like this embedded in a contract of employment are not legal and enforceable. You can leave or resign a job whenever you want despite whatever clause or time bond you signed, as long as you have given the organization a reasonable notice of your intention to resign or quit. Even if you leave without notice, the employer cannot enforce that clause of you staying for stipulated years in court because such clauses are illegal and the court can not be used to enforce an illegality. 

Loosely speaking, parties are at liberty to contract however they wish and add covenants and clauses they deem fit into the contract and the parties are to be bound by those clauses in the contract but such contractual clauses must always conform with legality for it to be valid, legal and enforceable in court. This is to say that the liberty or freedom of contracting parties to make their contract has its limitations.

Why such a clause in a contract of employment of working for a stipulated number of years before you could leave is illegal and enforceable is that such clause subjects an employee to servitude and both the constitution and other labour laws prohibit contract of servitude. 

Lawyer’s closing note; if you get a good job with good pay but the job comes with a time-bound clause, go ahead and take the job and you can leave whenever you like because such clauses are not legal and can never be enforced against you, just ensure to give the organisation a reasonable notice of your intention to resign before you leave so as to satisfy the provisions of the labour law. 

Globally, subsidies, whether for food, transportation, energy or housing, are part of good governance. So, the issue is not subsidies but who benefit from them. In Nigeria, subsidies are primarily of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. I will highlight a few, how they are being manipulated and how huge sums of money can be recovered not just to subsidise fuel but also provide funds for development.

1. Diversion of N40 billion from Federation Account

A company, Continental Transfert Technique had been hired by the Ministry of Interior to collect the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Alien Card, CERPAC, fee of $2,000 per annum from every expatriate in Nigeria. The revenue from 2019 comes to an average of N40 billion per annum. This collection which violates Section 162 of the Constitution and provisions of the Immigration Act 2015, is then shared on percentages of Federal Government, 30; Interior Ministry, 7; Immigration Service, and Continental Transfert Technique, 58 per cent. We challenged this illegality at the Federal High Court and won the cases. The court directed the NIS to collect the funds henceforth and remit same to the Federation Account. But the contractor and the Federal Government appealed against the judgement and have continued to share the N40 billion per annum.

2. Additional Revenue of $1.5 billion payable to Federation Account

In July 2015, I drew the attention of the Federal Government to the fact that the 15-year fiscal incentives given to the oil and gas companies operating under the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act had expired in June 2014. When the Federal Government ignored our request, we drafted a Bill for the amendment of the law. The Bill which was adopted and sponsored by Senator T. Orji scaled the first reading in the Senate but was not passed before the dissolution of the 8th National Assembly. However, the same Bill was modified and passed by both houses of the 9th National Assembly and assented to by President Buhari on November 4, 2019. In justifying the passage of this Bill, then Senate President Ahmed Lawan announced that the new law would increase the revenue of the nation by not less than $1.5 billion per annum.

3. Outstanding royalties of $62 billion

In campaigning for the amendment of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act, I requested the Federal Government to collect outstanding royalties payable by the International Oil Companies under the Act. The Federal Government admitted that the country had lost a whopping sum of $60 billion. But my demand for the collection of the huge fund was ignored.

The governments of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states then approached the Supreme Court which on October 20, 2018 ordered the Federal Government to collect the royalties for the past 18 years. The Federal Government confirmed that the outstanding royalty withheld by the IOCs is $62 billion but has refused to collect it.

4. FG denied revenue of $500 million by a group of corrupt public officers

The international Cargo Tracking Note Scheme to protect international shipping and prevent the movement of dangerous cargo and arms shipments was introduced into Nigeria in 2010 via an agreement between the Nigerian Port Authority and TPMS, a private company. Barely a year later, the agreement was suspended. When our attention was drawn to the illegal suspension of the Cargo Tracking Note system, we protested and the suspension was lifted on May 28, 2015 only to be suspended again in 2016.

In 2022, President Buhari issued an executive order which authorised a company to operate the Cargo Tracking Note. But five companies sponsored by top government functionaries overruled the President and hijacked the contract. The company that won the contract has since sued the Federal Government at the Federal High Court. Meanwhile, Nigeria has lost at least $500 million while the security of the nation has been compromised by a bunch of corrupt public officers.

5. Sale of public assets and enterprises

Successive regimes have been selling assets and enterprises owned by the Federal Government to members of the ruling class in the name of privatisation. The buyers turned round to engage in  asset stripping. According to the Bureau of Public Enterprises, between 2004 and 2002, the Federal Government sold 142 public enterprises to members of the ruling class. The 10 per cent shares reserved for the staff of every privatised enterprise have been cornered by the so called “core investors” contrary to the provision of section 5(3) òf the Privatization and Commercialisation Act.

6. $7 billion fixed in 14 banks

Sometime in 2006, the CBN yanked off $7 billion from the nation’s foreign reserves and fixed it in 14 commercial banks in Nigeria. The deposit and the accrued interests were not recovered from the banks. When I reported the matter to one of the anti-graft agencies, the CBN claimed that it had forgiven “the forbearance”.

7. Sale of Polaris by Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Union Bank and Polaris Bank by CBN

The CBN took over Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Union Bank and Polaris Bank, spent trillions of Naira to revitalise them only to turn round to sell them under the table. For instance, CBN invested N1.3 trillion in Polaris Bank but sold it for N50 billion!

8. Theft of Crude oil

The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has revealed that Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at N16.25 trillion ($46.16 billion) to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020. Immediate past National Security Adviser, General Babagana said that Nigeria might lose $23 billion in 2023 to crude oil theft.

9. Theft of gold and other solid minerals

The theft of the nation’s mineral resources is not limited to crude as solid minerals are equally smuggled out of the country by highly placed criminal elements. Former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah, recently disclosed that private jets are being used by the rich for gold smuggling in Nigeria. He stated this at an investigative hearing on $9 billion annual loss to illegal mining and smuggling of gold organised by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines, Steel Development and Metallurgy. During his contribution at the hearing, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu disclosed that Nigeria lost close to $54b from 2012-2018 due to illegal smuggling of gold.

10. AMCON is owed N5.4 trillion by the rich

A few years ago, commercial banks were going to collapse due to  toxic loans taken by members of the ruling class. To prevent the impending economic doom, the Federal Government set up the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, to buy off the loans with trillions of Naira provided by the CBN. AMCON has not been able to recover the loans of N5.4 trillion from about 370 corporate bodies.

11. Indiscriminate import duty waivers

A few privileged members of the business community buy dollars at official rate while they are allowed to import all manners of goods into the country. In the last five years, import duties worth N16 trillion were waived for them.

12. Effort to track and monitor tankers conveying fuel sabotage by NNPC

On August 8, 2018, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, approved the installation of technology monitoring schemes and structures under the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, for N17 billion. The technology which was designed to track and monitor tankers conveying fuel and other petroleum products was not acquired while the N17 billion approved for it was diverted.

13. N10 trillion diverted by CEOs of government enterprises

The Buhari government revealed in December 19, 2018 that government enterprises including the CBN owed about N10 trillion in unremitted operating surplus as at August 2018. The details were provided. The said sum of N10 trillion remains unpaid.

The Minister no doubt enjoyed her trip to Nigeria and Lagos in particular as during her interactions with Nigerians throughout her official visit, she never failed to allude that Nigeria is a good place as her French colleagues, including the French Ambassador, Emmanuelle Blatmann who accompanied her all through the visit were ecstatic and at home with Nigerians.

The Minister may also be re-echoing what she has been hearing from her boss, President Macron who was quoted by Habib Haruna, Chief Press Secretary to former Lagos State Governor, Ambode during his visit in 2018 that “I discovered Nigeria and a lot of my friends are here. I discovered Nigeria and I discovered Lagos and I discovered the shrine, an iconic place, a place where the best of music is given”.

Falana, SAN, lawyer and human rights activist, wrote from Lagos

In the sphere of presidential engagement and communication, Nigeria has had different shades of Presidents, from the docile and absent, laidback, garrison-style communication, taciturn, to the pragmatic. Each shade created the mood and tone of the presidency and invariably impacted the quality of leadership the presidency exhibited. Although not ascribing to or recommending any shade of communication and engagement for the presidency, I understand the importance of effective communication and engagement of the President to all citizens and stakeholders of Project Nigeria. 

In a republican democracy, the primary assumption is that the President is, first and foremost, a fellow citizen. Therefore, consistent engagement with citizens, interest groups and special interests is axiomatic. The challenge is that we are yet to accept that ability to engage effectively with our constituents is a critical function of leadership. Our Leaders are used to giving orders only and not listening to the people or explaining why they must make some decisions. The implication is that we have had rulers and not necessarily leaders.

Arguably, the most critical skill needed by a leader is his ability to communicate effectively with citizens, sectoral groups and structured interest groups  to pursue a specific agenda. In a short period, we have witnessed significant changes in presidential engagement. And this is bearing fruit in citizens’ responses.  International media and international community are taking note. On this score, the President is on firm ground and needs to be encouraged. This is where President Tinubu’s early steps of continuous engagement with diverse stakeholders deserve interrogation. 

In the first 21 days of the Bola Ahmed presidency, he has met with at least 50 citizens and 20 stakeholder groups. The citizens  and groups are as diverse as Nigeria’s divergent sectors and sections. Some of these engagements have led to the defusion  of tension, such as with fuel subsidy removal, explaining contentious issues as we had in the foreign exchange unification or giving insight into presidential actions like the student loan bill. The President has engaged with ex-militants and Niger Delta leaders like Asari Dokubo, Timi Alaibe, Former Emir of Kano and first-rate Economist Sanusi L Sanusi, Billionaire Aliko Dangote,  opposition politician Rabiu  Kwankwaso ,ex-presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Abdulsalam Abubakar, G-5 “PDP” Governors, fiery lawyer Femi Falana, labour leaders Joe  Ajaero and Festus Osifo, Sultan of Sokoto, Oni of Ife and other traditional rulers, among several others.

The  engagement with Asari Dokubo may have unsettled some presidency watchers . The argument they have against it is that legitimate state does not engage openly with non state actors who seize the platform to denigrate strategic state institutions like the armed and security forces no matter their deficits. However there is  still value in that engagement . 

President Tinubu’s style is a refreshing and decisive departure from the style and disposition of his immediate predecessor. He has shown  a remarkable ability to listen and consult widely .The account of Khalifa Sanusi Lamido Sanusi that he listens attentively, grasps the core issues communicated to him, tries to make sense of these issues, internalises the significant points raised and responds appropriately is relevant . Yours truly can confirm it as the truth. 

For insight , Nigeria is a democratic country, and the principles of democracy emphasise the inclusion of citizens in decision-making processes. Listening to citizens and stakeholders ensures their voices are heard and considered when formulating policies and making important decisions. Outlining his presidential philosophy during his inauguration speech, the President was emphatic that he would be a servant leader and not a ruler, emphasising the importance of listening to and engaging with the citizens at various times to feel their pulse, understand their views, dreams, and aspirations, and making decisions that will help actualise his vision for Nigeria and reflect the broader interests of the nation.

Second, engaging with citizens and multiple stakeholders fosters transparency and accountability in governance. By listening to the concerns and feedback of the people, the President can address their grievances, respond to their needs, and explain the rationale behind governmental actions. This helps build trust between the government and the citizens and enhances transparency in decision-making processes. We are a country with a rich cultural, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic diversity. 

Third, by listening to the concerns of different stakeholders, the President identifies potential conflicts early on and works towards peaceful resolutions. The way the President handled the labour negotiation that led to a quick resolution and how he listened and explained the issue of unification of the exchange rates give ample proof of the efficacy of his communication style . Open dialogue and inclusive decision-making can help prevent or mitigate social unrest and promote national unity. These engagements with multiple stakeholders bring diverse expertise, experiences, and knowledge to the table, which can contribute to the formulation of more effective and well-rounded policies. This can lead to better outcomes and solutions for the country’s challenges.

We may wonder why President BAT’s continuous engagement and communication with citizens, stakeholders and other special interests deserve close observation. Let us examine three significant reasons.

Undoubtedly, our multi-party general elections produced a president with just about 36% of the voters voting for him and the rest for the other parties. The president understands there was a need for building consensus quickly in his presidency to bring everybody together and lead Nigeria not as an APC president but as the President of Nigeria. This  constant engagement is even more crucial at this stage because he does not have a cabinet yet, so it falls on him to make the engagements and decisions and communicate them. This level of engagement may reduce a bit when his full cabinet is in full swing.

The second reason is that the President uses the opportunity to familiarise himself with different issues and perspectives. This allows the President to stay attuned to the evolving concerns and priorities of the people. By actively listening to citizens and stakeholders, the President can identify emerging challenges and respond effectively with policies that address current needs. It is an avenue for feedback on government policies and programmes. The President gains diverse insights and expertise by engaging with different stakeholders, including civil society organisations, community leaders, business leaders, and experts. This information helps him make well-informed decisions considering multiple viewpoints and potential impacts.

The next  likely reason for BAT’s engagement is that not only is he a natural engager , as seen in his style of politics and governance, but he also has a keen interest in giving citizens insight into how critical decisions were arrived at. This opportunity to explain these decisions and their likely impacts affords President BAT more reasons to engage and get the citizen’s buy-in into his programmes, especially in preparing the citizens for the road ahead. Regular interaction allows the President to assess the impact of existing initiatives and make necessary adjustments or improvements. This feedback loop ensures that governance remains responsive and accountable to the people it serves.

The last reason may be that the President wants to build trust, make informed decisions, mobilise resources, prevent conflicts, and promote social cohesion. This is an essential component of effective and inclusive governance that is people-oriented and focuses on policies and projects that serve the people’s interests. Hence, the President’s constant desire to listen, decide and communicate effectively. This has made BAT’S policy direction so evident to all.

Some significant milestones have been achieved in just 21 days: Oil subsidy is gone; major labour crisis averted; student loan bill signed into law; exchange rate harmonised; house cleaning is ongoing; new electricity bill signed into law; Data protection bill signed into law; building consensus and unifying Nigeria; and wooing foreign investors. These are early days so no objective assessment of his presidency can be done. 

Building Nigeria is more than just a job for Mr President. All Nigerians must play their part. However, he has shown outstanding leadership in these early days that is worthy of emulation by leaders in the state and local governments. They must adopt the servant leader approach, build consensus, and engage with all stakeholders in their states and LGAs. Developing Nigeria requires growth at the grassroots. 

Failure of the state governors and LGA chairpersons will mock the federal government’s efforts, even with the best policy interventions in place. It is time that governors and LGA chairpersons stop being little emperors, come off their high horses, and serve their people. The difference between good governors and LGA chairpersons and bad ones is seen in the level of development, both infrastructural and human capital development, in these states and LGAs.

There is no doubt that President BAT has hit the ground running as he promised. We commend his leadership and look forward to more achievements from his administration in the days ahead. We also implore other leaders at all levels to embrace stakeholder engagement and communication as practical tools for good leadership. 

The quality of President BAT’s cabinet, we hope, will reflect his deep conviction in quality leadership and the leaders he appoints will continue to build on the momentum he has created in these first few days. Quality leaders create quality leadership, which then creates development. We are full of optimism and hope for what lies ahead for Nigeria. We must all stand together, support his vision, and help build a great nation.  

There is a country called Nigeria. For three decades, its coffers were daily looted in the guise of fuel subsidy. The looters are known by name and some are known faces. The companies they use in looting are registered and have addresses. Rather than bring the criminals to book, government decided to remove the subsidy.

Thus, the people are forced to pay astronomical prices for fuel, while the subsidy looters keep their loot and are free to forage for other things to loot. This is the truth. There is also the lie; that fuel subsidy has now been removed. The truth is that it is impossible to remove fuel subsidy no matter how much the people are visited with high fuel prices.

This is because there are two basic variables over which the people have no control. First, is the continuous and steady devaluation of the Naira; every devaluation of the currency creates a fuel subsidy gap. It is like digging a hole to fill another hole. The craziness in this is that the first hole continues to widen.

The second subsidy-inducing variable is the cost of crude oil at the international market. Since Nigeria is not refining the crude oil it produces, it is condemned to buying refined petroleum products at international market prices. When you add to this, the cost of refining abroad, freight, insurance, taxes and demurrage, the price of a litre would have swelled.

Futurologists say when the Dangote refinery comes on stream, this second variable would be taken care of and prices would come down or crash. I am a person of little faith in economic speculators who since 1981 have told us the same thing, then preach that we should have faith in a bright economic future.

On Dangote, it is about a businessman said to be building the largest refinery in Africa, and our economists and money managers like brother Godwin Emefiele speculating on his motives. Some claim he would earn so much foreign exchange for the country that the Naira will appreciate. In a country famed for inadequate regulation, supposing Dangote decides to charge so-called international prices for his products, or in fact, decides to sell to foreigners to the exclusion of Nigerians, will he be committing a crime?

Aliko Dangote is like a man holding a bird in his hand, and our economists and leaders are speculating on the colour of the bird; some say it is purple, some black, others say it is green, white , green. This is witchcraft economics.

So, President Bola Tinubu needs to be cautious of experts who repackaged the disastrous and ruinous Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, of the military regime as fresh ideas. He needs thoughtful patriots like Odia Ofeimun who have the welfarist, programmatic and developmental mind of an Obafemi Awolowo.

It is understandable that President Tinubu has to give political jobbers appointments. But it is also necessary for him to have people who can look him in the eye and tell him the truth. Such people can also constantly remind him that he is in office for two basic reasons: the security and welfare of the people. Any other matter is fashion which comes and goes. At the end of his tenure, his government and legacy will be assessed based on how he fared on security and the peoples welfare.

The half a Kobo wisdom I have which I can share with him is that all his programmes should be subjected to those twin tests. Let us take, for instance, his decision to introduce student loans in our tertiary institutions. I like learning from history. So I expect the President to reflect and tell Nigerians why the student loan system was scrapped decades ago while the scholarship and bursary schemes were retained. Secondly, what logic is it in us resurrecting the student loan scheme when the same scheme is collapsing in the United States, Canada and Western European nations with these countries desperately trying to get out?

Some of the basic problems of the student loan scheme is mass unemployment with people being unable to repay. Even where some get jobs, the wages are so low that they are merely surviving.

In the US, the loan debts is now over $1.6 trillion with over 45 million Americans trapped in it. This means that one in three young American adults with some three million above the age of 60, are trapped in the debt peonage. Over one million Americans default with the rate of defaulters this year estimated at 40 per cent.

The debts have become so much a liability that some American youths decided neither to get married nor raise a family until they have been able to repay the loans which can take decades.

The Biden administration this May, decided to give some of the defaulters some breathing space by cancelling $66 billion in student debt. This has snowballed into a crisis as the Senate voted to shoot down the Biden plan and the American President responded by vetoing the legislation.

If the Tinubu administration goes on with its Student Loan Act, our situation is likely to be worse than the Western situation because we have a worse unemployment crisis, lack basic social protection, very poor statistics and have far higher rate of inflation; these are unlikely to change in the next 8-24 years when the loans should be repayable.

While the Americans tend to remain in their country, I foresee Nigerian youths ‘japaing’ (fleeing abroad) just to escape the debt prison.

Also, although government says it does not intend to introduce tuition fees or increase fees in the tertiary institutions as a result of the student loan scheme because the institutions are not financially independent, it means that fees can be increased just by declaring tertiary institutions financially independent.

Education is crucial to the country’s future. So if government says there are not enough funds to sustain the current funding system, it needs to first calculate how much tertiary education costs. Tell us how much is available and the cost gap that exists. Then we can answer the next logical question: how do we fund the difference? For instance, can we save money by scrapping the House of Representatives and transferring the trillions of Naira spent legally and illegally on it? Its functions can be transferred to the trimmer and much more representative Senate.

 Also, can we ensure that the Tertiary Education Fund of 2.5 per cent of company profits are largely collectable and accountable?

The Tinubu administration has no need to use torchlight searching for solutions to the myriad of problems in the country; the broad daylight is enough, it is more a question of choices and priorities.

Ahead of the meeting between the Federal Government and the organised labour scheduled to hold today (Monday), the Nigeria Labour Congress has said the government must meet its demands to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.

The union threatened that it would not hesitate to call out workers for industrial action, adding that it only suspended its planned strike.

It stated that the high cost of fuel was inflicting unbearable hardship on Nigerians, adding that the government must act fast with respect to providing palliatives, as the NLC said it was expecting an increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N150,000.

The Federal Government and labour unions met on June 5, 2023, with a resolution to reconvene on June 19 to agree on the implementation framework of the resolutions reached.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who led the government side, had disclosed this at the end of the meeting between labour and government representatives at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, the June 5 meeting agreed on a seven-point resolution to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, on Nigerians.

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

“The Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC to revive the CNG conversion programme earlier agreed with Labour centres in 2021 and work out detailed implementation and timing,” Gbajabiamila had stated.

But when contacted on Sunday to speak on the expectations of labour from the meeting scheduled to hold today (Monday), the Vice President, NLC, Adewale Adeyanju, said a lot of things had been presented by labour unions, stressing that the government should not act funny.

“There are a lot of things that labour has been putting before the government. The refineries need to be revamped. We cannot continue to import refined petroleum products and be spending on subsidies all the time.

“Labour has its set of demands and by the time we meet with the government tomorrow we will list them out again,” he stated.

Asked to state what action the NLC would take should the government fail to give in to the demands of labour, considering the plight currently faced by Nigerians with respect to the removal of subsidy, Adeyanju replied, “You know we only suspended our strike as a result of the need to meet on this.

“So the government should know that things are becoming difficult and they (the government) should not decide to do anything funny. The strike was only suspended. It was an ultimatum that was given out and it (strike) was suspended.

“So let’s hear what the government has for us and then we will know what to tell our members. It is about the lives of the people. Let’s meet them tomorrow and then labour will come out with its position.”

Adeyanju, however, expressed optimism that the meeting would be fruitful and insisted that the NLC would not want the government to behave funny.

“We hope that the meeting is going to be fruitful. The expectations are very high. The nation is watching and people are looking at how the Nigeria Labour Congress is going to handle the situation.

“And the government too will not like to behave funny because they know the country is battling with the increase in fuel pump price and so many things,” he stated.

On the proposal by oil marketers for the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas at filling stations, the NLC official stated that a technical committee had been set up by the Federal Government to look into the matter.

“The government has set up a technical committee on some of these issues. So I don’t want us to preempt the outcomes that will come out from that meeting tomorrow between labour and the government,” he stated.

Commenting on the need to deploy CNG, the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Okonkwo, stated that oil marketers were looking forward to the outcomes of the meeting between the Federal Government and labour before making their moves.

“That meeting tomorrow (Monday) is very crucial, because marketers are ready to deploy CNG, but the outcome of that meeting will tell us whether the government is ready to give the support needed to make this initiative fruitful.

“We are very confident that with the deployment of CNG as a substitute to PMS, the harsh effect caused by petrol price hike would be addressed significantly,” Okonkwo stated on Sunday.

The NLC also stated on Sunday that it was expecting an increment in minimum wage from N30,000 to between N150,000 and N200,000.

It further urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that borders were re-opened to ensure smooth importation and exportation of food and farm products.

The National Treasurer, NLC, Hakeem Ambali, made the disclosure in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja.

A former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for hitting the ground running and taking bold and landmark decisions after his swearing on May 29.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday at a reception party held in honour of lawmakers, Oshiomhole described the Electricity Act 2023 signed into law by Tinubu as a game-changer, saying the President is living up to Nigerians’ expectations as an ‘action President.’

While recalling how Tinubu campaigned to become President, Oshiomhole said he had proved the naysayers wrong.

“Some people were screaming ‘Edo no be Lagos,’ when the then candidate of the APC, now President Bola Tinubu, visited Benin City (to campaign). But he said something back then. I remember him saying those who said ‘Edo no be Lagos’ will leave and see Edo becoming not just like Lagos but even better than Lagos. That same man is now the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a legislative branch called National Assembly.

“He has also extended the tenure of our judges so they can have courage to dispense justice without being afraid that they will soon retire and wondering what they will do thereafter,” Oshiomhole said.

He noted that the new electricity law signed by Tinubu will, among other benefits, curb electricity smuggling into neighbouring communities of Niger Republic.

He said, “The President has hit the ground running. He has started what he promised to do. People may not like the immediate effect but in the long run, what he saves will be ploughed back in the system. There is another one he said which many people have noticed. He said as President, he will no longer accept the situation where you have the so-called national grid that cannot carry power from Ovia to Azura power plant.

“As governor of Edo State, Azura power plant was set up producing about 750 megawatts. But that power is sometimes taken to Niger Republic and you don’t have power in Benin. The President has now signed a law that says you can generate your power and consume it where you generate it. You don’t have to transfer it to avoid collapse of the system that may leave the producers and consumers in the dark. That is now a law. He signed it last week.”

Oshiomhole said with the way Tinubu had begun, “what we owe him is our prayers and in the National Assembly, we will work hand-in-hand with him. We will interrogate policies, cooperate and ensure that the President is able to translate into action all of those things that are well documented in the Bola Tinubu action plan when he was contesting for office.”

The Middle Belt Forum, on Sunday, attacked the immediate-past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over a recent viral video in which he was captured explaining why he went for a Muslim deputy governor instead of a Christian.

The MBF, in a statement on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Isuwa Dogo, said El-Rufai’s remarks were anti-Christian, describing him as a dangerous politician that must be avoided by President Bola Tinubu.

In the video complained about, El-Rufai was captured telling some Islamic clerics on the eve of his final day in office, in Hausa language that “Why did I pick Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe to be my deputy in 2019? First, I did a thorough calculation that most of those that are not Muslims don’t vote for our party (the All Progressives Congress). Most of them. So, why should I give them the deputy (governor) position?

“I did my calculation and I knew we could win the election without giving them (position of deputy governor). That’s first. That’s a purely political issue. It’s politics. You want to win an election, you’re looking for people that will vote for you. We have observed that since we started practising democracy, we know places we used to win elections and those places we don’t. We’ve done that calculation politically. That’s the political point of it.”

The MBF, in its statement, said El-Rufai’s comment validated the fear of Islamisation in the country.

MBF said, “There is no doubt that this former governor remains a clear present and future danger to the unity of our nation. He is subtly working for a group that is unremittingly and persistently poised at installing the supremacy of the Islamic faith in the corridor of power.

“Both Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be wary of associating with him. He must not be allowed near the corridors of power.”

Furthermore, the MBF called on security agencies in the country “not only to place the former governor under their radar, but he should be invited by the secret police for a chat.”

“Considering the comments he made before the clerics, the man who suffers from an inferiority complex must be considered as a dangerous politician riding on the wings of religion for relevance. We hereby denounce El-Rufai’s comments before the clerics as a shameless act of national hypocrisy steeped in the premeditated plot to set adherents of both religions on war path,” it added.

El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, neither took calls nor responded to a text message to get his principal’s reaction.

The agitation for ministerial slots has led to in-fighting in some state chapters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as governors, former governors and party leaders are battling to ensure they present slots to President Bola Tinubu.

Vanguard gathered that apart from APC stakeholders who argue that they worked for the president during the February 25 presidential election, some leaders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, among other parties, are also said to be jostling to make the ministerial list.

President may send list to Senate after July 4

By law, Tinubu must name his cabinet within 60 days after taking the oath of office on May 29 and transmit it to the Senate for confirmation.

Multiple sources disclosed that the President is expected to send the list of the nominees to the Senate when it resumes plenary on July 4.

In-fighting in APC

In Osun, the decision by the APC in the state to sanction the immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and a former speaker may not be unconnected with Osun ministerial slots.

Aregbesola and immediate past governor of the state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, have been in a frosty relationship over the former’s alleged moves to scuttle Oyetola’s re-election chances during the 2022 election.

The APC in Osun State has decided “to deal with members involved in anti-party during the last governorship and general election in the state,” the party said in a statement.

Similarly, former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Umar Ganduje is at loggerheads with the presidential candidate of the NNPP, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso.

In Oyo State, APC members are said not to be comfortable with Governor Seyi Makinde’s romance with President Tinubu.

APC leaders kick against strangers

One of the arguments put forward by APC leaders and members is that only “genuine APC members should be appointed.”
They argued that in the last dispensation, strangers benefited from their contributions to the party.

Tinubu’s special advisers

Last week, President Tinubu approved the appointment of Mr. Dele Alake as Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications and Strategy; and Mr Nuhu Ribadu, as Special Adviser, Security.

A statement by the Director of Information, State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, stated that other persons appointed are Mr. Yau Darazo, Special Adviser, Political and Intergovernmental Affairs; Mr. Wale Edun, Special Adviser, Monetary Policies; and Mrs. Olu Verheijen Special Adviser, Energy.

Zacchaeus Adedeji was appointed Special Adviser, Revenue, Mr. John Uwajumogu, Special Adviser, Industry, Trade and Investment and Mrs Salma Anas, Special Adviser, Health.

Jostle for ministerial slots

Following the appointment of special advisers, Vanguard gathered that lobbyists have been sending resumes (CVs) of prospective candidates to the Presidency, which are being collected for screening.

Despite the lobby by governors, former governors and leaders across party lines, multiple sources said President Tinubu has not disclosed those likely to make his cabinet.

Sources also informed Vanguard that close aides of the President do not have any idea of those likely to be in the cabinet.

Lobbyists besiege Aso Rock

A close ally to a former governor said: “I know they are collecting CVs of ministerial nominees. You know the Senate has gone on recess and adjourned sitting to July 4 and as they’re resuming, they will commence work on screening of ministerial nominees. For now, no name has been mentioned.”

Another source told Vanguard that with the president keeping the list close to his chest, party leaders had been left guessing.
The source said: “The president has not disclosed the ministerial nominees. Even those said to be close to the president have no idea of those likely to make the list.

‘’I am sure the list is ready and unofficially, the President may have given it to the Senate President.”

Tinubu not bothered about in-fighting—Source

Vanguard was further told that the jostling for ministerial slots has led to a crack in some of the APC state chapters.
Giving insight into the in-fighting in the APC, a source said: “The fight has been on and they are still fighting. I was informed that the President has refused to listen to those fighting themselves.”

Special Advisers may supervise ministers

Another source also hinted that the president may likely give more powers to the special advisers, while ministers would just be ceremonial heads.

He said: “From what I know, those who will work with the President are the 20 special advisers and they will be powerful. They are likely going to be the cabal.

‘’The in-fighting within the APC is serious. Some people are pushing former Kano governor, Umar Ganduje but Tinubu has aligned with the Presidential candidate of the NNPP, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso.

“Unfortunately, Ganduje has lost Kano State and is no longer relevant. Kwakwanso may likely be made defence minister.”

Government of National Unity

Speaking on the prospect of the President forming a Government of National Unity, GNU, the source said Tinubu intended to bring everyone on board after the election petition tribunal.

He said: “Tinubu is likely to form a Government of National Unity and it will be across the board. For now, the president wants to settle down and sort out the court cases.”

2023 data from the World Poverty Clock, has pegged the number of extremely poor Nigerians at 71 million.

Tonye Cole, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, who quoted the data also said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) classifies 133 million people as multidimensionally poor.

He spoke during the weekend in Abuja, at the Nigeria Zero Hunger Symposium, organised by T200 Foundation to mark World Hunger Day and unveiling of the “Nigeria Zero Hunger” report.

Quoting the United Nations (UN), Cole said globally, 25,000 die daily from hunger, including more than 10,000 children.

He noted that Nigeria must design a simple, implementable, and sustainable poverty eradication model and stick to it over time.

He said, “Nigeria has the awful distinction of being the world capital of poverty, with 71 million people living in extreme poverty today (World Poverty Clock, 2023) and a total of 133 million people classed as multidimensionally poor according to National Bureau of Statistics data.

“In other words, about 828 million people will wake up every day having no idea when or where their next meal will come from, and many will go to bed that day without eating anything. This is according to a 2021 UN report. The UN further states that of these 828 million people, 25,000 will die today, including more than 10,000 children.

“Nigeria must design a simple, implementable, and sustainable poverty eradication model and stick to it over time.

“Other factors that contribute to hunger, such as violence, weak government, and health-care systems, must be addressed promptly if zero hunger is to be achieved. These are real difficulties in Nigeria and addressing them is critical not only for hunger eradication but also for the country’s overall progress.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s (GCFR) government is well positioned to push the goal of strengthening democratic institutions that will yield democratic dividends to the Nigerian people.”

According to the report by T200 Foundation, Nigeria has a Global Hunger Index score of 27.9, which falls into the serious hunger category. However, there are significant variations in the hunger index score across states.

The report noted that the state with the highest hunger index score is Yobe, with a score of 44.2 percent. Yobe also has the highest prevalence of undernourishment, which is 27.4 percent. This is more than twice the national average of 12.9 percent. Yobe also has the highest child-wasting rate of 22.5 percent, which is almost three times the national average of 7.9 percent.

Also, the state with the second-highest hunger index score is Sokoto, with a score of 42.1 percent. Sokoto also has a high prevalence of undernourishment, which is 24.4 percent. The child wasting rate in Sokoto is 18.4 percent, which is more than twice the national average.

The report added that other states with high hunger index scores include Zamfara (37.2%), Kebbi (34.5%), and Jigawa (33.9%). These states also have high rates of undernourishment and child wasting.

Fielding questions from newsmen, Executive Director T200 Foundation, Amb. Emmanuel Osadebay, said Nigeria needs collaboration among stakeholders to end hunger by 2030 in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This was as he called on individuals to be empathetic towards the poor and work collaboratively to eradicate hunger.

He said, “People don’t pay attention to beggars on the street, so how do we eradicate hunger? We have to believe that we can change the world. Change starts from inside, when we go around without empathy, it can’t work that way, so the change starts from within us. So hunger is not a one-man effort, it’s a compiled effort.”

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has declared Wednesday, June 28, 2023, as the day of Eid-il Adha 1444 AH.

The Sultan who is the President-General Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, through Sultanate Council Sokoto made the announcement on Sunday night.

Posted on the official Twitter page of the National Moonlighting Committee, the Sultan said, “The Sultanate Council Sokoto has declared Monday 19/June/2023 as the first day of Zul-Hijjah 1444 AH.

“Accordingly Wednesday 28/June/2023 will be the day of Eidul Adha 1444 AH. His Eminence The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa‘ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, wishes the entire Muslim Ummah happy Eidul Adha Mubarak in advance.”