Election Tribunal: I Was Forced To Sign Presidential Poll Result In Kogi — Witness Tells Court
AdminThe candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday, called his witness to testify before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja.
Atiku and his party are challenging the declaration of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as winner of the presidential contest that held on February 25.
At the resumed proceedings of the court, Atiku’s first witness, Capt. Joe Agada, retd, told the court that he served as the State Collation Agent of the PDP in Kogi State, during the general election.
The witness, told the court that he was forced to sign result of the presidential election by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
According to him, the INEC officials, vowed not to give him a copy of the result to take back to his party, unless he signed the document.
Led in evidence by Atiku’s lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, the witness, maintained that result of the presidential election in Kogi State, was rigged.
He told the court that in over 20 polling units he visited, he observed how the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines, were manipulated
He said: “My lords, apart from where I voted, which was at Ogene- Oforachi village in Ogugu Ward in Kogi State, I also served as my party’s State Collation Agent.
“I had a tag and a vehicle with a sticker that identified me as being on election duty. The exemption tag which was issued to me by INEC, allowed me to move around on the election day.
“I had the opportunity of visiting some highlighted polling units in my LGA, even though I did not visit all the polling units.”
While being cross-examined by counsel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, the witness said it would be correct to say that he observed all the manipulations that took place in Kogi state during the election.
“My lords, I am a witness of truth. I did not visit all the polling units but I was present when BVAS in over 20 PUs were being manipulated across the two Senatorial Districts that I visited.
“I may not be exact, but there are nothing less than 3500 polling units in Kogi State.
“I spent between three to five minutes in each of the polling units that I visited,” the witness added.
Asked if agents of the PDP signed the result sheets, the witness, said: “Yes, our agents signed the Forms EC8A, EC8B and EC8C.
“But they were forced to sign the results, especially in Kogi state, because INEC said they would not give us copies unless we signed.”
Answering questions from one of the lawyers that appeared for President Tinubu, Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, the witness, said the PDP had agents in all the polling units in the state.
Asked if as the State Collation Agent of the PDP, he signed the result sheet, he said: “My lords, I was forced to sign the state collection result because without signing, they said they would deny me a copy to take to my party.
“I thereafter protested and also wrote a petition to INEC,” the witness told the court, even as he admitted that he served as State Collation Agent for the PDP in 2015 and also appeared as a witness in the 2019 presidential election dispute between Atiku and former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“In 2015, I refused to sign the result. But at that time, INEC did not deny me a copy to take to my party. But this year, the INEC man insisted that they would not give me a copy unless I signed the result,” Capt. Agada, retd, added.
Alhaji Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), has said that contrary to speculations, the immediate past government did not make provisions for petroleum subsidy in 2023 budget.
He said this on Thursday in Abuja when he met with the Sen. Abdullahi Adamu-led APC National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s National Secretariat.
“There was subsidy in 2022 but in 2023, not a single naira was provided for the purpose of financing the subsidy.
“And ultimately while we held back our fiscal obligations, we still have a net balance of over N2.8 trillion that the federation should have given back to the NNPC.
“For any company, when you have negative N2.8 trillion, there is no company in the whole of Africa that will lend to you, you cannot have receivables.
“The provision of subsidy is there, but absolutely there is no funding for it,” Kyari said, adding that it was only on paper and does not exist.
This, he said, was the true situation of things, adding the the Federal Government could no longer bear the burden of fuel subsidy.
“If we continue, we will run into defaults and the defaults of NNPC is the default of Nigeria.
“Once NNPC goes into defaults and liquidity, it affects every borrowing done by the country, even the sub-nationals. Your lenders will come back to you and say your country cannot longer pay,” he said.
The NNPC group chief executive officer added that subsidy constituted a huge amount of money which the country might not be able to survive and pay its debts.
Kyari, while admitting that Nigerians would have problems with the removal of fuel subsidy and that it would impact on inflation, assured that government was working on putting in place palliatives to cushion the effect.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu has directed some engagements and some palliatives will be put in place soon.
Kyari added that the market would stabilise with time following the removal of fuel subsidy and the current pump price when other players came in.
“There is a transition going on now and NNPC cannot continue to be sole importer. So, we know that this is going to vanish, the market will stabalise,” he said.
On when the country would have all its four refineries working, Kyari said there was an ongoing process of rehabilitation of the refineries.
He added that one of the refineries would come on stream before the end of 2023 while the second one would come on stream in 2024 and the third one would follow there after.
He maintained that the fuel subsidy regime was gone for good because government could no longer sustain it.
“Of course it is very obvious that we can no longer afford it. Subsidy bills have piled up, the country is not able to settle NNPC for the money we are spending on subsidy.
“And therefore, pricing petroleum at the market is the right thing to do at this point in time and I believe that this would benefit the country in the long time,” he said.
(NAN)
Ekiti State House of Assembly has approved the extension of the tenure of local government officials to three years, taking effect from the next administration.
The extension is contained in a bill passed into law, titled, “Ekiti State Local Government Administration, 2023”, during the Assembly plenary on Thursday.
The passage of the bill was sequel to the submission of the report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, headed by Hon. Reuben Awoyemi.
Awoyemi, while reading the report, stated that the submission was in response to an appeal from various stakeholders in the Local Government systems.
He also expressed that the bill was to further enhance the operations of council establishments, composition, finance and administration of the councils and the provision of the necessary time for Local Government officials to deliver on their mandate.
In their contributions, members, including Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye; Adegoke Olajide, and Johnson Oyekola Adeoye, remarked that the bill was essential to development at the grassroots.
The bill was passed by the lawmakers after careful consideration of the report.
Another bill, titled, “Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion, 2023”, was equally passed by the lawmakers at the plenary.
The bill seeks to reinforce a wide usage and general acceptance of the Yoruba language in the country, and to sustain the promotion of Yoruba language as the second official language in Nigeria, and a language for business transaction in the southwest.
The bill was unanimously passed after consideration by members.
(NAN)
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has debunked news indicating that it has plan to kickstart a protest on Friday against the removal of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel subsidy that has led to price increase.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the meeting between the NLC and the Federal Government (FG) on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, on the removal of subsidy which ended in a deadlock as no agreement was reached.
The leadership of the Congress Joe Ajaero said although it was outraged by what it described as “mindless price increase which is intended to bring untold hardship to ordinary Nigerians” no protest will be held yet.
Ajaero in a statement on Thursday signed by the Congress’ Head of Information Unit, Benson Upah, reacted to some reports not (THE WHISTLER) that the organised labour had scheduled a protest for Friday.
Ajaero said “The attention of the Nigeria Labour Congress has been drawn to stories circulating in the social media space claiming that the union would commence protest action tomorrow Friday, June 2nd against the increase in the pump price of PMS.
“In as much as we are outraged by this mindless price increase which is intended to bring untold hardship to ordinary Nigerians, we have no plan to start any action tomorrow.
“What we do have for now are organ meetings slated for tomorrow, Friday, June 2nd, 2023 to deliberate on the price issue.
“In light of this, we advise the public to disregard these stories. They did not emanate from the Congress.”
The organized Labour said that it promises to keep Nigerians informed on its next line of action after the meeting on Friday in respect to the subsidy removal.
President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on Monday announced that the era of fuel subsidy is gone
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has quizzed former Governor of Ekiti, Dr Kayode Fayemi, over alleged money laundering and misappropriation of N4 billion.
A source close to the anti-graft agency said that Fayemi arrived at the EFCC facility at about 10.am on Thursday and was drilled by the its operatives.
The source said that the ex-governor was at the zonal command of the anti-graft agency located on Oko Close, Off Station Road, Ilorin in Kwara for interrogation over an alleged fraud.
According to the source, EFCC is interrogating the former governor over allegations of misappropriation of N4 billion and money laundering.
The probe is said to be connected to the handling of funds during his tenure as governor of Ekiti.
Fayemi was governor of the state from 2018 to 2022 and handed over to Gov. Biodun Oyebanji in June 2022.
The Anti-graft agency had in a letter dated May 12 invited the former governor to appear in its Kwara office on May 18 over allegations bothering on money laundering and misappropriation of public fund.
The commission in a letter by ACE 1 Michael Nzekwe stated “the commission is investigating a case of money laundering in which there is need to seek certain clarification from you has become imperative.
“In view of this, you are kindly requested to come for an interview with the undersigned through the head, Economic Governance Section. Thursday, May 18, 2023. No. 10 Oko close, off Station Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara. Time: 10: 00 hours.”
The former governor had, however, written the commission seeking to delay his invitation over the allegation.
Responding through his lawyer, Adeola Omotunde, in a letter dated May 15, Fayemi said he was one of the organisers and a reviewer of one of the books published in President Buhari’s honour.
“Our client is in receipt of your letter of invitation dated 12th May 2023 for an appointment on Thursday, 18th of May, 2023.
“Our client is one of the organisers of the programme and will review one of the books,” the letter read in part.
It is believed that the anti-graft agency gave heed to the request of the former governor but immediately went into action after the presidential swearing-in.
(NAN)
The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) have destroyed 47 illegal refining sites, and apprehended 65 suspected oil thieves and other criminals in the last two weeks.
The Director, Defence Media Operation, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly news conference on the operations of the armed forces.
Danmadami said the troops had sustained the tempo in the war against oil theft, illegal refineries and other criminal activities through aggressive raid, patrol as well as clearance operations amongst others.
He said the troops recovered 186,000 litres of crude oil, 42,750 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 4,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit and 200 litres Dual Purpose Kerosine.
The spokesman said that 250 storage tanks, 220 ovens, 32 dugout pits, 31 wooden boats, one gas welding cylinder, and one pocking gas were recovered.
Others are two gas burners, two gas gauge, two adjustable spanners, one pumping machine and four outboards engines.
Danmadami said the troops also recovered 300 ammunitions, 15 AK47 magazines, 211 mobile phones, three vehicles, 100 wraps of suspected cannabis sativa, three and four pinches among others.
He said the troops had on May 18, raided a suspected criminals house at Ibaa community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers.
“All recovered items and apprehended suspected criminals have been handed over to the relevant authority for further action.
“Equally, it is worthy to mention that a total of N604.4 million was denied the oil thieves.
“The air component on May 18, conducted air interdiction operation at Krakrama active with illegal refining activities.
“Accordingly, the location was struck, with several illegal refined products and equipment destroyed in the air strike,” he said.
In the South East, Danmadami said the troops of Operation UDO KA continued to clamp down on the Indigenous People of Biafra, Eastern Security Network terrorist and other criminalities in the zone.
He said the troops neutralised five terrorists and apprehended nine suspects, as well as recovered several arms, ammunition and other items during the period.
In the South West, he said the troops of Operation AWATSE apprehended 26 suspected criminals and recovered one locally made pistol, three cartridges, 280gm of tramadol and two bottles of codeine.
(NAN)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has explained how the interference of the private sector and the opacity of cryptocurrency forced it to put an end to the growth of cryptocurrency in the nation.
Deputy Governor Economic Policy of the CBN Dr. Kinsley Obiora stated this in Abuja at the Business Session of the Fiscal Liquidity Assessment Committee (FLAC) retreat, organised by the CBN.
Obiora said members of the private sector, fearing that the CBN’s decision to print more money will lead to hyperinflation decided to create cryptocurrency as a response.
Over time the creators of cryptocurrency, he added, felt that central banks should not be left with the authority to do whatever they like with money.
Read Also: CBN seeks fiscal, monetary sectors synergy for accelerated economic growth
Fearing that such a mindset might cause inflation and reduce the purchasing power of households, the CBN Obiora said responded to what he called “the good aspect of that change because a lot of people actually took to cryptocurrencies”.
Fed up with the antics of the cryptocurrency operators, Obiora said: “We kicked them out of our banking system because the opacity of the system is still a threat to financial system stability”.
According to Obiora: “When the central bank started reacting to COVID with what we call printing money and responding to the crisis, a lot of people in the private sector felt that printing of money could lead to hyperinflation and these private sector people decided to respond by creating cryptocurrencies.
“With the intensification of cryptocurrencies they felt that Central Bank cannot just be left with the authority to do whatever they like with money and that might cause inflation and reduce the purchasing power of households but again central banks needed to respond to what we might call the good aspect of that change because a lot of people actually took to cryptocurrencies”.
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his Chief of Staff.
He was introduced as the brand new chief of staff at the ongoing meeting between the President and the nation’s security chiefs currently holding at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday morning.
President Bola Tinubu, has told the Service Chiefs and heads of security and intelligence agencies that working at cross purposes will no longer be condoned.
Tinubu stated this in his maiden official meeting with Security and intelligence heads led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the President has urged the service chiefs to crush anyone involved in oil theft, saying that his administration will not tolerate such menace.
The President also said, as far as he is concerned, Nigeria should not go on her knees as a result of security challenges while ather countries are working, moving forward and recording tremendous achievements.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting that lasted about two hours , the National Security Adviser, NSA, Major Gen. Bafana Monguno (retd), said the President has directed heads of security agencies to come out with their blue prints.
He said it was an appraisal meeting for the President to get briefing on the activities of the different security formations and for him to tell them his own philosophy and what he expects from the security heads.
He said, “The President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.
“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting lasted for two hours.
“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.
“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the great big menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, oil theft, sea robbery, piracy, etc.
“The President has made it very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains that have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.
“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are working and achieving greater heights.”
President Tinubu said in moving the country forward he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts, stressing that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.
According to the NSA, “He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be whatever…whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house.
“All agencies must work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone. He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.
“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that as far as he is concerned, he is not going to tolerate oil theft Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.
He has already mandated the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows and as far as he concerned, he doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.
“The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.
“President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment.”
The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has announced the arrest of suspects involved in exam malpractice.
56 rogue side operators alongside 15 other suspects comprising of a school proprietor, teachers and students were arrested over their alleged involvement in examination malpractice in the ongoing 2023 May/June Senior Secondary Certificate Examination.
Head of National Office, Nigeria (HNO) of West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), Patrick Areghan, said the arrest was made in Maiduguri, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Umuahia.
The suspects will be handed to police and will also be paraded at national televisions.
Areghan said;
“We are not interested in failing students but interested in seeing them pass but the only thing is we cannot help them to pass, we only encourage them by telling them what to and not to do. We are talking to them to make sure they don’t involve in examination malpractice.
“We have arrested students. In Ibadan, we arrested a supervisor, candidates and other groups. In Maiduguri, supervisors and candidates were arrested, while in Abeokuta a school proprietor who started it (examination malpractice) from the beginning of the examination was arrested along others. In Osogbo, a candidate and supervisor and so many others in Umuahia too who are involved in the illegal act were arrested.
“We have gone further by identifying and arresting the rogue operators involved in malpractice unlike last year.
“Do not copy what your mate is writing because there is nothing that will make you write the same thing. If you rely on cheating that means you have failed and we want you to pass.”
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Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, who is insisting that he won the presidential election held on February 25, on Thursday, produced certified copies of results of the election from six states of the federation, to support his claim.
Obi tendered the results, which were obtained from 115 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in evidence before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja.
Though Obi’s legal team was led by Prof. Awa Kalu, SAN, however, the election results, which were contained in Forms EC8A, were tendered from the Bar by one of his lawyers, Chief Emeka Opoko, SAN.
The first set of results of the election that was tendered before the court by the LP candidate who came third in the presidential election was from 15 out of 22 LGAs of Rivers State.
Despite opposition by all the respondents in the matter, Justice Haruna Tsammani-led’s five-member panel admitted the Rivers state results and marked them as Exhibits PD 1 to PD 15.
Obi and the LP equally tendered results from 23 LGAs in Benue state, which were also admitted in evidence and marked as Exhibits PC 1 to PC 23, while results from 18 LGAs in Cross River State were added in evidence as Exhibits PD1 – PD 18.
On Niger state, Obi tendered Forms EC8A from 23 LGAs and they were admitted in evidence as Exhibits PE-1 to PE 23, as well as that of 20 LGAs in Osun state which were marked as Exhibits PF 1 – PF 20.
The last set of results the petitioners adduced and tendered in evidence before the court were from 16 LGAs in Ekiti and they were marked as Exhibits PG 1 to PG 16.
The Justice Tsammani-led panel subsequently adjourned further proceedings in the matter till Friday.
All the respondents said they would give reasons why they challenged the admissibility of the presidential election results that Obi and the LP tendered in evidence, in their final written address.
Cited as 1st to 4th respondents in the petition, are; the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
It will be recalled that Obi and the LP had indicated their decision to call a total of 50 witnesses in the matter.
Specifically, Obi, in the joint petition he filed with the LP, is contending that President Tinubu was not the valid winner of the election.
The petitioners, in the case, marked: CA/PEPC/03/2023, equally maintained that President Tinubu was not qualified to participate in the presidential contest.
According to the petitioners, at the time Tinubu’s running mate, Shettima, became the Vice Presidential candidate, he was still the nominated candidate of the APC for the Borno Central Senatorial election.
The petitioners further challenged Tinubu’s eligibility to contest the presidential election, alleging that he was previously indicted and fined the sum of $460,000.00 by the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, in Case No: 93C 4483, for an offence involving dishonesty and drug trafficking.
On the ground that the election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act, 2022, the petitioners argued that INEC acted in breach of its own Regulations and Guidelines.
The Petitioners argued that the electoral body was in the course of the conduct of the presidential poll, mandatorily required to prescribe and deploy technological devices for the accreditation, verification, continuation and authentication of voters and their particulars as contained in its Regulations.
They are, therefore, praying the court to among other things, declare that all the votes recorded for Tinubu and the APC, were wasted votes owing to his non-qualification/disqualification.
“That it is determined that on the basis of the remaining votes (after discountenancing the votes credited to the 2nd Respondent) the 1st Petitioner (Obi) scored a majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and had not less than 25% of the votes cast in at least 2/3 of the States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and satisfied the constitutional requirements to be declared the winner of the 25th February 2023 presidential election.
“That it be determined that the 2nd Respondent having failed to score one-quarter of the votes cast at the presidential election in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was not entitled to be declared and returned as the winner of the presidential election held on 25th February 2023.
In the alternative, the petitioners, want an order cancelling the election and compelling INEC to conduct a fresh election in which Tinubu, Shettima and the APC, listed as 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents, respectively, shall not participate.
They urged the court to declare that since Tinubu was not duly elected by a majority of the lawful votes cast in the election, therefore, his return as the winner of the presidential election, was unlawful, unconstitutional and of no effect whatsoever.
In a further alternative prayer, the petitioners want the court to hold that the presidential election was void on the ground that it was not conducted substantially in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, and the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Likewise, the applied for an order, “cancelling the presidential election conducted on 25th February 2023 and mandating the 1st Respondent to conduct a fresh election for the President, the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Meanwhile, both Obi and his Vice Presidential candidate, Baba Ahmed Datti, were in court on Thursday to observe the proceeding.
The Deputy President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Zarama Mustapha, said the price of fuel can’t fall below N500 per litre.
Mustapha, during an interview with Channels TV on Thursday, disclosed that this is due to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited being the sole importer of refined oil into Nigeria.
His statement followed the increase in fuel price by the NNPC on Wednesday. The NNPC adjusted the price to N500 and above from N189 per litre.
The increase was implemented after President Bola Tinubu said there is no provision to subsidise fuel, after accepting the recommendation of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari to phase out the subsidy.
Mustapha said NNPC still regulates the price of fuel in Nigeria because it is the only importer of fuel into the country, but when the NNPC allows other companies to import, there will be competitive prices.
In the meantime, he disclosed that fuel is sold to oil marketers at N460/litre at fuel depots, but the pump price will rise to N500 per litre after factoring in transportation costs and profit margin.
“NNPC being the sole supplier is the determiner of how much we purchase. The deregulation is just taking effect. Maybe with time, they will allow other players to also participate in the importation of the product to compete with the NNPC Limited.
“I still believe the NNPC is still the government because it is owned by the government,” Mustapha said during the interview.
[NationalDaily]
Elon Musk has reclaimed his spot as the richest person in the world.
This is according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index’s updated figures released on Thursday.
The Tesla CEO saw his wealth jump 40.3% this year to $192 billion, after shares of the electric car maker rose about 24% in May, according to Eikon data. Musk owns about 13% of Tesla, according to FactSet data.
Musk was knocked out of first place by LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault in December, after shares of Tesla fell after his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter. Most of Musk’s wealth is tied to Tesla’s stock.
He is also the CEO of rocket manufacturer SpaceX and owns social media company Twitter.
Musk left Shanghai on Thursday, after a high-profile two-day visit. While in China, he met with foreign minister Qin Gang and other Chinese officials. The visit, which comes amid simmering U.S.-China tensions, was a sign China is an important market to Tesla, analysts have said.
During the visit, Qin sought to assure Musk that China is open to foreign businesses and would continue to offer a friendly business environment to them. Musk also reportedly signaled further expansion in China.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated his security chiefs to draw up a fresh blueprint that would guide security operations in the country.
Tinubu, who met with the security chiefs in the country for the first time since assuming office, on Thursday, said he had a personal philosophy about how security issues should be handled for effective results.
The National Security Adviser NSA, Babagana Munguno who reeled out some of what transpired at the meeting, said the President was very emphatic on the need for coordination among the intelligence chiefs.
Munguno said Tinubu told them in clear terms that he would not tolerate a situation where all the security agencies would be acting at cross proposes.
The meeting which is the first since assuming office, had in attendance Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.
Others are the Director-General of the Department of State Service(DSS), Yusuf Bichi; the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
Munguno said, “the president commander in chief of the armed forces has just concluded a meeting of the general security appraisal committee consisting of the Chief of Staff service chiefs Inspector General of Police, and heads of the intelligence agencies.
“This is the very first meeting he’s had with the heads of the security agencies. The meeting last two hours.
“Having been briefed by the participants of the meeting, Mr. President, addressed prevailing issues confronting the nation in terms of insecurity and also mentioned his own philosophy towards dealing with national security issues.
“First and foremost, he appreciated the armed forces and intelligence agencies and the wider paramilitary agencies for the work they have been doing in the past couple of years. Their sacrifice, their loyalty, and he also paid tribute to those who died in defending this country, from the big menace of terrorism, insurgency banditry, Oil theft, sea robbery, piracy.
“The President has made it very, very clear that he’s determined to build on whatever gains have been made and to reverse misfortunes and turn the tide in our favour.
“As far as he’s concerned, this country should not be on its knees struggling while other countries are walking and achieving greater heights”.
Briefing State House Correspondents further on their deliberations, Munguno said the President revealed that in moving this country forward he needs the security agencies to redouble their efforts.
“He’s also pointed out that his own philosophy is one of contemporary security measures dealing with the requirements of the time.
“He has made it very clear that he will not accept a situation in which our fortunes keep declining. And his own trajectory is that national security has to be coordinated, there has to be wherever whatever it says whether it is a basket system, but there must be a clearing house”.
According to the NSA, all agencies are expected to work to achieve one single purpose. Working at cross purposes and colliding with each other is not something that he will condone.
“He has made it very, very clear that all the security agencies must comply with the demands of coordination, with the demands of frequent consultations and also timely reports which must be acted on.
“He is going to embark on a lot of reforms in terms of our security architecture, he is going to take a closer look at our misfortunes in the maritime domain, focusing particularly on the issues of oil theft, that is not going to tolerate. Wherever the problem is coming from it must be crushed as soon as possible.
“He is already mandated by the security agencies to come up with a blueprint as far as he knows as far as it’s concerned, it doesn’t have the luxury of time. And whatever changes will be made have to be done as soon as possible.
“The President also has decided that what ever ventures the armed forces are going to be engaged in, they must carry along those operatives in the theatre. They must be well fed, well kitted, motivated and given all that they require.
“The President has said clearly that he will do whatever is within his powers to enable the operational elements but the intelligence agencies must also make their work easy for them by providing the type of intelligence that they require to carry out the assignment”.
[DailyPost]