The internal turmoil within the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State is escalating as longstanding members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement push back against Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s hold over party leadership.

The rebellion marks the most significant challenge yet to Kwankwaso’s authority, with members demanding more independence for the state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

This crisis unfolded shortly after Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, Secretary to the State Government, and Muhammad Diggol, Commissioner for Transport, were suspended by party leaders on allegations of involvement in a splinter group promoting Yusuf’s autonomy from Kwankwaso’s influence.

Bichi’s suspension underscored the party’s fraying internal alliances, with members loyal to Yusuf increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction.

Garzali Musa Muhammad, known as Garzali Obasanjo, has been leading a campaign for Yusuf’s independence. He said the campaign is gaining momentum among party loyalists.

“We are the foot soldiers who fought for Kwankwasiyya, but it’s time we stop being slaves to one man,” he argued, adding that Yusuf deserves to lead freely.

But while the state government publicly moved to quell the unrest, two NNPP House of Representatives members from Kano, Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini (Dala) and Alhassan Rurum (Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure), publicly distanced themselves from Kwankwaso and the movement on Sunday, signalling a wider stretch of the dissatisfaction.

This significant dissent follows Governor Yusuf’s alleged refusal to attend meetings with Kwankwaso and to take his calls, a development reported by an online publication.

The revolt among some NNPP members is partly rooted in what insiders describe as Kwankwaso’s tight control over the governor. Supporters of Yusuf argue that for the state government to function effectively, the governor must be free from Kwankwaso’s shadow.

Madakin Gini, who has been a loyal Kwankwasiyya foot soldier, criticised the lack of respect for long-term supporters, stating that, “Kwankwaso disregards loyalists, only seeking them out when he’s in trouble.”

He also expressed concern that the governor was under pressure within the movement.

“My message to the governor is clear. They are trying to weaken him. I am urging him to stand firm; otherwise, he may be blindsided by those around him. I have insights into plans against him,” he said.

But on Tuesday, the party’s executives in Yalwa Ward, Dala Local Government, announced the suspension of Madakin Gini.

According to a statement by the Ward Chairman, Aminu Inuwa Habib, the decision was reached unanimously by party executives, who have established a disciplinary committee to determine further action.

In response, Aminu Abdullahi, an aide to Madakin Gini, dismissed the suspension, claiming the lawmaker aligns with the NNPP faction led by the party’s Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Chief Boniface Aniebonam.

Claims of APC interference

But some leaders of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and others have been blaming the All Progressives Congress (APC) for fuelling the discord in the NNPP.

Yahaya Umar Bagobiri, an associate of Kwankwaso, claimed that the APC, wary of the NNPP’s strength, has taken deliberate steps to create rifts within opposition parties ahead of the next general elections.

“It’s the handwork of the APC,” Bagobiri, who remained in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after Kwankwaso’s exit, insisted. He suggested that APC operatives have sought to weaken the NNPP and other major opposition groups.

He contended that this was part of a larger plan by the APC to ensure voters are left with weakened choices come election time.

Bagobiri also pointed to the legal challenges surrounding the NNPP’s rebranding, including a recent court ruling that prevented changes to the party’s logo.

“Kwankwaso tried to change the logo to one with a book and a pen. This could backfire if the court invalidates NNPP candidates’ positions due to these branding issues,” he warned.

State Assembly leadership denies crack

Amid these accusations and internal discord, the Kano State House of Assembly has firmly denied any factionalism within the NNPP.

Lawan Husseini, the House Majority Leader, dismissed reports of a split, describing them as “fabricated stories by the opposition.” He accused opposition members of attempting to sow discord to distract Governor Yusuf from his duties.

“We, honourable members, are fully loyal to Sen. Kwankwaso and Governor Yusuf,” Husseini emphasised, insisting that the bond between Kwankwaso and Yusuf remains intact.

Salisu Yahaya Hotoro, a senior special adviser to Governor Yusuf, echoed this stance, dismissing any notion of a fallout between Yusuf and Kwankwaso.

“Any assertions of a rift are exaggerated,” he stated, highlighting the respectful working relationship between the two leaders. Hotoro reassured the public that Governor Yusuf remains committed to the ideals of the NNPP and urged restraint in circulating unverified claims that could destabilise the party.

Ibrahim S. Adam, a personal assistant to Kwankwaso, also denied reports of discord, citing recent joint appearances of the two leaders. He noted that Yusuf attended Kwankwaso’s birthday celebration and other recent events, evidence, he claimed, of their ongoing collaboration.

“This propaganda is the work of the APC in Kano, unhappy with Governor Yusuf’s accomplishments,” Adam contended.

The APC, however, brushed aside accusations of interference.

Ahmad Aruwa, the APC spokesman in Kano, asserted that the NNPP’s issues are its own to handle.

“The NNPP should focus on governing Kano instead of blaming the APC. We don’t have time for these distractions; they need to address their own problems,” he said.

Divergent views on Kwankwasiyya’s future

Nevertheless, divisions persist within the NNPP, with some members continuing to challenge Kwankwaso’s dominance.

Garzali Obasanjo vowed to keep pushing for Yusuf’s independence, stating, “The movement’s call is manifesting. Kwankwaso must realise his errors and let Abba govern as the people elected him to do.”

He suggested that Governor Yusuf’s success depends on him breaking away from Kwankwaso’s control and standing on his own.

We’re worried but working to address issues – NNPP chairman

The NNPP chairman in Kano, Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, acknowledged the internal tensions, attributing them to communication issues within the party.

“This situation shows the party’s strength,” he remarked, adding that the NNPP is “growing stronger despite grievances.”

Dungurawa revealed that the party leadership had taken steps to address the divisions, including organising a meeting to reconcile key members—Madakin Gini and Rurum—with the party.

“We have arranged to meet and discuss these issues openly. The Kwankwasiyya is the heart of NNPP. Without it, the NNPP could collapse.”

He also dismissed the ‘Abba Tsaya da Kafarka’ slogan, which calls for Yusuf to “stand on his own two feet,” stating that it undermines party unity. “This movement appears aimed at destabilising the party, and we won’t take it lightly,” Dungurawa said, noting that the party has suspended those involved and is investigating the matter further.

Meanwhile, analysts have observed that the unfolding drama highlights a critical moment for Kwankwaso and the NNPP. They emphasised that Kwankwaso’s hold over Kano politics and Yusuf’s government face their biggest test yet with this internal turmoil.

[DailyTrust]

The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party, LP, worsened, weekend, with the party failing to clinch at least one local government area in the recently conducted Abia State local government elections.

The outcome of the polls is seen as an indication that the leadership crisis plaguing the LP at the national level has taken a turn for the worse.

DAILY POST recalls that the party has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, with notable figures such as its former presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti dumping Julius Abure’s leadership.

The crisis stemmed from allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds against the Abure-led leadership.

Otti and Obi had joined others to nominate ex-minister of finance, Mrs Nenadi Usman, as caretaker chairman of the party.

They convened a stakeholders’ meeting where the ex-minister was appointed head of a 29-member caretaker committee to preside over the affairs of the party.

However, Abure has held on tightly to the party, following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja on Tuesday, October 7, 2024, which returned him as the national chairman.

Though DAILY POST learnt there are secret moves to resolve the crisis, a fresh twist was introduced to the intractable crisis following the outcome of the Local Governments election in Abia state – only state under the control of Labour Party.

The election was sequel to the July 11 landmark judgement by the Supreme Court which triggered a flurry of activities in the country’s third tier of government.

According to the results announced by the Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. George Chima, and reported by DAILY POST, the Zenith Labour Party emerged victorious in 15 out of the 17 Local Government Areas in the State, while the Young Progressive Party claimed victory in the remaining two LGAs.

Findings by DAILY POST suggested that the crisis in the Labour Party made Otti to direct his supporters to contest the election on another platform.

Speaking to DAILY POST about the matter, Abia State Chairman of the Labour Party, loyal to Abure, Prince G.O. Ndubueze described the election as a sham.

Ndubueze claimed they were reliably informed that the election results were written in favour of Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and Young Peoples Party, YPP.

He said: “The election was written on Wednesday. And we organized a world press conference, where we told the world that the election had been rigged.

“As we were told, that’s how it happened – 15 Local Government Areas were written for Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and 2 Local Government Areas for YPP. Exactly as we were told, that is what we witnessed after the election.

“The local government election cannot determine the fate of the Labour Party because the election was falsified. It can’t state the true position of the people.

“You can’t use this scam to determine what will happen in future elections. We don’t have any issue, only that the Governor advised or directed members of the Labour Party to go to ZLP to contest the election.”

However, YPP State Chairman, Nelcin Uluocha disagreed with his counterpart in the Labour Party that the result was written in the party’s favour.

Uluocha insisted that his party winning two Local Government Areas was as a result of hard work, stressing that everyone goes in for election to win.

Uluocha’s words: “It’s as a result of hard work. After all, anybody that’s going in for election is prepared to win. The feeling is not different from the effort we put in.

“Those are speculations. You forgot that you went into the last general election, where the Governor himself was on the ballot, we won Osisioma Local Government by landslide and lost Ugwunagbo Local Government with only nine votes.

“So, we consolidated on what we had already built and came out victorious this time without excuses.

“And we are believing to take more local governments and win the State, come the 2027 general election.

“So there was nothing like the governor aiding us; his party, Labour Party, was on the ballot. How could he have left his own party and supported another party?”

On his part, Emmanuel Nwaeze Otti, LP factional Chairman, loyal to Governor Otti, maintained that the election was free and fair.

According to him, people from other political parties won the election.

Nwaeze said nobody should pick a quarrel about the election.

He said: “This is a contest. In a free election, whether in the community or in the household, everybody must not win at the same time.

“Yes, we contested the election and people from other political parties won the election.

“It is only people who play politics with bitterness that say it must be me, or nobody else.

“Here’s a free and fair election and somebody won. I wouldn’t pick a quarrel on that. I know tomorrow it might be my turn.”

Speaking on the crisis at the national level, he said: “I don’t think I feel bad. In a family, there must be misunderstanding or disagreement.

“When there’s disagreement, there’s a need to come together as one indivisible family. Sometimes husband and wife do disagree but at the end of the day they agree.”

Meanwhile, Ata-Awaji Anthony, a political communication expert, has lamented that what is playing out following the conduct of local government elections in some of the states doesn’t reflect good democratic principles.

Anthony, also a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State, argued that with recent happenings within the political landscape, democracy is in danger in the country.

“First, I must applaud the judiciary for strengthening local government administration in Nigeria following the ruling that local government areas should be governed by elected administrators, not people appointed by governors.

“However, the fact that those who contested the various positions under the parties in power in the various states of the federation, except Akwa Ibom State and Rivers State, all emerged winners of the polls, is something that should be questioned.

“Does it mean that candidates of the other parties in various states are not loved by their people?

“I don’t think that what is playing out in Nigeria following the conduct of local government elections in some of the states reflect good democratic principles.

“The beauty of democracy is divergent views, at least two party system representation at the legislative arm of government to ensure checks and balance, freedom of speech, among others.

“The recent happenings within the political landscape in Nigeria will not guarantee such democratic norm.

“More so, it shows that most of the state governors can best be described as dictators.

“Democracy is, therefore, in danger in Nigeria,” he said.

Republicans wrested control of the United States Senate from the Democrats, US media projected early Wednesday, ending four years in the minority and marking a significant boost for the party in its quest to dominate all branches of government.

The victory positions Republicans to strongly support the incoming president in enacting their agenda and appointing justices to the US Supreme Court if Donald Trump prevails — but could lead to legislative deadlock if his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, wins.

The US Capitol comprises the House of Representatives — where all 435 seats are contested — and a 100-member Senate, with 34 seats at stake this year. Congressional elections run alongside the presidential race.

The sitting Republican Governor of West Virginia, Jim Justice, pleased his party by winning the Senate race to replace retiring independent Joe Manchin, who had voted with the Democrats.

Ohio shifted to Republican control after long-serving Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown was defeated by Bernie Moreno, a Trump-endorsed businessman and son of a former senior Colombian government official.

Fox News and ABC called the race for control of the Senate after Republican Senator Deb Fischer fended off an unexpectedly strong challenge from an independent candidate in Nebraska.

“I look forward to working with President Trump and our new conservative majority to make America great again by making the Senate work again,” said Texas Senator John Cornyn, a contender to lead the Republican majority from January.

The wins by Justice and Moreno reversed the Democrats’ 51-49 Senate advantage, with Republicans now aiming to increase their lead with potential gains in Montana, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.

– Huge power –

Democrats had hoped to offset losses with potential gains in Texas and Florida but conceded both as incumbent Republicans secured comfortable victories.

If Republicans win all remaining contested seats, they would hold 55 of the 100 Senate seats, giving them substantial influence to advance Trump’s domestic agenda and judicial appointments, should he defeat Harris.

For the first time in history, two Black women will serve simultaneously in the US Senate, following victories by Democrats Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester in Maryland and Delaware, respectively. Only three Black women, including Harris, have previously served in the Senate.

Nonpartisan finance monitor OpenSecrets reports that over $10 billion has been spent on congressional candidates this cycle — slightly less than in 2020 but almost twice as much as the $5.5 billion spent on the 2024 White House race. 

While the Senate approves treaties and certain presidential appointments, all revenue-raising bills must start in the House, where the majority outcome could take days to finalise.

Although currently in the minority, Democrats see a more achievable path to gaining control of the lower chamber, needing only to flip four seats.

In another historic milestone, Sarah McBride will become the first openly transgender politician elected to Congress after defeating Republican John Whalen III for a House seat representing Delaware.

[TheNation]

The Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, his Science, Technology, and Innovation counterpart, Uche Nnaji, and Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, are some of the high-profile government functionaries expected to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Renewable Energy on Wednesday.

The Committee, chaired by the member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Afam Ogene is investigating the utilisation of over $2bn investment and grants for the development of renewable energy sources in Nigeria from 2015 till date.

The committee argued last week that despite the huge grants and investment in the sector, the power supply in the country has continued to worsen.

Scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 and 6 November 2024, the investigative hearing follows the mandate given to the Committee on June 6, 2024, to investigate Ministries, Departments, and Agencies involved in investments, procurement, and receipt of grants for renewable energy sector development.

At the commencement of the investigative hearing on Tuesday, none of the ministers showed up, preferring to send representatives, most of whom were asked to return to their various offices.

Expressing his disappointment at the turnout, Ogene urged the concerned ministers and other government officials to appear before the Committee unfailingly on Wednesday.

The Labour Party lawmaker reminded representatives of invited government officials that the power to summon public officers for investigation is vested in both chambers of the National Assembly.

He said, “Let me state this again: Section 81 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended) provides that ‘Each House of the National Assembly shall have power by resolution published in its journal or in the official Gazette of the Government of the Federation to direct an investigation into any matter or thing with respect to which it has the power to make laws.”

He added that this power includes probing into “the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, Ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for executing or administering monies appropriated or to be appropriated by the National Assembly.”

At the commencement of the hearing, Ogene called on the Budget and Economic Planning to appear before the committee to make his presentation. However, a director in the ministry, Felix Okonkwo, appeared on behalf of the minister.

Asked if he had the mandate of the minister to speak, Okonkwo said, “I can take some responsibilities but not all.”

Not pleased with the remark, Ogene urged him to go back and inform his principal to physically appear on Wednesday.

“Tell your minister to appear before this committee on Wednesday. It is not meant to witch-hunt anybody. A situation where invitations are sent about three times to heads of MDAs and they would still not appear to make their presentations is not acceptable,” he said.

The story was no different when Deputy Director of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Suleiman Abubakar, stood in for the minister.

Asked if he was delegated to speak for the minister, Suleiman said his directorate mandated him to attend the investigative hearing.

Ruling on the development, Ogene said, “You have no locus to stand in for the Minister. He should appear in person on Wednesday. We wrote to the Minister, not a directorate.”

Also expected at the investigative hearing on Wednesday are the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Union Bank of Nigeria, Niger Delta Power Holding Company and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.

[Punch]

The dollar surged and Bitcoin hit a record high on Wednesday as traders bet on a victory for Donald Trump, with the ex-president securing key swing states necessary to take the White House. This boosted expectations for fresh tax cuts, tariffs, and rising inflation.

While polls had shown the race on a knife-edge, the Republican candidate appeared to be faring better than his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, as results rolled in.

Both candidates had secured expected wins in safe states, but indications that the business tycoon was edging ahead boosted the so-called Trump Trade.

Although many key swing states were still too close to call, Trump won Georgia and North Carolina, with others still undecided.

News that the former president’s party had taken control of the Senate further boosted prospects for sweeping tax cuts, additional tariffs, and deregulation—seen as favourable for the greenback.

The dollar jumped by 1.5 per cent to 154.33 yen, its highest since July. It also rose by more than one per cent against the euro and by more than three per cent against the Mexican peso.

Bitcoin surged nearly $6,000, hitting a record $75,330.88, surpassing its previous peak of $73,797.98 in March.

Trump has pledged to make the United States the “Bitcoin and cryptocurrency capital of the world” and to appoint tech billionaire Elon Musk to lead a wide-ranging audit of governmental waste.

“The price of Bitcoin has closely followed Trump’s position in the polls and on betting markets,” said analyst Russ Mould from AJ Bell ahead of Tuesday’s US election.

Investors are “potentially taking the view that a Republican victory would lead to a surge in demand for the digital currency,” he added.

Analysts stated that a clean sweep of Congress and the White House by Trump and the Republicans would likely boost the dollar and treasury yields, due to his plans to cut taxes and impose tariffs on imports.

Republican control of the Senate and House “could bring sweeping spending or tax policy shifts. However, congressional gridlock could suppress volatility,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.

Economist and Esho Capital founder Peter Esho noted, “The markets are scrambling to figure out what happens next, but for the time being, the market is pricing in a higher growth and higher inflation outlook.”

Such an outcome could pose a headache for Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, who is still battling to bring inflation under control, with Trump’s plans considered inflationary.

The election coincides with the central bank’s latest policy decision, expected on Thursday, amid speculation it will cut interest rates by 25 basis points, following a 50-point reduction in September.

The dollar’s surge against the yen lifted stocks more than three per cent in Tokyo at one point, thanks to gains in exporters, while markets in Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Taipei, Mumbai, and Bangkok also rose.

However, there were losses in Seoul, Wellington, Manila, and Jakarta.
Hong Kong saw a steep decline, diving nearly two per cent at one point, due to concerns about the impact of a Trump presidency on China’s economy and the relations between Beijing and Washington.

Traders had received a strong lead from Wall Street, where all three main indices climbed by more than one per cent.

While the result of the election is being closely watched globally, it is of particular interest in China, after Trump vowed to escalate the trade battle with the economic giant by imposing massive tariffs on Chinese goods.

The vote comes as Chinese leaders hold a key meeting to discuss a package of stimulus measures aimed at kick-starting growth and supporting the struggling property sector, which is facing a painful debt crisis.

– Key figures around 0620 GMT –

Dollar/yen: UP at 153.85 yen from 151.60 yen on Tuesday

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0746 from $1.0930

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2884 from $1.3035

Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.41 from 83.82 pence

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 2.4 per cent at 39,405.19 (close)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.0 per cent at 20,585.45

Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.4 per cent at 3,400.69

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.8 per cent at $70.73 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.8 per cent at $74.19 per barrel

New York – Dow: UP 1.0 per cent at 42,221.88 (close)

London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 per cent at 8,172.39 (close)

AFP

American political scientists John W Spanier and Robert L. Wendzel published a book in 1972, which they called Games Nations Play. In the book, they likened international relations to a game of chess played by various state actors who often disguise their real intentions in each move they make. 

I have adapted John Spanier’s title because I also believe that Nigeria’s ‘oil cabals’ are playing games with Nigerians. The word ‘cabal’ typically is used to designate political intrigues involving persons or entities of some eminence. Following from this, members of the oil cabal in Nigeria are the government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, Dangote Refinery and oil marketers. No one really knows who is telling the truth among these entities, which seem to be playing some shenanigans with Nigerians over the pricing of fuel.

 What we can surmise from all their game is that there are obvious personal and institutional interests that need to be protected and probably none of the members of the cabal is telling us the whole truth. Take Dangote for instance. For a long time the belief among Nigerians was that once the Dangote Refinery came on-stream, the pump prices of fuel would fall drastically or at least moderate. For this, when Nigerians felt the government was using the NNPCL to frustrate the Dangote Refinery, they came out in support of the company and its founder, Aliko Dangote. They created a simplistic binary narrative in which Aliko Dangote(the man who successfully built a world-class refinery that the government couldn’t do) was held up as the good guy while the other members of the cabal were projected as the bad guys. However, as fuel prices continued to soar to the high heaves, amid the bickering between the NNPCL, oil marketers and Dangote, many are no longer sure where to put the blame. This is especially so as Dangote has understandably taken a public position that government should not be subsidizing fuel.  Of course government subsidizing fuel – something many Nigerians feel is the right thing to do if the corruption and opacity in the subsidy regime is frontally addressed – would be bad business for him. 

Dangote has also reportedly made moves to get the government to ban the importation of fuel while marketers are reportedly claiming that imported fuel will be cheaper for Nigerians than buying from Dangote. I admire what Dangote has been able to achieve for himself and the country as a businessman. But I can also see why ideologically his feat in building a refinery may make it more difficult for the forces arguing for subsidies to be brought back on the premise that subsidizing fuel would cascade better throughout the entire value chain of the country’s economy than subsidizing any other sector.

In my column of September 9, 2023 titled: ‘Was there really a consensus that fuel subsidy should go?’ I challenged the notion that there was a consensus that fuel subsidy should be removed. I argued that the wrong notion that there was a “consensus” that the subsidy on fuel price should be removed seems to have been amplified by a number of factors: 

One, is the media orchestration of the fact that the three leading candidates in the last presidential election – Tinubu of the APC, Atiku of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party are all free marketers, who in the course of their campaigns, had said they would remove subsidies on fuel if elected.

Two, is that the constant media repetition of this lie that there was a ‘consensus’ tended to make it acquire the toga of truth – in line with the dictum of Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda for the Nazi government of the Third Reich who infamously was quoted as saying: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it people will eventually come to believe it.” 

Three, many Nigerians were disenchanted by the obvious corruption in the subsidy regime. For instance, a report by the Businessday of May 22, 2023 revealed that Buhari, who had called fuel subsidy a scam as an opposition politician, ended up spending more on fuel subsidy than his three predecessors in the current democratic dispensation combined.

Four, critical voices, essentially from the Lagos axis, who used to be the guiding spirits or quiet funders of anti-government protests, including the protest over the removal of fuel subsidy in January 2012 (aka ‘Shutdown Nigerian’ protest) became quiet or muffled when the APC came to power in 2015 as they became either emotionally aligned to the party or became weakened by that alliance.

I argued that checkmating the fraud in the subsidy regime and gradually reducing the level of the subsidy would have been more productive because maintaining a level of subsidy on PMS and fertilizer will also mean subsidizing food and manufacturing as well as the middle class (who are the most productive segment of the population). I further argue that maintaining a level of subsidy on PMS will cascade throughout the entire value chain of the country and therefore better than trying to narrowly target a particular demographic with handouts (otherwise called palliatives). Besides, I also contended that there was no logic in the government removing subsidy on fuel (where it is most needed) just to be able to create subsidies in other sectors – in a rather very inefficient and unconvincing manner. 

Obviously I do not think anyone who had invested billions of dollars to build a costly refinery as Dangote did would fold his hands for his investment to be ruined through government subsidy of fuel. I believe that a massive subsidy of fuel that would bring the pump price of fuel to less than N300 per litre would be a better and cheaper way of re-invigorating the economy and indirectly supporting our infant industries than whatever we are doing now to cushion the effects of removing fuel subsidy and floating the Naira. Yes, neoliberal economists would tell us the country cannot afford this – the way they had wrongly argued that only the elites were benefitting from fuel subsidy.  But just imagine for a while the impact of fuel costing N300 per litre on the economy!

As an undergraduate student of Political Science in the 1980s, our Marxist lecturers used to recommend that Africa should de-link from the world capitalist system. It did not make much sense to me at that time. However, with the war in Ukraine triggering imported inflation and street protests in several countries around the world, including in Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt, I began to understand better what the globalisation of markets means and what it would mean to de-link from that market or at least tactically engage it.  

The Tinubu government’s removal of fuel subsidies and flotation of the Naira almost at the same time exacerbated the imported inflation from the Russo-Ukraine War and inflicted perhaps the worst hardship in living memory on Nigerians.  Remarkably supporters of the government call these measures “reforms” as if they were different from what Babangida did when his government embraced an IMF/World Bank-supported Structural Adjustment Programme in the 1980s and 1990s. Babangida’s SAP not only emasculated the country’s middle class but also completely ruined the economy. When the SAP failed in every country it was introduced in Africa, the Bretton Woods Institutions changed the mantra from “rolling back the state” to “bringing back the state” – as they moved from market fetishism to glib talks about good governance and building of institutions. 

We have been lectured recently by a World Bank’s economic team  that we need to be on this “reform” path for at least 15 years before we could reap the supposed benefit. Obviously members of the team are unaware of the dictum by the British economist John Maynard Keynes that in the long run we are all dead. Sadly while the neo-liberal economics of the Bretton Woods Institutions could create a handful of people on the Forbes Rich List, it will simultaneously turn over 70 per cent of the population into multi-dimensional poverty.

Members of the Congress of University Academics, CONUA, have called on the Federal Government to pay their withheld three and a half months salaries, third party deductions and Earned Academic Allowances.

The congress, in a statement by the National President, Dr Niyi Sunmonu, also said the promotion arrears of some members had lingered for over seven years and should be looked into.

The body also frowned on the exclusion of its members from the committee that would renegotiate the 2009 agreement university workers entered into with the government.

It said: “The union wishes to once again call the attention of President Bola Tinubu to the continued withholding of the three and a half months salary due to the strike embarked upon by a sister academic staff union in the universities.

“CONUA, as a union, has consistently maintained that it never declared and was not part of the strike. What the government had done was to lump together those who embarked on strike with those who did not!

“This is unjust, and it is tantamount to punishing the innocent along with the guilty.  The federal government’s action actually goes against the judgment delivered on July 25, 2023 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, which affirmed CONUA as an independent union.

“The President should note that withholding the three and a half months salaries of members of CONUA who neither declared nor participated in any strike, also contravenes Section 43 (1b) of the Trade Disputes Act CAP. T8, which states that ‘where any employer locks out his workers, the workers shall be entitled to wages and any other applicable remuneration for the period of the lock-out and the period of the lock-out shall not prejudicially affect any rights of the workers, being rights dependent on the continuity of period of employment.’’

CONUA also noted that invitation was not extended to it when the renegotiation committee was constituted on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

It stated further:  ‘’The union has submitted protest letters to the minister of education and chairman of the eenegotiation committee, Alhaji Yayale Mahmud Ahmed, while all relevant government agencies such as the Senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Chief of Staff, the Attorney General of the Federation and  minister of justice, etc, have been copied.

‘’CONUA is, therefore, using this medium to demand for its inclusion in the renegotiation committee, without further delay, as failure to do this will amount to shaving the head of its members in their absence.

“It was discovered that when the payment of the four months (March, April, May and June 2022) salaries out of the seven and a half months of salaries withheld by the government as a result of the strike embarked upon by ASUU was paid, through the presidential prerogative, the third-party deductions for April, May and June 2022 were not released, and they have not been released up till now.”

‘’Information on its whereabouts and when it would be released has not been provided by the federal government. The union is demanding, unequivocally, that the agencies of government involved be directed to immediately release these third-party remittances without further delay.

“Very many academic staff have promotion arrears spanning a period of up to seven years, in some cases. The delay in promotion, in most cases, is not the fault of these concerned academics and it will amount to double jeopardy if, having delayed their promotion, they are also made to suffer untold hardship with the delay in paying the promotion arrears.

‘’This dispiriting state of affairs should be addressed expeditiously to enhance the diligence of the many academics affected by the counter-productive delay in the payment of promotion arrears.

“The federal government agreed to pay the Earned Academic Allowance, EAA, for excess work done by academics in federal universities since the universities are battling with shortage of manpower. This EAA payment was supposed to cover academic sessions from 2008/2009 (Rain Semester) onwards. ‘’The federal government has so far released four tranches of EAA in 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2022. These releases did not cover up to four sessions completely, let alone the entire fourteen and a half (14½) sessions for which the payment is required.

‘’The union is using this medium to demand for the release of the EAA to cover these aforementioned periods and accelerate the optimal employment of more academic.”

On the minimum age for admission into higher institutions, the union advised that it should not start next year, but noted that the policy should be run through all stakeholders connected to education for their inputs before implementation, with a view to strengthening the existing 6-3-3-4 system.

[Vanguard]

Viktor Gyokeres scored a hattrick as Manchester City were thrashed 4-1 by Sporting Lisbon in their UEFA Champions League (UCL) encounter in Portugal on Tuesday night.

The in-form 26-year-old striker scored two of his three goals in the second half as Sporting came from a goal down to defeat the former UCL champions.

Led by Ruben Amorim, the new Manchester United coach set to take over at Old Trafford next week, Sporting went behind to Phil Foden’s fourth-minute strike from distance to put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead. The hosts managed an equaliser when Gyokeres beat the offside trap to run onto a threaded pass before slotting the ball beyond Ederson Moraes.

Man City had chances to regain the lead in the first half, but the oft-clinical side could not make them count, and Sporting made them pay in the second period. They took the lead seconds after the restart in a similar fashion to the equalizer, Maximiliano Araujo the beneficiary this time, and he slotted through Ederson’s legs for 2-1.

Gyokeres converted a penalty conceded by Josko Gvardiol for his second of the night and 3-1 for Sporting. Pep Guardiola’s side were handed a penalty of theirs but Erling Haaland hit the bar, and the home side further punished the miss.

Gyokeres netted another penalty awarded following a foul to complete the hattrick and an unlikely rout of the English Premier League (EPL) champions. Defeat is Man City’s third consecutive loss in all competitions.

Elsewhere, Liverpool moved closer to qualification for the knockout phase following a 4-0 win over Victor Boniface’s Bayer Leverkusen. Luiz Diaz also netted a hat trick in a match in which all four goals were scored in the second half. The victory maintained the Reds’ 100% status after four games, and Arne Slot’s side is top of the table with 12 points.

However, Real Madrid, the reigning UCL champions, suffered another defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu, losing 3-1 to AC Milan, their second defeat in the group stage.

RESULTS
Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan
Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Sporting Lisbon 4-1 Manchester City
PSV Eindhoven 4-0 Girona
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Sturm Graz
Slovan Bratislava 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb
LOSC Lille 1-1 Juventus
Celtic 2-1 RB Salzburg
Bologna 0-1 AS Monaco

[TheCable]

As the world converges in Baku, Azerbaijan for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) less than 11 days away, Nigeria has yet another unique opportunity to assert its interests and priorities in the global climate discourse. With the country’s vulnerability to climate change evident, it is imperative that Nigeria’s delegation pushes a bold agenda that addresses the nation’s pressing climate needs.

A top priority for Nigeria in Baku should be securing increased adaptation financing. While wealthier nations are primarily responsible for historic emissions, African countries, including Nigeria, suffer disproportionately from climate impacts. Notably, African nations received only 20% of global adaptation finance flows in 2021–2022, a figure far below the 45% allocated to East Asia and the Pacific region. As Nigeria faces intensifying climate impacts like rising temperatures, severe flooding, and drought, adaptation funding is vital to safeguard livelihoods and stimulate economic resilience.

In 2024, floods have affected 34 states, 217 local governments, and over a million people. Nigeria’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) estimates that $142 billion is needed to build climate resilience by 2030. At COP29, Nigeria should advocate for increased financial commitments from developed countries, emphasizing the importance of grant-based funding and technology transfer. Furthermore, Nigeria’s climate response requires enhanced capacity and expertise across various sectors. Thus, COP29 offers a crucial platform to secure commitments for technology transfer, training, and capacity-building programs that could foster homegrown climate solutions and support green job creation.

Another key focus for Nigeria is enhancing its technological capabilities to fight climate change. The Federal Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (FMSTI) has initiated a needs assessment to identify essential technologies for climate mitigation and adaptation across agriculture, transportation, and biodiversity. However, constraints in trained manpower, suitable technology, and inadequate funding hinder progress in biodiversity conservation. By expanding partnerships with other countries and international organizations, Nigeria can address these gaps and protect its rich biodiversity. This collaboration is essential, given Nigeria’s high deforestation rate of 3.7% annually, one of the highest globally.

Food security also remains a significant concern as climate change disrupts Nigeria’s agricultural systems, which are highly dependent on rainfall. Droughts, floods, and erratic weather patterns have severely impacted crop yields, affecting the livelihoods of the 70% of Nigeria’s workforce involved in farming. Through climate-smart agriculture (CSA), Nigeria is working on seed improvement, hybridization, and climate-resilient crops. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) is promoting the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS), an initiative aimed at enhancing soil fertility, improving productivity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At COP29, Nigeria should seek investment in climate-smart seeds, irrigation systems, agroforestry, and land restoration technologies to address challenges like land degradation and desertification.

Nigeria’s energy sector, responsible for around 70% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, is also an area of critical focus. The government aims to produce 30% of its electricity from solar and wind power by 2030. Additionally, Nigeria has committed to the Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge, which targets a tripling of renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030. Nigeria has made strides in renewable energy, with initiatives such as the Renewvia and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) solar mini-grids in rural areas, and the World Bank and African Development Bank-supported Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP). With these efforts, Nigeria is well-positioned to secure additional partnerships for its energy transition at COP29.

Moreover, reducing emissions from the transportation sector is vital. The transportation industry, a significant carbon emitter, releases approximately 60 million tons of CO2 yearly, a figure expected to rise. At COP26, Nigeria pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2060 and aims to deploy 13 million electric vehicles (EVs) by 2050, with 100% adoption by 2060. As a step toward this goal, Nigeria announced the roll out of 100 electric buses at COP28, an initiative that can attract further investment in clean transportation. Borno and Lagos states are already making strides in EV adoption, with Lagos committing $260 million for 1,000 electric vehicles. Nevertheless, Nigeria needs to improve EV infrastructure to fully embrace electric mobility. At COP29, Nigeria should present its clean transport strategy to garner the necessary funding and expertise.

This year’s COP presents a pivotal moment for Nigeria and other climate-vulnerable nations to assert their priorities and gain substantial commitments from the global community. Nigeria’s delegation should be united in its efforts, with government, civil society, and private sector stakeholders all working together toward shared climate goals. Additionally, Nigeria can leverage the Nairobi Declaration to enhance its influence, using it as a blueprint to advocate for climate finance, climate justice, technology transfer, energy transition, climate-resilient agriculture, and capacity building. This approach will help Nigeria balance its development ambitions with the global climate response.

Following COP29, the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) is expected to hold a post-COP29 meeting to evaluate outcomes and develop an implementation plan. This will be a critical next step in ensuring Nigeria’s commitments translate into tangible climate actions.

All the best to our delegates at COP29.

Professor Daniel Musa Gwary is the director of the Centre for Arid Zone Studies, University of Maiduguri. His work focuses on climate adaptation and disaster risk management

The headlines of today are a stark reminder of a world grappling with public and private boundaries as high-profile figures repeatedly find themselves caught in the tide of scandal. Recent controversies surrounding Baltasar Ebang Engonga, Director General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), and hip-hop mogul P. Diddy serve as prime examples of how morality and discretion have become blurred in the glare of the modern media spotlight. 

These incidents beg a larger question: Are we, as a society, falling into the trap of a modern-day Babylon, a world driven by indulgence, with societal boundaries slipping away at every turn? Are we seeing a cultural shift where the virtues of restraint and responsibility are losing ground to sensationalism and self-gratification?

To address these questions, we must delve deeper into the scandals, their broader implications, and what they reveal about society at large.

Public figures hold a unique position in society; they are role models, influencers, and, in many cases, symbols of what society values or aspires to become. When people in such influential positions are caught in controversial circumstances, it is natural for the public to react with a mixture of fascination and outrage. Baltasar Ebang Engonga, who occupies a prominent financial oversight role in Equatorial Guinea, has reportedly been implicated in a scandal involving explicit videos, footage that stands in sharp contrast to the responsibilities of his position. For a government official, such behavior could indicate not only a personal failing but a deeper vulnerability that may undermine the public’s trust in institutions intended to guard the public interest.

Similarly, P. Diddy, who has long been a significant player in the music and entertainment industry, faces allegations of sexual misconduct. While the details continue to unfold, the headlines and reactions have fueled a debate about accountability, power dynamics, and the extent to which fame can insulate people from facing real consequences. P. Diddy’s case also reflects a cultural fascination with the very thing that horrifies, stories of excess, indulgence, and power gone unchecked.

The ancient story of Babylon, a city notorious for its decadence, lives on as a cautionary tale of what can happen when a society loses its moral compass. The metaphor of Babylon resonates today, not simply because of high-profile scandals but because of society’s tendency to consume and propagate them. The media, both traditional and social, is constantly fueled by public interest, which thrives on scandal. Stories about the private lives of Ebang Engonga and P. Diddy do not just appear; they are disseminated, shared, and amplified because of society’s insatiable appetite for spectacle.

Yet this compulsion to scrutinize and even revel in the moral downfalls of public figures comes with consequences. As we continuously broadcast and consume these narratives, a kind of cultural desensitization sets in. What would have once been shocking or career-ending scandals are now absorbed into the fabric of our everyday media diet, rendering each new story less impactful than the last. This collective numbing is troubling because it suggests a gradual erosion of societal standards, where once-taboo behaviors become routine and expected.

Our technologically advanced world means that anything can be recorded, shared, and sensationalized in seconds. This digital transparency, while valuable in holding people accountable, has also brought us closer to the kind of voyeuristic society that ancient Babylon symbolized. In the case of Baltasar Ebang Engonga, the alleged explicit videos circulating on social media illustrate how modern technology can both reveal private indiscretions and magnify their impact.

For public figures, the line between private missteps and public consequences is thinner than ever, creating a new reality in which they must constantly weigh the repercussions of every action. Technology not only exposes such acts but also accelerates the spread and consumption of scandalous content. And as society consumes these stories, technology also reshapes our relationship with them, allowing us to interact, comment, judge, and even participate in the lives of others in ways that were previously unimaginable.

The cumulative impact of these scandals raises larger questions about the moral direction of society. Are these high-profile downfalls isolated cases of individuals with questionable judgment, or are they symptomatic of a broader societal trend toward moral indifference? As each new scandal emerges, public outrage seems to subside faster, making space for the next scandal on the horizon. This pattern hints at a society that has come to accept, and perhaps even expect, the kind of behavior that once elicited public condemnation.

Moreover, when society routinely witnesses the powerful act with apparent impunity, it can foster a sense of disillusionment and moral confusion. If public figures such as Ebang Engonga and P. Diddy are allowed to retain their influence and prestige despite scandal, what message does that send to the public, particularly the younger generation? The lesson is both implicit and troubling: success and power can justify, or at least cushion, moral lapses.

At its core, the notion of a “modern-day Babylon” evokes a sense of lost boundaries and diminishing standards, where excess and self-gratification take precedence over restraint and accountability. But there remains an opportunity for society to choose a different path, one that emphasizes personal responsibility and communal values. While scandals like those of Baltasar Ebang Engonga and P. Diddy capture the headlines, they also serve as cautionary tales. They remind us of the potential fallout when people in positions of power are not held accountable.

If society wishes to avoid a descent into Babylonian-style moral decay, it must do more than simply watch these scandals unfold. It must demand accountability from its public figures and challenge the systems that allow such behaviors to go unchecked. It means calling for transparency, enforcing standards, and fostering a culture where influence is tied to integrity rather than power alone.

Are we living in a modern-day Babylon? The answer is not so straightforward. Society is undoubtedly witnessing a moment where traditional boundaries are tested, where private scandals of public figures like Baltasar Ebang Engonga and P. Diddy are dissected for all to see. Technology has brought the far corners of the world into our homes and our hands, but it has also blurred the boundaries of public and private, decency and voyeurism, accountability and indifference.

Ultimately, the choice of whether or not to indulge in these stories, and the values they reflect, lies with each individual. As we engage with these narratives, we are at once consumers and creators of the culture around us. Whether we continue to foster a modern-day Babylon or strive for a higher moral ground depends on the standards we set, the boundaries we enforce, and the responsibility we demand from both our leaders and ourselves.

In a world poised at a moral crossroads, let the scandals of today remind us not only of the dangers of excess but of the power of restraint, integrity, and accountability. Only then can we hope to avoid the path of Babylon and build a society where power is tempered by purpose, and influence is rooted in virtue.