Stakeholders in Nigeria’s university community have expressed divergent views on the federal government’s cancellation of foreign training for the country’s scholars.

While some applauded the measure, others described it as retrogressive and parochial.

At the opening of a three-day conference organised by the British Council in Abuja on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said university lecturers would henceforth be trained in Nigeria.

He said the federal government would be spending substantial money on building a simulation lab, as well as developing the universities to save costs.

Alausa said, “We have just decided to cancel foreign training for scholars. The amount of money we are spending to train one scholar abroad could use it to train 20 people here. We will be training everybody here.

“We will unleash capacity in our universities. We are going to be spending more money now on research, innovation, and also on welfare, both on our academics and non-academics.”

Two days later, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) also announced the suspension of the foreign component of the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff (TSAS) Intervention, effective January 1, 2025.

It said suspension was in response to the excessive cost of training in foreign institutions, as well as the high rate of abscondment among foreign scholars.

In separate reactions to the decision, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), students, and other stakeholders urged the government to redirect the savings from the ban into upgrading local universities.

They also called for increased investment in the domestic higher education sector to enhance the quality of education and reduce reliance on studying abroad.

The coordinator of ASUU, Abuja Zone, Dr Salahu Mohammed Lawal, advocated for the reinvestment of saved funds into Nigerian education to improve infrastructure and access.

He said foreign training cuts could benefit local education if the funds are properly directed.

Lawal charged the government to channel the savings into upgrading university infrastructure and increasing access to higher education for more Nigerians.

He said, “The news came with mixed feelings. First, it is good for Nigerian education if the expected money can be plunged into the university system to upgrade facilities. The issue of world-class education and research opportunities is nothing more than the commitment of resources to the sector. Thus, the saved money can be used for that.

“Second, the saved money can be used for more candidates within Nigeria to access higher education and research opportunities.”

On her part, Prof Maryam Abdu of the Kaduna State University said the suspension was caused by the deteriorating exchange rate, which has made it uneconomical for the government to continue with foreign training.

“The rate of US$1 to N1,780 or thereabouts is extremely expensive. Revenues in Nigeria, especially foreign exchange, are not forthcoming nor encouraging enough to continue to finance such programmes.

“The biggest challenge is that Nigerian institutions don’t have the capacity and infrastructure to absorb all the students. There are some courses that are not offered in Nigerian universities, which would further compound the problem,” she asserted.

Prof Abdu, however, urged the government to reconsider the issue and make scholarships available for some courses.

Similarly, the president of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), Comrade Peter Oche Josiah, said the action could limit access to specialised programmes and global exposure, affecting students’ career prospects and aspirations.

To address this, he said the government should focus on improving local universities by increasing funding, building infrastructure, and fostering international partnerships.

“While local institutions face challenges, with the right investments, they could provide quality education and research opportunities.

“This policy could initially reduce Nigeria’s attractiveness to international students unless significant reforms are made to elevate local education standards. Ultimately, the success of this policy depends on the government’s commitment to transforming local universities into world-class institutions.”

He also proposed a range of solutions or alternatives to the government, including strengthening domestic educational institutions, collaboration with international institutions, scholarships and grants for online learning, support for private sector involvement, improvement of research and development (R&D) in Nigeria, public awareness campaigns, and fostering innovation in education delivery.

A lawyer and public affairs analyst, Barr Carl Umegboro, knocked the policy, saying it was weak and weird.

“It’s more or less throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Whilst I concede there has been gross abuse of the policy, however, it is not sufficient to vote against it in entirety.”

According to him, all that is needed is to fight the abuse only by tightening the policy with checks and balances particularly by tying their participation to visible tasks and projects that must be completed after the main study time abroad. Irrefutably, going out there affords the scholars opportunity to interact with the global audience and space, and by doing so, they are able to measure our growth levels so we are not left behind all the time.

“This seclusive thinking is what has kept Nigeria trailing on every side of development. We measure our currency against foreign currencies, yet we want to cocoon the intellectual property by subjecting it to local standards.

“In science for instance, there are some kinds of knowledge that could only be acquired properly through hands-on experience obtainable from specific locations. Not until you go there, you may never know more than what you knew.

“The experiences scholars get during those programmes like the practical hands-on experience that broaden their scope of knowledge are enormous and very important. And those added knowledge usually come through those foreign programmes. And again, travelling, they say, is the best form of learning. Suffice it to say that shutting the door entirely on account of abuses is unacceptable,” Umegboro stated.

Similarly, some parents and students have expressed reservation over the new policy of the government.

They contended that knowledge is not stagnant as training goes beyond acquiring knowledge without practical knowledge that may not be available locally.

A medical student at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Azeez Abidemi, said new medical grounds were being broken worldwide and wondered how their lecturers could benefit from such research if they are limited to Nigeria.

Also, a parent, Mr Olayiwola Atanda, said technology was advancing on a daily basis and the need to go outside the box for lecturers to acquire knowledge cannot be over-emphasised.

The speakers asked the government to rethink the measure especially when it was spending so much on overseas trips for officials on trivial issues.

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu set up the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee (PFPTRC) in July 2023, it was greeted by general ovation as it appeared to many that the age-long grumbling around the country’s tax regime was receiving the attention it deserved.

Speaking at the inauguration of the committee, the president said: “We cannot continue to tax poverty when we are supposed to promote prosperity.”

A few days ago, several groups mounted campaigns, endorsing Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu to become the next governor of Lagos State.

DAILY POST reports that it started with the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, CONYL, which in a statement in Owerri, Imo State, endorsed the President’s son for the Lagos governorship seat in 2027.

According to the Coalition, Seyi Tinubu had on several occasions proven through his philanthropic gestures that he is a man who is selfless in all senses of the word.

“When there was flooding in Borno State, Mr Seyi and his team were there to sympathize and show support to those Nigerians whose property, homes and means of livelihood were destroyed by the flood.

“He gave a lot of gift items, food, home utensils, drugs and money to the affected persons during that period when the sad event took place,” the coalition said.

Also, the Lagos branch of the Middle Belt Youths joined the call in a press conference, with the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Stanley Augustine Kavwam, as well as the group’s National Youth Leader, Capt. Brent Kane, urging Seyi to step up in 2027, describing him as the leader Lagos needs.

In the same vein, a socio-political organisation, Friends of Seyi Tinubu, FOST, endorsed Seyi Tinubu for the 2027 contest.

Describing him as a visionary leader with a rare blend of intellect, empathy, and strategic acumen, the group said Seyi Tinubu is the quintessential choice to drive Lagos state into a future defined by prosperity and innovation.

A statement by its president, Comr. Adejorin Tai Manuel, said Seyi Tinubu’s philanthropic contributions, leadership acumen, and commitment to societal progress is evidence of his readiness to serve as governor.

The development has been drawing reactions from different stakeholders.

First to quickly react was a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe, who voiced his opposition in a Facebook post, describing the endorsements as a ploy to undermine President Tinubu.

“Who are these faceless people pushing Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor? This is a needless distraction. To pull PBAT down is their target. Ruling Lagos is not the job of boys,” Igbokwe wrote.

Similarly, a youth group under the aegis of the Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths rejected the endorsement, saying there was no vacancy for a non-indigene to occupy the Alausa Government House.

“Our attention has been drawn to the recent endorsement of Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor by a group known as Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, CONYL, and the group is described as the umbrella body of all the youth groups drawn across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

“The said Coalition sat in Owerri, Imo State and publicly issued the statement of endorsement.

“While we know Mr Seyi Tinubu has his democratic rights as a Nigerian, we condemn the ill-fated endorsement and describe it as anti-democracy and a deliberate move by some faceless individuals to deny indigenes of Lagos State the right to govern themselves in 2027.

“It is no longer news that since 1999, no true blood indigene of Lagos State has taken over the mantle of leadership in the State (except one), the marginalization which underscores the essence of democracy and an outright denial of the indigenes of Lagos State the right to govern themselves.

“We know as a fact that there will soon be vacancy in Osun State where Mr Seyi Tinubu can best exercise his democratic rights unhindered.

“And if the people of Owerri in Imo are also interested in benefiting from the experience Mr Seyi Tinubu has acquired in recent times, they can push him to succeed Governor Uzodinma.

“As for us there is no vacancy for non-indigenes in Lagos State in 2027. The marginalization is too much and the marginalization has led to the underdevelopment in the state,” the group said.

On its part, the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said that citizens would resist any attempts to impose Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, as the next governor of the state.

The state PDP spokesperson, Hakeem Amode, while rejecting the idea, said, “Lagos will not serve him.”

Amode asked whether governorship should become an inheritance, suggesting that it was inappropriate for a son to inherit such a role from his father.

He stressed that if the Tinubu camp were to resort to tactics similar to those used in Ondo and Edo states in the past, it would be met with resistance.

“Governorship is not a gift,” he stated.

Speaking to DAILY POST, a human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, described the endorsement as laughable, adding that it was a clear indication that the people of Lagos State were taken for granted.

He queried if Nigeria, particularly Lagos State, was practising a monarchical system of government, where a father would pass the baton of leadership to his son in a democratic society filled with eligible and competent citizens.

According to him, such a thing happens because there is no election, adding that what takes place in disguise of election is ‘selection.’

While noting that everyone has the right to contest for election, Adeyanju called on the political actors of Lagos State to rise.

“It is a laughable endorsement because they have underrated Lagos people. If they rate them, such calls would not even be arising.

“Is Lagos a monarchy state, where the Tinubu’s family is supreme? Is it that power is the birthright of the Tinubu’s family?

“Is there something that people don’t know that should be known about them? Because I just don’t understand and can’t explain it.

“It makes no sense that they underrated Lagos people. And it’s because elections don’t take place there, it’s just selection. And because strong political office holders are never held accountable by the people, that’s why things go the way they go.

“Nigeria is practising federalism and not monarchy where political powers are being inherited from the father to the son.

“It therefore behoves on the political actors of Lagos State to stand up and do what is right for the state,” he stated.

[DailyPost]

The Katsina State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by the state chairman, reached an agreement late Friday on a ₦70,000 minimum wage consequential adjustment, averting a planned strike set for December 1.

The Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Garba Faskari, signed the agreement on behalf of the state government, accompanied by other officials, while the NLC chairman and union leaders signed on behalf of organized labour.

Implementation of the new ₦70,000 minimum wage is scheduled to begin in December 2024.

[TheNation]

For many years now, there have been call for political and economic restructuring of Nigeria. The rationale for this is to make Nigeria’s federalism to be more effective and efficient. It is also geared towards bridging marginalisation and discrimination gaps.

However, in order to streamline issues around the concept of restructuring, the All Progressives Congress in 2017 inaugurated Malam Nasri El-Rufai Committee on True Federalism. The Committee submitted its report in February 2018.

The All Progressives Congress committee on restructuring on Thursday, February 25, 2018 presented its report to the then National Chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, with the committee making several recommendations it said were based on opinions of Nigerians. Some of the key recommendations are resource control, making local government an affair of states, constitutional amendment to allow merger of states, state police, state court of appeal and independent candidacy. The committee, headed by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El- Rufai, was set up in August 2017 to formulate the position of the party on true federalism. The committee initially had 10 members but this was later expanded to 23 members.

According to its mandate, the committee was to distill the true intent and definition of true federalism and to take a studied look on the report of the various national conferences, especially that of 2014; and come up with recommendations. Submitting the report at the party’s secretariat, Mr. El-Rufai said 8,014 people were engaged in the process of their research and that Nigerians indicated interest in 24 issues. Out of these, the committee made recommendation on 13 in its report, which has four volumes. It is very surprising that this incisive report by the ruling party hasn’t received much attention six years after its submission to the party leadership. One would have thought that APC Headquarters will forward the report to the president and National Assembly for necessary action. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

When President Bola Tinubu was inaugurated as the 16 th president last year, I had hoped that he would take the bull by the horn and deal with the issue of restructuring as urgent and important. That wasn’t to be as he continues to foot-drag on the salient issue. This was a man who was making a strident call for restructuring since his National Democratic Coalition better known as NADECO membership days. Perhaps his macroeconomic policies of removing fuel subsidy and floating the naira as well as his tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly is a surreptitious way of birthing economic restructuring. Assuming without conceding that this is the case, what is the president’s take on the germane issue of political restructuring?

The 10th National Assembly set the ball rolling for the sixth round of alteration to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution in February 2024. The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review issued a Call for Memoranda, enjoining Nigerians to submit memoranda or proposals for further amendments to the Constitution on a variety of thematic areas including the Nigeria Police and Nigerian security architecture, public revenue, fiscal federation and revenue allocation, judicial reforms, electoral reforms, traditional institutions, gender related issues, process of State creation, State access to mining, among others, as well as any other matter that will promote good governance and welfare of all persons in the country on the principles of freedom, equality and justice. Earlier, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on February 14, constituted a 45-member Committee on Constitution Review chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, inaugurated the 43-member Committee on Constitution Review at an inaugural ceremony and citizens’ engagement organised by the Committee on February 26, 2024 in Abuja.

It came to me as a surprise that despite the setting up of the Constitutional Review Committee of the two chambers of National Assembly, members of the House of Representatives have been progressing in error by sponsoring Private Member Bills for constitution alterations when they should simply have submitted a memorandum on such issue to the Committee on Constitution Reform. I will cite three instances of such.

First, in February 2024, a bill for the establishment of state police passed the second reading in the House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Ben Kalu, and 14 others, aims to amend the 1999 Constitution by removing Police from the Exclusive Legislative List and adding it to the concurrent list. It seeks to transfer “Police” from the “Exclusive Legislative List” to the “Concurrent Legislative List,” effectively empowering states to have state-controlled policing. It proposes 16 alterations to the constitution and introduces a comprehensive framework to ensure cohesion, accountability, and uniform standards between the federal police and state police.

Second instance also happened in February this year when a group of 60 lawmakers initiated a move to end the current presidential system and revert to the parliamentary system previously used in Nigeria’s First Republic. The group, known as the Parliamentary Group, introduced a constitution alteration bill on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday February 14, 2024, setting in motion what could be a transition to a parliamentary system by 2031. Three constitution alteration bills were presented by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers).

The third example is a Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution to create a single term of six years for the office of president and state governors. The bill sponsored by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere sought to recognise the division of Nigeria into the six geopolitical zones, provide for the rotation of the office of president, state governor and chairmen of a local government councils among the inherent regions and zones. The bill also sought to make it possible for all elections in the country to be held on a single day. The bill was justifiably voted against last Thursday, November 21, 2024.

I am of the considered view that these three constitution alteration bills should not have been sponsored disparately as a private member bills but should have been submitted as a memoranda to the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review who should have liaised with the corresponding committee of the Senate led by Deputy President of the Senate to generate one long list of issues to be legislated on which can now be proposed to President Bola Tinubu to sponsor as Executive Bills after he must have made his input to the long list of issues for consideration. Otherwise, if they do not want to involve the president, they can draft the long list of issues into bills and have them sponsored as Private Member Bills. In fact, truth be told, there shouldn’t be two Constitution Review Committees in the National Assembly. It should have been joint committee.

The Constitution Review Committee should also plan to consult with the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly for their input before the legislative work will start in earnest on the exercise at the National Assembly. This because the rule book says on every of the constitution alteration bills, two-third of both chambers of National Assembly should vote to support the bills after which they will be sent to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for passage. It’s only the bill that get support of two-third of the State Houses of Assembly that will eventually be sent to the president for assent.

There is no gainsaying that the support of the president, the governors and the Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly are needed by the National Assembly for any successful alteration to be made. Personally speaking, I am in support of State Police, having all elections held in one day, and power rotation for purpose of political inclusion even though it may not necessarily deliver good governance. I am however against change of government from presidential to parliamentary system. Parliamentary system may be cost saving in terms of elections and governance; however, it breeds political instability. It does not necessarily stop corruption and is not a panacea for good governance.

The fanfare that greeted the resumption of activities at the Port Harcourt Refining Company on Tuesday may have melted away leaving the hope and expectations of many Nigerians hanging.

A visit by Saturday PUNCH to the refinery on Friday revealed that there was no activity on site, as some workers met by our correspondent claimed that the refinery was undergoing calibration which might last till next week.

The Port Harcourt Refinery has faced numerous delays and missed deadlines to resume operations.

However, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Melee Kyari, inaugurated the new plant at the Area 5 terminal of the refinery on Tuesday. It was claimed that 200 petrol trucks were loading daily from the plant.

However, the announcement was met with skepticism as reports circulated that the trucks were loaded with old products in the storage tanks.

Upon visiting the Port Harcourt Refinery Area 5, our correspondent observed no signs of activity.

An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the loaded trucks contained “dead stock”.

He said, “Before the refinery was shut down between 2015/2016, we had dead stock left in the tank, including some Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) DPK  (kerosene), and Automated Gas Oil (diesel).

“So, these products were in large quantities in stores in those tanks. During the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Old Area 5, those products were evacuated from the tanks for storage.”

However, he noted that the large quantity of refined petrol was “off-spec,” requiring separation from water to obtain the main product in preferred colours.

“But for DPK, it is in large quantity but they have not pushed it from the tank where it was kept after refined ready for commercial purposes.

“So, the product that was loaded was dead stock, that is the old product that was in the system. So, after these dead stocks, they will have to clean the tank, remove all the debris before pumping the new project into that tank, and redye it,” the source said.

The worker highlighted that refineries worldwide should operate electronically, not manually.

“But what they are trying to do at the Port Harcourt Refinery is manual, which cannot match the new digital pumps. Most of the pumps used for the event were refurbished,” he added.

He explained that during Kyari’s visit on Tuesday, seven trucks were prepared for loading, but only five were filled with petrol.

The Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Taken Ikpaki, while speaking to journalists during the inauguration of the facility on Tuesday, had expressed optimism.

He stated that more trucks were expected to come into the facility to load products in the coming days.

But rather than more trucks coming into the refinery, the number of trucks has dwindled.

Around 1.30pm when our correspondent visited, he observed that most workers and drivers appeared idle as no machinery was operational.

Nine trucks were seen parked, but the loading bay, numbered from one to 18, was empty and deserted, with some workers lying down.

When asked about the lack of loading activity, a worker in overalls said, “They are de-watering, removing the water under the PMS. Maybe there will be loading after that, but we don’t know what time today.”

Another worker at the loading bay mentioned that ongoing calibration was the reason for the delay.

“They are calibrating the meters,” he said tersely.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that the PMS left in the storage might not be enough to fill five trucks.

A source indicated that calibration would continue until Monday, with the loading of DPK (kerosene) and AGO (diesel) expected to start by then.

Speaking to our correspondent, a resident of Alode in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, who simply identified himself as Osaro, said, “After that ceremony with Mele Kyari where they said the refinery had started operation and loading was taking place, what happened afterwards? They continued loading on air, that is on the pages of newspapers and social media.”

When contacted for his reaction on the lack of activities on Friday, the National Public Relations Officer of the Petroleum Product Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Dr Joseph Obelle, said it was as a result of ongoing calibration.

Obelle, the PETROAN spokesman, said, “They are calibrating the loading pumps. They will be done today.”

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the Senate Committee on Petroleum visited the refinery on Thursday on a facility tour. The outcome of the visit had yet to be made public.

Calls and text messages to the spokesperson for the NNPC, Olufemi Soneye, were not replied as of the time of filing this report.

But the NNPC had in a statement denied claims by an Alesa community leader, Timothy Mgbere, that the Port Harcourt refinery was not producing fuel.

Soneye accused Mgbere of crass ignorance of how a refinery runs.

He said, “The old and new Port Harcourt refineries have since been integrated with one single terminal for product load-out. They share common utilities like power and storage tanks. This means that storage tanks and loading gantry which he claimed belongs to the new Port-Harcourt Refinery can also receive products from the Old Port Harcourt Refinery.”

He called on the public to disregard claims borne out of “sheer mischief and blatant display of ignorance.”

[Punch]

“There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics.” — Mark Twain (1835-1910). Please note that Mark Twain himself attributed it to former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881)

LAST Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, released a report on the National Gross Domestic Product for Q1 2024, that is, the first three months of this year. On its website, NBS gave the following overview: Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.98% (year-on-year) in real terms in the first quarter of 2024. This growth rate is higher than the 2.31% recorded in the first quarter of 2023 and lower than the fourth quarter of 2023 growth of 3.46%. The performance of the GDP in the first quarter of 2024 was driven mainly by the Services sector, which recorded a growth of 4.32% and contributed 58.04% to the aggregate GDP.

The agriculture sector grew by 0.18%, from the growth of -0.90% recorded in the first quarter of 2023. The growth of the industry sector was 2.19%, an improvement from 0.31% recorded in the first quarter of 2023. In terms of share of the GDP, the services sector contributed more to the aggregate GDP in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the corresponding quarter of 2023. 

The high points of the NBS report, which elicited reactions indicated GDP growth for third quarter of 2024 as 3.46 per cent and Unemployment rate for the same quarter as 5.0 per cent. 

Naturally, a population of people looking for anything to brighten their otherwise gloomy experience, which persisted for the eight years of the Buhari administration, but worsened since May 29, 2023 should heave a sigh of relief that things are getting on the mend. But not so fast, as many stakeholders opted to take the report with a pinch of salt, and in fact began to query the veracity of the report.

An interesting reaction came from one of the political organisations in the country. Really, politicians generally do not make statements about the economy here, preferring to wheel and deal behind the scenes to cut their unfair share of the proverbial national cake. So, it was quite interesting that the Conference of United Political Parties, CUPP, opted to react to the NBS report. Its National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh, said in a statement in Abuja, that: “The NBS recently announced that the country’s GDP grew by 3.46 per cent in the third quarter of 2024. At first glance, this may seem like a positive development, but the reality on the ground tells a different story.

“The widespread hunger, starvation, unemployment, inflation, and crumbling infrastructure paint a picture of a nation in distress. It is alarming to see the stark contrast between the reported GDP growth and the harsh economic realities faced by Nigerians.” That’s Take One.

Take 2: The umbrella body of employers in the country, the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, was equally not enamoured of the report, and in fact advised NBS to be more inclusive when it comes to national survey participation and involve more private sector players. NECA’s D-G, Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde said: “Typically, economic growth is expected to drive job creation. However, despite a 3.42 per cent GDP growth, unemployment has paradoxically risen to 5.0 per cent, rather than declining as anticipated. The operating environment is still fraught with innumerable challenges, ranging from regulatory, tax, infrastructure gap, including high energy cost, inflation, declined sales revenue, insecurity and negative effect of capital flight, “japa syndrome” and many more.

The two commentaries cited above are enough to call to question the integrity of the NBS Report. It is also interesting that this is one NBS Report that the Presidency decided to celebrate. A presidential spokesman, Mr Sunday Dare, in a statement made available to newsmen said that: “The 3.46 per cent growth indicates Nigeria is recovering from the reforms’ unintended effects.  

“President Tinubu said his administration has not and will never forget his promise of a $1 trillion economy by 2030. He assured that once the economy is rebased by early 2025 to capture its dynamism and record significant changes that have occurred in different sectors, the country will be on its way to shared prosperity.”

The statement explained that the latest GDP growth in the third quarter was driven by key sectors such as Agriculture, Transport, Education, Health, Real Estate, Finance and Insurance, ICT, Trade, and Manufacturing. 

“This performance once again shows that the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration to reposition the economy and ensure better fiscal management are beginning to yield fruits,” Dare’s statement said.

That the Presidency is celebrating the GDP growth figures indicates that the tune being played by the piper is coming from his paymaster. It is a shame that amidst the privations Nigerians are going through, we still can refuse to tell ourselves the truth. How did the  Agriculture, Transport, Education, Health, Real Estate, Finance and Insurance, ICT, Trade, and Manufacturing sectors grow the GDP? It is now more important to query the metrics used by NBS in generating its report. 

How did the Transport sector help GDP growth with the current price of petrol and diesel? With hospitals nearly empty of healthcare professionals as a result of the Japa syndrome, and the high cost of medicaments because of the exchange rate, it is difficult to see how the Health sector could have grown. Same applies to Education, ICT, and Trade, all of which have been buffeted relentlessly by the exchange rate.

As for the NBS, if it has decided to bow to political pressure in the discharge of its duties, then we have incubated and hatched a gigantic problem. When the economy is rebased next year, NBS should not expect us to believe what it tells us. Besides, data, reliable data in the modern world, is life, and a key tool used in making investment decisions. When the data is no longer reliable, the investors have no template to work with and may not come. Real, unintended trouble is here. I advise NBS to go back to reality when next it releases its report, not because we like to read bad things about our country, but just that we know exactly where the shoe is pinching at all times. TGIF.

Almighty God, I bring the   PDP before thee. That party has disgraced God and man. Its cup is full. However, my merciful Lord, I plead that the PDP is spared the fates of Jonah and Judas. Though   Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan, whom it gave everything, have forsaken it, I believe the party is not irredeemable.  

Our ancestors said we should preserve even tattered baskets because we would need them when we offer sacrifices to the gods, but I haven’t come so that this moribund   PDP becomes a useful rag. God, you eat sacrifices with fire; what you cannot do doesn’t exist. You can salvage the PDP.  

Lord, my eyes are dry. I have shed all my tears. The house Ekwueme, Ciroma and other noblemen built was a house of promise. A house filled with many talents and some orisirisi. But Nnam, that fabled party, has now become a whorehouse. The prodigal son knew when to return home. Though jealous neighbours   said he only returned when he had nothing left to waste. But the PDP,   more profligate than the biblical man of squander, appears willing to become enslaved rather than return to its senses. That is precisely why I’m at your feet, Onyekereuwa.

Before evil came to our land, a responsible adult didn’t stay home and watch a goat go into labour tethered. But the PDP is sleepwalking towards 2027 in handcuffs of servitude. And men of good conscience in Nigeria are playing ludo, watching the PDP become the shoe-shiner of the APC, unperturbed by the country’s imminent slide into a one-party state. Good Lord, is that good? Some of us are screaming ourselves hoarse because though a word is often   enough for the wise, with repeated instructions, the hard at hearing would hear. But this PDP isn’t just stone deaf; it has the disturbing traits of an Ogbanje. A few years ago, the PDP was begging the country for forgiveness. And we all thought the demons were ready to   depart. Now, the PDP is muttering again, gathering empty cans, and dancing to music only it can hear. Olisabinigwe, is the PDP cursed?  

Father, you see my heart. My kindness is not the benevolence of a man who blows sand off his neighbour’s vagina. My motives can’t be likened to   Nyesom Wike’s penchant for building mansions for judges. You know I never liked the PDP and no longer dance to attract money or praise. But this country needs a strong, virile, self-respecting and electable opposition party. Not a  Kabukabu  driven by pimps that live on booze. Not a perpetually overheating  Akankita  running around as the Opposition.  

Allknowing God, what happened to the PDP? The PDP has forgotten that even a hungry in-law must maintain some social distancing of dignity. If he frequents too much, he may be sent to fetch firewood. At the rate the chairman of the PDP party is going, won’t he be asked to wash toilets in Aso Rock for the ruling party for some bags of rice? Our ancestors said, “If a   proverb has to be interpreted for a child, then the dowry paid on his mother’s head is wasted.” Father, this Damagum is dancing like a child. Doesn’t he know we all know the hidden drummer supplying him the awantilo rhythm from the bush?

Lord, those who say goats are chewing palm fronds on the head of the PDP are not wrong. The PDP is in a pitiful state. It appears happy playing monkey-post for Obio Akpor. Permit me, lord, to repeat this. Shouldn’t a man with head lice see the barber? Why does the PDP think scratching will solve it? Father, is it true that the PDP is now harvesting what it had sown when its governors converted ecological funds to party funds? Is the wages of its sin death? Or shall grace abound?  

Some PDP chieftains have been rationalising their apparent cowardice. One said the PDP deserved pity because wasps have perched on its scrotum. Because those who have taken PDP hostage dine and wine judicial brother Jeros. They have built a fearsome reputation as tricky judicial pickpockets. But wasn’t the PDP inviting lizards by bringing in ant-infested firewood, sabotaging internal party democracy, and embracing money worship? And shouldn’t a man who has collected wasps with his head be left to suffer the agony of the stings? In any case, Achebe told us in the   Arrow of God that when the people of Aninta became fed up with their deity, they took matters into their own hands. They took him to a border town and abandoned him there. Our ancestors said, “If a man says yes, his god will say yes.”   All these notwithstanding, Ancient of days, let this Lazarus come forth.

The PDP has become too timid. It is neither the Labour nor Accord party. The PDP should have the seen-it-all versatility of a mature prostitute. Excuse my language, heavenly father. A   real prostitute can’t be frightened by the size of any penis. The PDP is not a novice. Why isn’t it bold and adventurous? Our ancestors said, “A woman desperately seeking a child doesn’t sleep with clothes on.” The PDP must show some desperation. No one can tell of witchcraft better than the woman who has just lost her son to a witch. Perhaps the PDP must sit down with Obaseki and understand the contours of the treacherous task ahead. After exorcising the moles that have hijacked the party and finding a sharp arrowhead, the PDP has to grow feral fangs. They are going against Tinubu, Ganduje, Akpabio, Hope Uzodimma, Wike, and Matawalle.   Politically, these people are not flesh and blood. The PDP will need to conjure the whirlwind. Father, that’s where you come in. Lord, remember that the PDP stood for national unity, unlike these folks trying to establish a Yoruba PLC. Be merciful unto it. You can take the PDP by force and set it free the same way you freed the children of Israel from Pharoah.  

If I linger, it might seem as if I have seen a wife to marry in the PDP. I have no sympathy for the PDP. My sympathy is for Nigeria, my own dear native land, which is drifting towards a one-party state.   Sometimes, I pity myself. Our ancestor said, “The anus regrets not being informed about the waywardness of his neighbour and her numerous visitors. If properly informed, he would have settled in a different neighbourhood.” Had I known Nigeria would come to this sorry pass, wouldn’t   I have checked out with the   Andrews in those early days? See how Tinubu’s destructive reformation of the naira has ambushed the young and the old. If one had checked out, would this incestuous relationship between the two main parties that have raped the country be this heart-rending?   The fleeing youths can smell it. But I’m stuck here with a president who awards multi-trillion naira contracts to his friends without due process while feeding the nation with lullabies of reformation instead of food and security. Yet, the main opposition party is twerking for him.   

The PDP needs to be led by a conscientious person who can inspire the youth and create a magnetic vision. There are many leaves in the forest, but if the soup needs ukazi, then it needs ukazi. But the PDP has this bad habit. When it sees political journeymen blowing their trumpets, it becomes enchanted and bestows on them the title of omeokachie. I won’t call names, Lord. Lord, rescue the PDP from naivety and frivolity.

Father, I   hope you have heard me. If Tinubu refuses electoral reforms, 2027 might be an exercise in watery futility. Father, what should the opposition do? Our fathers said, “When a woman chooses to make only watery soups, her husband must learn to dent his foo-foo   balls before dipping   into the soup so that he can   come out with something.” Rather than legitimising a sham by participating without comprehensive electoral reforms, I think the opposition must sit at home. It’s called civil disobedience. Not the Made-in-Finland variety, though. But dear lord, if a reformed PDP opts for a boycott rather than participate in a Bulaba choreography, will things not fall apart? Father, watch this county.  

Lord, I haven’t said the PDP shouldn’t accept a genuine defeat. Accusing a child who brings home more firewood than his peers of fetching them from the evil forest is common and consolatory, but it’s not good sportsmanship. Yet without a thoroughgoing electoral reforms, isn’t 2027 dead on arrival? We know that if the vulture is absent   at the sacrifice, then the land of the spirits is troubled. We can tell   the nature of the faces from the character of the heralding fart. Things can be foretold. Father, if you do not watch over a city, in vain are the night watchmen awake. Father, watch this country.  

Lord, I have emptied my mouth. Faith without works is dead. The PDP must not give its ticket to a political contractor.   Father, when the PDP starts to wrestle against these principalities and power, please, lend it a helping hand. If it has sold its soul, discard it and raise another national party. Our national history supports the biblical notion that your way is not ours. Arise, O Lord, and disappoint all 2027 designs and shenanigans of the wicked. Let the enemies of Your people in all parties be scattered.   AMEN.

•We may not be able to pay salaries if bills are passed
•Says some southwest, southeast states may also have problems

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has rejected the tax reform bills, sponsored by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the bills will destroy the north.

The bills which seek to prioritize the location of consumption as the basis for sharing Value Added Tax, have faced stiff opposition, especially from the north, with stakeholders calling for its withdrawal.

Northern governors, traditional rulers, and Northern Elders Forum have rejected the proposed bills, saying they were not in the interest of the nation. However, despite protests and rejections of the pieces of the legislation, the Senate passed the bills for second reading on Thursday despite rowdiness at plenary.

Speaking on the development in an interview with BBC Hausa service, the governor expressed displeasure over how the bills enjoyed speedy and smooth passage to the current phase when other bills had spent several years to scale through.

He said, “We condemn these bills transmitted to the National Assembly. They will drag the north backward, and not only the north, South East, South West and some states in the South West such as Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, will have problem with these bills.

“It is not opposition. This, based on our understanding, is something that will destroy the north in its entirety. Therefore, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to review this decision. He secured 60% of his votes in the north. He should not listen to those telling him that northerners are not supporting him.

If our interest is served, that is all. What we need now is the withdrawal of the tax bills.
“Why all the rush! There’s a petroleum bill that was presented but it took almost 20 years before it was finally passed. But this one was transmitted and now receiving legislative attention within a week. What we are saying is that, let it be treated carefully and with caution so that even after our exit, our children would reap the benefits.

“How we see it is, if these bills scale through, we will not be able to even pay salaries. And if we paid, it won’t be sustainable the following year.”

Asked whether the bills would further exacerbate hunger and poverty in the north, Zulum answered in the affirmative, adding, “Including security. But they’re saying otherwise. We are against it, Lagos is against it; that it will drag it backwards. If this is the situation, then why won’t they rescind it? Our National Assembly members and even some from the Southern region are not in support of these bills.”
The governor, however, clarified that his objection of the bills was not a pointer of any opposition against the government, maintaining that it was only a call to reverse the decision.

“This is our stand and doesn’t mean that we are against the government. We supported and voted for him (President Tinubu). But these bills will not mean good for us.”

Asked to comment on whether the lawmakers would pass the bills when lobbied and given kickbacks, Zulum said, “There are rumours around but we are not certain. But you know we are in Nigeria! What I am saying is that let us all be patriotic. We have children, grandchildren and relatives who are in villages, therefore, we should be careful not to endorse anything that would impede the progress of the north and other regions. We are appealing to the President to listen to us and address our concerns.”

[Vanguard]

Your Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila was my colleague during my time in the House. He knows me well and can confirm to you that I’m not given to frivolities. I write to you as a concerned Nigerian citizen praying for your success in tackling our country’s myriad problems. I have followed your journey closely – from your days as a democracy advocate with NADECO, through your involuntary exile to the UK; your return to Nigeria and subsequent emergence as Governor of Lagos State, and now, by the Grace of God, the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am glad to have witnessed your leadership style and do believe that you possess both the capacity and the will to transform our beloved country if you so desire.

“O God of all creation; Grant this our one request; Help us to build a nation; Where no man is oppressed, and so with peace and plenty Nigeria may be blessed.”

This final stanza of our reintroduced national anthem aligns with the sentiments of many Nigerians, who, despite facing numerous challenges, remain resilient and optimistic about the future. Your administration’s decision to reinstate the original anthem at the beginning of your tenure in office appeared to signal some hope for good governance and nation-building.

You recognised that after more than sixty years of independence from colonialism, Nigeria is still far from nationhood and remains a country of diverse peoples in search of shared goals. Your implied vision of nation building resonated deeply with Nigerians, particularly those of us from the Niger Delta and other minority groups who continually face systemic marginalisation. If this prayer is indeed your vision for our country – then there is hope for light at the end of the tunnel!

Effective nation-building, however, demands strong and accountable leaders who demonstrate commitment not only through their reforms and actions, but by their body language as well. Please remember Mr. President as you embark on building a nation “not to speak is to speak, not to act is to act”

Having been born before the country’s independence from the colonial masters, I have had the privilege of living in a Nigeria that was once a land flowing with milk and honey, led by people with a conscience.

Between 1954 and 1964, Eastern Nigeria boasted the fastest-growing economy in the world. Up until 1980 the Naira exchanged for approximately $1.50 in international markets. Over the years, I have also witnessed the gradual and painful decline of our economy and core values. Political office is now perceived as an opportunity for personal gain rather than as a responsibility to serve the public. Those entrusted with overseeing public assets often brazenly convert them for personal enrichment, seemingly without repercussions.

Political power has become an instrument wielded, without remorse, for the benefit of office holders and their cronies. Public officials ignore the concerns of the people, confident of their immunity from consequences. I’m sure you will agree that this troubling trend, if allowed to continue, risks normalising unethical behavior among future leaders with dire and predictable implications for our grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Eighteen months after it has become your turn, I am hopeful that you will begin to address some of our major concerns moving forward. Recent nationwide protests underscored the fact that bad governance is viewed as our greatest obstacle to sustainable development.  The protests also presented an ongoing opportunity for you to change our narrative and inspire a renaissance of values and morality. A simple gesture such as committing to a zero-tolerance policy toward bad behavior can catalyze significant change, and many Nigerians stand ready to support any leader who embraces this ideal.

With the removal of fuel subsidies, you have already demonstrated the resolve to make the tough but inevitable decisions.  You have also for the most part surrounded yourself with people who hopefully share your vision for Nigeria. However, the growing perception of a dysfunctional judiciary, more interested in pursuing everything but true justice, raises alarms and could pose an insurmountable obstacle to your wonderful vision of nation-building.

 A Chatham House survey conducted in 2022, revealed that an astounding 61 percent of respondents anticipate bribery in court judgments. Many judgments, particularly in cases involving elections and political figures, appear to defy both logic and justice, fueling suspicions that they are influenced by external pressures rather than being grounded in the law. This erosion of public trust undermines the foundations that must be laid for us to even begin to dream of a functional society.

In such a society, the judiciary serves as a beacon of hope for ordinary citizens, ensuring justice and fairness. Its role in fostering accountability, promoting good governance, and advancing social progress cannot be overstated. If any meaningful progress is to be achieved toward this dream, it is essential for your administration – and indeed all Nigerians – to hold the judiciary to the highest standards of integrity ensuring it embodies the ideals of our national anthem. It must not be allowed to become a tool for anyone. “Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done.”

The hope for our nation lies in our collective ability to demand accountability and uphold the rule of law. As Desmond Tutu famously noted, “If you are silent in the face of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” In an ocean of chaos and confusion, it is imperative that the judiciary remains an island of sanity, stability and clarity.  This, unfortunately, appears very far from being the current reality.

 Of great concern also is the ongoing divestments of oil and gas assets by multinational companies in the Niger Delta. I hope that these activities are being conducted in a manner that ensures proper representation of the local inhabitants who will bear the consequences of the devastation left behind once the oil is exhausted and the companies have departed.

Additionally, the recent dissolution of a Niger Delta Ministry that was established with a clear mandate is also very troubling. I am uncertain how the newly formed Ministry of Regional Development will encompass this mandate and whether it can deliver on it more effectively.

I will withhold further comments until there is greater clarity on these developments. It might be quite revealing, however, if a searchlight was to be beamed on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) but I will save that discussion for another time.

In closing, I share the hope of all patriotic Nigerians.

 “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous and terror to evildoers.” (Proverbs 21:15)

 Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Long live the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!