A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has granted a N150 million bail to Darius Ishaku, former governor of Taraba state.

Ishaku was arraigned on Monday alongside Bello Yero, former permanent secretary, bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs.

Both men are being prosecuted on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds.

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when all the charges were read to them.

At the court session on Thursday, the defendants’ respective counsels moved their bail applications.

Rotimi Jacobs, prosecution counsel, said he would not object since the defendants have been granted administrative bail.

Sylvanus Oriji, presiding judge, granted the bail application.

He held that the defendants must produce two sureties each in like sum. The two sureties must be responsible citizens of Nigeria and must be residents within the FCT, with verifiable office and residential addresses.

One of the sureties produced by each defendant must be a director in the civil service.

The defendants must not travel outside the country without the court’s permission and must deposit their travel documents to the court.

Ishaku, 70, was governor of Taraba from 2015 to 2023.

In July 2023, the EFCC invited the former governor over some financial transactions conducted during his spell in office. He was later released on bail.

On September 27, 2024, Ishaku and Yero were arrested and detained by the commission.

[TheCable]

Several good things happen in the bedroom, often the place of rest and renewal. Sometime in 2004, Sam Nda-Isaiah and his wife Zainab conceived the idea of a newspaper there. 

She told the story before of how her husband got up in the wee hours, scribbled a few things in a jotter, and asked what she thought of the names and the sketch. That was not the day the newspaper started, of course. But it was only a matter of time.

That idea, which later became LEADERSHIP, has evolved from the feisty flimsy of decades ago into a news content company with a stable comprising some of Nigeria’s most fearless and authoritative news brands. Let’s walk back through the years that fostered this growth.

The pharma’s lab

Sam, as the founder was fondly called, was a journalist who happened to be a pharmacist. His father, Clement, was one of Northern Nigeria’s most durable newspaper deskmen with a strong interest in sports. He worked in New Nigerian Kaduna, but his influence and reputation went far and wide. 

His son, Sam, branched off into journalism after studying Pharmacy at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife and working briefly at Pfizer. The transition might have been a vocational accident. I think, more appropriately, it was a triumph of the genes. He first joined Daily Trust, then in its infancy, as one of the newspaper’s columnists. 

After years of column-writing, he compiled his selected works into a book, Nigeria: Full Disclosure, before launching a newspaper. It took a lot of work, though. Before the newspaper, he started a newsletter, LEADERSHIP Confidential, a highly-prized window on life, politics and powerplay among Abuja’s high and mighty, patronised by embassies and the political glitterati. 

Confidential mafia

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Malam Abba Kyari, Adamu Adamu, Mamman Daura, Abba Mahmood, and Adamu Suleiman, people who knew the dark secrets of government, were among the most valuable anonymous contributors. But the newsletter wasn’t enough for Sam, the man of big ideas. He wanted to do more. 

He gathered the money from the launch of Full Disclosure, which was about N20m then. With a small team comprising Nnamdi Samuel, Abraham Nda-Isaiah, Uche Ezechukwu, Demola Abimboye, Winifred Ogbebo, Douglas Ejembi, Audee Giwa, Kingsley Chukwu, among his earliest staff, he released a preview towards the end of September 2004, before the maiden edition on October 4, dedicated to God and country. 

God and newspapers

I’m not sure God reads newspapers. But countries pay attention. A few notable newspapers have significantly affected the course of their countries for ill or for good. When Rudolph Hearst started the New York Journal, his motive was clear: how to run Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World out of town. 

That rivalry inflamed one of the most hysterical eras in American journalism, including Hearst’s use of his press to instigate deadly conflicts with Spain.

However, the US press also had its unlikely heroes, one of the most remarkable being Katherine Graham, daughter of the founder of The Washington Post. 

Whatever Jeff Bezos may have unmade of the brand today, ThePost, on Katherine Graham’s watch, was the newspaper that defied the US government to publish the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate story, two of the most consequential scoops of the 21^st century. 

Loaded gun

I’m not saying LEADERSHIP is The Post. Not yet. I’m saying that newspapers can affect their countries’ trajectory one way or the other. Lord Beaverbrook eloquently said, “[Press power] is a flaming sword, which will cut through any political armour…that is not to say that any great newspaper or group of newspapers can enforce policies or make or unmake governments at will, just because it is a great newspaper.

“Many such newspapers are harmless because they do not know how or when to strike. They are in themselves unloaded guns. But teach the man behind them how to load and what to shoot at; they become deadly.”

The youngest and longest-serving Former British Labour Party Prime Minister, Tony Blair, knew this. For most of his years in Number 10, whenever the media mogul Rupert Murdoch called once, Blair answered twice.

But again, LEADERSHIP is not SUN or Times of London. Nor is Olusegun Obasanjo, Blair. Yet, Nigeria’s President Obasanjo would not forget LEADERSHIP in a hurry. In Too Good to Die: Third Term and the Myth of the Indispensable Man, the epic catalogue by Chidi Odinkalu and Aisha Osori, we read about the daring ambition of the former president to wrest an illegal third term. 

Beacon, always

Even in its infancy, LEADERSHIP was perhaps the most consequential newspaper that frustrated Obasanjo’s ambition. It has remained just as much a scourge of crooked leaders as a champion of Nigeria’s unity. 

For example, Imam Abubakar Abdullahi came to the limelight after the company’s awards and conference subsidiary recognised the cleric for sheltering Christians in his mosque at the height of the deadly sectarian violence of 2018 in Jos. 

Again, this year, Auwalu Salisu, a Kano-based tricycle rider awarded by the newspaper for returning N15m to the owner, received an avalanche of praise, including a cash award of N250m by the Niger State government, which Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has redeemed and kept in the care of the Sam Nda-Isaiah Foundation.

The newspaper remains fervent in its fight for press freedom, regardless of which Witchfinder General wants to undermine the press. Its dogged pursuit of the “unidentified” persons who murdered Nigerian journalist James Bagauda Kaltho in 1996, for example, led it through a labyrinth of minefields from Durbar Hotel, Kaduna, where he was bombed, through the trail of one Russell Hanks believed to have been a US envoy in Nigeria, and back to the US Embassy. The murder is still unresolved.

Neighbour-to-neighbour

There is another moment that bears retelling. In the heady days after the 2015 general elections, when the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, besieged INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega and threatened hell as the final results were being announced, the rogue economic wing of the PDP under the auspices of Neighbour-to-Neighbour, offered publishers vast sums of money to publish an advert that President Goodluck Jonathan had won the election. 

An unsuspecting LEADERSHIP staff collected the money and gleefully called the publisher to inform him that the newspaper’s bread had been buttered. Sam, whose fury, even at the best of times, was like a raging storm, was on another level of fury. He ordered that the bag of cash be returned immediately. Not long after the money was returned, Muhammadu Buhari was announced the winner, and Jonathan conceded defeat within the hour. 

Ghana-Must-Go!

In these 20 eventful years, LEADERSHIP readers have had an unfailing companion – Ghana-Must-Go, the irreverent cartoon strip on the back page. In my time here, I can only remember once when GMG was stricken and bereft of wit: December 11, 2020, when Sam passed. The cartoon character was, understandably, devastated: Its life, the life of the newspaper and many who depended on it, was suddenly hanging by a thread!

The last twenty years have been quite an odyssey, with the fast-changing media ecosystem, the increasing adoption of generative Artificial Intelligence, Big Tech’s abuse and misuse of content, rising costs, and changing audience demographics forcing the industry to recalibrate. 

Overall, though, the journey that started in the bedroom over twenty years ago has made significant strides for God and country!

And long may it live!

For as long as I can remember, Nigeria’s October 1 independence anniversary has been an occasion for lamentations. It is a day in which our founding mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunties are featured in newspapers bemoaning the situation in our country – without anyone taking responsibility. But while the socio-economic situation remains dire, we have been spared a lot of that hypocrisy in recent years, perhaps because the generation born decades before independence has dwindled considerably. That said, it is not a bad idea to look back as we seek to leap forward. 

The crisis of the moment is evident in virtually all sectors. From the debt overhang to the national currency whose value diminishes by the minute to the oil and gas sector where the bounty of nature abundantly available on our shores has been ceded to thieves. Security wise, Nigeria is in a state of anomie. Government—the only human invention meant to separate men from beasts—has lost the monopoly of violence to sundry criminal cartels. Whether on the road, at school or in the marketplace, death has become an unscheduled consequence of normal living for citizens. But I am not here to join the perpetual ‘wailing wailers.’ The foregoing catalogue of misdeeds is simply to remind us of some of the challenges that we still grapple with as a nation. But that’s not the thrust of this intervention.

Today, I want to rely on two archival materials currently doing the rounds among a select audience on WhatsApp as I reflect on the 64th independence of Nigeria and the road ahead. The first, from where I took the title of this column, is a 1947 newspaper advertisement in the United Kingdom. It begins with a quote credited to the Colonial Secretary, Mr Creech Jones, a few days earlier, on 21st August 1947: “I feel sure that Colonial peoples will want to understand the nature and the extent of the present economic difficulties facing us, and in particular how they affect Colonial territories and what the colonies can do in collaboration with us to win through to conditions of greater stability and prosperity.” Those words, according to the advert, “have direct bearing on the visit of the Goodwill Mission of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons to this country.”

Members of the public were then invited to the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 9th September 1947 at 7-30 p.m. in Houldsworth Hall, Deansgate. “Speakers will include Members of the Goodwill Mission of the National Council of Nigeria & Cameroons who will visit Manchester.” These visitors were listed as Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, President N.C.N.C. Elected Member of Legislative Council Nigeria; Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, Secretary N.C.N.C., Elected Member of Legislative Council, Nigeria; Dr Ibiyinka Olorunimbe, Elected Member of Legislative Council, Nigeria; Mallam Buka Dipcharima, Former Member of Maiduguri Council, Nigeria; Chief Nyong Essian, Former President Ibibio Union, Nominated Member of Legislative Council, Nigeria; Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Educationist, President Abeokuta Women’s Union and Mr P.M. Kale, Educationist, President Cameroons Youth League. The forum was organised by the Pan-African Federation of Great Britain whose office was then located at number 58 Oxford Road, Manchester to see how Nigeria could help the United Kingdom to overcome its economic challenges at the period.

I am well aware that this was a colonial era with all its exploitation. So, one can argue that taking from us was not necessarily out of need by the United Kingdom but rather due to greed. But the fact also remains that Nigeria was in a relatively comfortable economic situation at the time, based on the productive capacity of our people. Though largely agrarian, since we are talking about a pre-oil period, the fundamentals of our economy were stable in the pre-independence days.

The second publication is a declassified 21 May 1975 American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) document titled, ‘Lagos Emerging as a Modest Aid Donor’. It reads: “The Caribbean Development Bank has become the latest beneficiary of the modest aid effort that Nigeria has mounted in recent years to advance its claims to leadership in Africa and its international prestige. General (Yakubu) Gowon announced a $2.5 million loan to the bank upon his return from the recent Commonwealth heads of state conference in Jamaica and official visits to Barbados, the Bahamas, and Guyana.

“Since 1972, Nigeria has extended approximately $380 million in known loans and grants to individual governments and international financial institutions. Of this total, Nigeria has lent $240 million to the World Bank, and $120 million to the International Monetary Fund’s special oil facility that makes loans to countries to help cover their oil import requirements. The remaining $20 million has been distributed largely in Africa, particularly to the countries of West Africa and to regional organizations such as the Organization of African Unity and the African Development Bank.

“Nigeria, black Africa’s most populous country, is using the bulk of its oil wealth—oil earnings totalled $8.9 billion in 1974—to finance domestic development programs aimed at improving the lot of its own citizens whose per capita income averages less than $300 per year. The military government is determined not to let its aid activities become a drain on the treasury. In the future, General Gowon has said that Nigeria will emphasize loans to development banks rather than bilateral assistance. The Nigerians probably feel that development banks are in a better position to ensure that the loans will be used for the purposes given and that they will be repaid.”

Fifteen years after independence and five years after the end of a costly (in human and material terms) civil war, we can decipher from the second document that Nigeria was in a strong situation economically. It is indeed remarkable that we made $8.9 billion from oil sales in one year. Taken together, both the 1947 advert in which we were being asked to help the United Kingdom and the 1975 CIA document which reveals that less than 50 years ago we had enough to play ‘Father Christmas’ to the same World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) that we now go cap in hand to borrow from, tell a compelling story about Nigeria.

In his broadcast on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu admitted being aware of the economic hardship faced by Nigerians due to the current reforms by his administration. Tempting as it may be to focus on what has been left undone and where our country has stumbled, the president argued, and quite correctly, Nigerians must never lose sight of how far we have come as a people. “While we celebrate the progress we have made as a people in the last sixty-four years, we must also recognise some of our missed opportunities and mistakes of the past,” Tinubu charged. “If we are to become one of the greatest nations on earth, as God has destined us to be, our mistakes must not be allowed to follow us into the future.” 

I agree with the president that we cannot continue to bemoan the past or repeat the same mistakes and expect to develop as a country. But talk is cheap. Yes, we cannot continue to run government devoid of transparency and accountability and expect development. We cannot continue to accumulate debt, deluding ourselves that we can borrow our way into prosperity. We cannot continue to pretend that it is in our long-term interest to deny our young men and women opportunities for self-advancement in their own country – leaving them no choice but to  flee Nigeria. We cannot substitute a regime of sharing ‘palliative’ and bags of rice (even if its an upgrade on ‘Agbado-nomics’) for a serious national economic plan. And while this may be an inconvenient issue to discuss in our country, we also cannot continue to breed a largely unproductive population that is growing at an exponential rate without consequences.

Going by the 2024 World Population Data Sheet released by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) last week, Nigeria’s population is projected to post a 54 per cent increase by 2050. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s current estimated population of  232 million people is equivalent to 2.85 per cent of the total world population. The PRB provides global, regional, and country-specific data on population growth and decline, age structure, and fertility. Indicators project that Africa will account for 62 percent of global population growth. That Nigeria has a young population should be an advantage but sadly, it is not. We make no serious investment in education or health while out-of-school children in Nigeria are almost twice the entire population of some of the countries within the subregion.  

In his book, ‘Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa: A blueprint for taking Nigeria and Africa from potential to prosperity’, published last year, former Finance Minister, Olusegun Aganga, highlighted three critical factors for sustainable growth on the continent, with a special focus on Nigeria. They are political, economic and social institutions. When these three properly align, they ultimately help to provide stability in the system and engender shared prosperity, according to Aganga, who draws relevant examples from countries that have leveraged on these three critical factors for the advancement of their people.

While interrogating why the whole of our country remains less than the sum of its parts, one of the issues addressed by Aganga is that of population. “We have a quantity advantage, and our demographic is the envy of the rest of the world”, Aganga wrote to buttress his point on the benefits of young population, if properly harnessed. “The average age in Nigeria is about 18.6 years. This compares to about 42.5 years in Europe and 38.4 in China.” But Aganga expressed concerns that every year “Nigeria adds 5.5 million people to its population, which is about the population of Congo, Namibia, Liberia, Mauritania and the Gambia, among others.” He then contrasted our population with that of the United Kingdom that was seeking our ‘help’  just about 77 years ago. At independence in 1960, the population of Nigeria was 45.2 million. That same year, the population of the UK was 52 million. Today, the UK is about 69.2 million. That means we are now more than three times the population of a country that was larger than us at independence with a fraction of their resources! 

I concede the fact that Nigeria has come a long way and that at 64, there is much to celebrate. But there are also so many things that need to change, beginning with an uncontrolled population growth that is not backed with any infrastructural support. It should worry critical stakeholders that the only thing we are producing at a comparative advantage in Nigeria today are babies! Hence, the need for an enlightenment campaign on responsible procreation. Nigerians must begin to understand that only a moderate population growth that enables a high quality of life for citizens can guarantee a sustainable society.

Happy 70th Birthday to the indomitable Dr. Olusegun Abdulrahman Mimiko, a true champion of the people! As one of his proud associates, my heart swells with joy as I reflect on the profound honor of serving alongside such an extraordinary leader. Dr. Mimiko’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of Nigerians has sparked a flame of inspiration that continues to illuminate our paths.

A Life of Service

Born on October 3, 1954, Dr. Mimiko has dedicated his life to the noble mission of serving others. From his early days as a passionate medical student at the esteemed Obafemi Awolowo University to his distinguished tenure as Governor of Ondo State, he has always placed the needs of the populace at the forefront. His steadfast dedication to healthcare, education, and infrastructure has transformed countless lives, proving that true leadership is rooted in compassion and selflessness.

A Visionary Leader

Throughout his governorship, Dr. Mimiko’s administration became a beacon of hope, prioritizing the needs of the people and earning him the cherished title of "Iroko." His groundbreaking initiatives, such as the Abiye program, have set a remarkable standard for healthcare reform across the nation. His visionary leadership has not only catalyzed economic growth but has also enhanced infrastructure and championed social justice, leaving an indelible mark on our society.

A Man of Principle

Dr. Mimiko’s unwavering commitment to democracy and good governance is truly commendable. He has stood firm in his beliefs, even when faced with adversity, showcasing an admirable resilience. His courage has inspired a new generation of leaders to follow in his esteemed footsteps, ensuring that his legacy of integrity and service endures.

Notable Achievements

Education Reforms: Initiatives like free shuttle buses and interventions at the tertiary level have significantly improved access to education for thousands of Nigerians.

Kaadi Igbe Ayo: The Ondo Residency Card Initiative has brought essential services directly to the doorsteps of citizens.

Urban Renewal: His ambitious vision for a modern Ondo State has transformed cities and towns into vibrant communities.

Agriculture: A strong emphasis on agriculture has empowered farmers and boosted food production across the region.

Judiciary Reforms: His relentless efforts have fortified the judiciary, ensuring justice is accessible to all.

A Lasting Legacy

As we gather to celebrate Dr. Mimiko’s 70th birthday, we honor his selfless service to the people of Ondo State and Nigeria as a whole. His legacy inspires us to strive for a brighter future, filled with hope and possibility.

“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowery words. It is about the impact we make in the lives of others.” Dr. Mimiko, your remarkable journey exemplifies this profound truth. Here’s to many more years of impactful service, joyous celebrations, and an unwavering spirit of making a difference!

Olukayode Ajulo, OON, SAN, PhD
Honorable Attorney General of Ondo State

The military high command has announced the dismissal of a naval rating, Seaman Haruna Abbas, who was reportedly detained for about six years.

Haruna’s dismissal came on the heels of his wife, Hussaina Iliya, claim on a popular radio station in Abuja that her husband was detained unjustly by the military since 2018 over attempt to disarm him.

The military high command has announced the dismissal of a naval rating, Seaman Haruna Abbas, who was reportedly detained for about six years.

Haruna’s dismissal came on the heels of his wife, Hussaina Iliya, claim on a popular radio station in Abuja that her husband was detained unjustly by the military since 2018 over attempt to disarm him.

After Iliya’s claim went viral, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, ordered an investigation into the matter.

Giving an update about the matter during a press briefing at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday, the Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, disclosed that Haruna had been dismissed from the military.

Gusau, a Brigadier-General, said Abbas was dismissed after the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, ratified the judgement of the court martial instituted by the DHQ on September 19, 2024.

The senior military officer said that Abbas was arraigned before a court-martial on three charges bordering on disobedience to orders, resisting arrest and destruction of service property.

He noted that the offences were contrary to Sections 56 (1), 86 (1) and 66 (c) of the Armed Forces Act Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation 2004, adding that upon his arraignment, he pleaded guilty to the allegations against him.

“Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 was arraigned before the GCM on 3 counts charge of Disobedience to Particular Orders, Resistance to Arrest and Offences in Relation to Public and Service Property contrary to Sections 56 (1), 86 (1) and 66 (c) of the Armed Forces Act (AFA) Act CAP A20 Laws of the Federation (LFN) 2004, respectively.

“At the trial, the GCM deliberated on the testimonies of the prosecution and Defence witnesses as well as the exhibits tendered by the prosecution surrounding the circumstances of the case.

“It is important to note that the ex-rating pleaded guilty to all the charges during the trial. The GCM therefore, considered the nature of the offence committed by the ex rating, his plea of guilty and plea in mitigation of punishment as well as the legal advice of the Judge Advocate in arriving at its verdict,” he said.

Gusau said after the trial, the court found Abbas guilty and dismissed him with effect from February 7, 2023, adding that Abbas was subsequently placed on open arrest pending the ratification of the judgment.

He said, “Accordingly, after proceedings, the GCM found Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 guilty on all counts. Based on this, he was sentenced to a Reduction in Rate from Seaman to Ordinary Seaman on Count One and Dismissal with Ignominy on Counts 2 and 3 with effect from 7 February 2023.

“Thereafter, the ex-rating was placed on open arrest at the arrival hall in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, pending confirmation of the sentences by the Chief of the Naval Staff.

“The Record of Proceedings of the trial was forwarded to DHQ on 27 June 2023 and subsequently transmitted to Naval Headquarters on 8 August 2023. The sentences of the GCM were thereafter confirmed by the CNS with effect from September 19, 2024.”

Gusau dismissed claims that Abbas was tried despite having mental health issues.

He said, “On the issue of mental well-being, we have a clip here that shows medical personnel coming to testify that he has conducted checks and he is fit to stand trial. And again, we have medical certificates from Federal Medical Center, where they certify that he is fit to stand trial.

“He has been going in and out of hospital, but all the hospitals he attended show that he is mentally fit to stand trial. In fact, because of his, you know, in and out of hospital, that’s why the first court-martial was dissolved, to give him enough time so that he can go and seek medical attention.

“But all reports came back saying he is physically and mentally ready to stand trial”, adding that Abba’s Commander did nothing wrong to disarm him.

He stated, “You can disarm that person. Once you give a weapon to somebody and you don’t trust him any longer, you don’t allow him until he’s perpetrated an offence or even killed people before you now, you know, collect the weapon.

“The weapon belongs to the states. It belongs to the Armed Forces of Nigeria. You go to the armoury, you sign it, and at every point, until your commander feels he doesn’t trust you with that weapon, he can retrieve it from you. And if you refuse, he can disarm you.”

Narrating how Abbas’ ordeal started, Gusau said the dismissed rating continually interrupted his commander while addressing them on the parade ground.

He added that Abbas disobeyed all orders given to him by his commander, which included him to report to the guard room.

Gusau said, “Let me at this point intimate to you that the case involving Ex-Seaman Abbas M5759 started when he was found misbehaving during a parade.

“Specifically, the ex-rating was part of the parade during a coordinating conference of the Commanding Officer when he was addressing troops of Exercise AYAM AKPATUMA preparing for the operation.

“While the CO was addressing the troops, the ex-rating continually interrupted the address, which warranted the CO to direct him to report to the guard room. However, the rating refused to obey the order.

“Thus, the CO directed his arrest, but the ex-rating resisted and expended 16 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition belonging to the NN with the aim of preventing other soldiers from taking him into custody.

“Consequently, the investigation was conducted, and the ex-rating was recommended to be tried by court-martial. The ex-rating was eventually tried by a GCM from December 20, 2022 – February 7, 2023.

“Notably, the trial of Ex Seaman Abbas Haruna M5759 by GCM was based on the authority that as serving personnel, he was subject to both military and civil laws.”

[DailyTrust]

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted an ex parte order to serve the Rivers State chairman of the Action People’s Party, APP, Sunny Wokekoro, the 23 chairmanship candidates of APP in the upcoming Saturday election, and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, through substituted means.

Hart Badom, Destiny Omereji, and four others are in court seeking the reinstatement of Badom as the legitimate State Chairman of APP, while calling for the removal of Sunny Wokekoro from the position.

The plaintiffs are also challenging the legitimacy of the 23 chairmanship candidates, questioning when they became members of the APP in the state.

They are seeking a declaration that all actions taken by Wokekoro be considered null and void.

DAILY POST reports that when the case was mentioned, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Excel Omeghara, applied for an ex parte motion to serve the defendants through substituted means, a request that was granted by the presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Obele.

APP has gained prominence in Rivers State in recent months, following its adoption as the platform for loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to contest the October 5 local government elections.

The APP’s chairmanship candidates, many of whom were formerly members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, switched to APP amid internal disputes within PDP in the state.

Although Governor Fubara is expected to automatically assume leadership of PDP upon taking office, as stipulated in the party’s constitution, his predecessor and political benefactor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has refused to step aside, leading to a leadership crisis within the PDP.

Meanwhile, PDP in Rivers State announced its decision to boycott the upcoming local government elections.

State PDP Chairman Aaron Chikwuemeka reaffirmed this position during a press briefing in Port Harcourt last Monday.

Chikwuemeka and PDP state executive in Rivers remain loyal to FCT Minister Wike.

[DailyPost]

In April 2024, Musiliu Oseni, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, announced that “the commission has approved a rate review of 225 naira per kilowatt hour, from a minimum of 68 naira per kilowatt hour… for just 15 % of the customer population in the Nigerian electricity supply industry.”

And, in what now seems to be a setting up for a dunk on the heads of the 1.5 million electricity consumers—which a recent report claims to be 2 million―on Band A tariff plan, Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, assured everyone that the 2024 Budget had provision for N1.8 trillion electricity subsidy.

While delivering this coy body slam to electricity consumers, Adelabu also sneaked in a hint that the tariff may still be reviewed upward before the end of the year, because the Electricity Act provides for review of the electricity tariff two times every year.

And, he tried to justify the need to further raise the tariff in 2024, by enumerating the reasons, which include the rising exchange rate, increasing price of gas, and high cost of maintenance of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

It couldn’t have been anything else, it seemed. But he should have also added inappropriate policy choices—of several generations of governments before the current one―and partial sale and commercialisation of electricity generation and electricity distribution companies by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to crony capitalists, and the retention of the national grid in the hands of bureaucrats.

One major problem is that those who bought the facilities lack the managerial, financial, and technical capabilities to run the companies, even though they regard their more-or-less sinecure equity in those companies as compensation for their less-than-patriotic service to the country.

To borrow and rework a phrase from Bashorun MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election that was cruelly annulled by the regime of military President Ibrahim Babangida, “Nigerians held the horns of the cow for the crony capitalists to milk!”

Some observers feel that the minister is probably insisting on raising the tariff because he feels that many consumers rack up high electricity bills. After all, they are usually careless by switching on electrical appliances, like air-conditioners, that they may not necessarily have to use all the time.

Someone asked if the minister takes his own counsel in his office where the electricity bill is paid by the Federal Government, or in his home which may likely be an official quarter.

The minister, who admitted to having given the unsolicited advice to electricity consumers to cultivate what he described as the “culture of managing energy consumption,” has, however, apologised to those who may have been offended by his unsolicited counsel.

NERC has finally come up with the sledgehammer announcement that the government is feeling the weight of about N181.1 billion monthly subsidy bill, and, as a result, electricity tariff would have to be hiked for in Band A, who were promised 20 hours of electricity every day.

And that would, of course, further harm the finances and well-being of these already impoverished consumers who are reeling under the weight of subsidy removal and the floating of the Naira, even though NERC had unilaterally placed them in Band A tariff plan without asking them if they were game for the tariff plan.

What the consumers really need is not the minister’s counsel, but appropriate policies to mitigate their gradually depleting standard of living on top of irregular electricity supply. That is why he was appointed as minister of power. As they say on the streets of Lagos, “The minister should shake a leg!”

Apart from the boast by the minister of power that more than 40 per cent of Nigerians currently receive 20 hours of electricity per day, it is actually too little and insignificant. 100 per cent of Nigerians should be able to get 24 hours supply of electricity every day.

The minister sounded like he expected those Nigerians that he forcibly conscripted into the Band A tariff plan should be grateful for even the irregular electricity supply that they get, a reminder of a former minister of communications who said telephone is not for everybody.

By the way, the minister should stop that nauseating claim that the (less than modest) achievement of the electricity sector is inspired by the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu, a man who has not claimed omnipotence or invincibility.

The current template of the electricity industry can only guarantee shortages and consequent inefficiency that causes the accountant minister to think that inordinately holding down Nigerians for milking by the Gencos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, and the Discos, is the silver bullet to sorting out the problems of the sector.

One should add, for the umpteenth time, that GenCos, DisCos, and electricity grids that currently operate in silos, should be integrated under one management in each of the markets that have already been demarcated for them.

What this means is that the transmission lines within the Ikeja market, for instance, should be ceded to Ikeja Electric, which will merge with the GenCo which currently uploads electricity to its market. All three components of electricity supply should be under one roof in each market.

If the Minister is not too sure of the expediency of this model being suggested, he could seek clarification from experts, amongst which should be Professor Barth Nnaji, who is possibly Nigeria’s most illustrious minister of power.

The gentleman is a thoroughbred professional who understands the technical demands and the dynamics of the ecosystem of the electricity system. When he was minister of power, electricity supply was very regular.

This matter should be treated expeditiously like that of the man who appeared in a dream to entreat Apostle Paul to “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” Like Paul, Prof Nnaji would likely come to help Nigeria overcome the electricity sector debacle.

It is not fair for the electricity tariff to be raised by about 330 per cent, from N68 to N225 per kilowatt hour, for Band A tariff plan customers in April and to now start hinting at another hike in less than six months, even if the law provides that tariffs can be reviewed two times in one year.

If the government goes ahead with this wicked intention, it may well be the final straw that would break the camel’s back. It will further impoverish the disappearing Nigerian middle class that is barely coping with 34 per cent inflation and they may be easily persuaded to join the lumpen plebeian proletariat as they embark on street protests.

This won’t bode well for a government that came into office with roughly one-third of the votes of less than one-fourth of the electorate. That should not be the testimony of a government that is committed to Section 14 of the Constitution which sets the security and welfare of the citizens as the primary responsibility of the government.

The minister of power needs to understand that inappropriate and ineffectual government policies are the major causes of the inability of the electricity sector to deliver regular electricity to Nigerian citizens at an affordable tariff rate. No other reason.

FORMER President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has taken stock of Nigeria’s tortuous journey to nationhood and submitted that the time calls for sober reflection as the country celebrates its 64th independence anniversary, saying that this is the time for serious introspection by President dent Bola Tinubu and other leaders.

In a goodwill message to Nigerians, Senator Mark reflected on the journey so far and noted that despite the challenges of insecurity, poverty, disease, and general underdevelopment, Nigeria is endowed with human and natural resources capable of changing the tide for good, adding that this is achievable if all citizens are patriotic and united with a common mission and purpose.

In a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Mumeh, Senator Mark said, “Disappointing as the situation may seem, the shortcomings of the past should serve as useful lessons for progress. We must learn from our past mistakes and work towards a better future.”

The former President of the Senate recalled the 30-month-old fratricidal civil war, occasional ethnoreligious conflicts and the uncertainties surrounding political engagements, saying that all these issues are traceable to inadequacies of leadership and citizens’ failure.

Senator Mark who cautioned against divisive tendencies and inflammatory statements in recent times that tend to exacerbate the already fragmented atmosphere, said, “Those who exploit our fault lines of ethnicity and religious differences to promote hatred are enemies of the country”.

Despite the challenges, Senator Mark noted that Nigeria has made progress in some areas pointing out that, “though we are not yet where we should be, we are certainly better than yester years. This should serve as motivation for us to continue working towards a better Nigeria.”

The former Senate President who emphasized that political leaders should lead by example and strive to put the citizens at the centre of their programmes and policies, said, “Leaders must prioritize the needs and well-being of the people.”

Senator Mark was optimistic that Nigeria could come out of its current challenges if all Nigerians resolved to bury the hatchet of yesterday, “We must unite and work together to address our challenges”.

To further address the challenges of underdevelopment, Senator Mark advocated for huge investments in enterprises and production that would improve income and end capital flights.

He stated, “We need to create an environment where everyone can ply his or her trade in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation. We need to be our brother’s keeper at all times. I wish Nigerians a prosperous nation.”

[Vanguard]