Onyebuchi Chukwu, former minister of health, has recounted how he and Mohammed Bello Adoke worked together to renegotiate a deal to establish Biovaccines Nigeria Limited (BVNL), a vaccine manufacturing company.

Chukwu served as the minister of health from April 2010 to October 2014 while Adoke was attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice from April 2010 to April 2015.

The former minister spoke on Friday when he appeared as a guest on Laolu Akande’s ‘Inside Sources’, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.

During the interview, Chukwu lamented that Nigeria has not done well of late in the production of vaccines.

He narrated how he kickstarted the process of resuscitating Nigeria’s joint venture agreement with May & Baker Nigeria Plc to establish BVNL.

BACKGROUND

Nigeria produced vaccines at the Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory in Yaba between 1941 and 1991, with some of the products imported to neighbouring countries.

However, the federal government stopped production at the Yaba facility in 1991.

In 2005, BVNL was incorporated as a company to revive Nigeria’s production of vaccines. The company was a joint venture between the federal government and May & Baker Nigeria Plc.

May & Baker Nigeria Plc owned 51 percent while 49 percent was owned by the federal government.

‘HOW THE BVNL JV AGREEMENT WAS REVIVED’

Chukwu said the joint venture agreement was put on hold during the administration of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

He said May & Baker had instituted a legal suit against Nigeria over breach of contract.

The former minister said he was advised to revive the joint venture agreement when he assumed office in 2010.

He narrated how he consulted Adoke for legal advice on how to revive the JV to avoid legal complications.

“But when I came on board some of the ministry’s directors advised that it would be good if I resuscitated it,” he said.

“I consulted widely. I was advised to get in touch with the attorney-general because there were some legal issues that were being raised regarding the arrangement between the federal government and May & Baker.

“I contacted my colleague (Adoke), who took some time in fact, a number of weeks to study it (the joint venture agreement). That was Adoke, and in the end, he said there were a few things we needed to do.

“Of course, time was of the essence because that agreement was almost terminated, after a number of years. So we needed a new agreement, the original one provided for renegotiation. It was a good programme.

“Most of the issues that they (May & Baker) were asking were about the valuation of the land. Under Obasanjo, they had used a private valuer. So they asked the government to be the valuer.

“So I contacted my colleague in the ministry of lands and housing as it was then known, and the ministry went ahead to value it. Ministry of health paid for it. They gave us a report.

“In addition to that and the attorney-general’s report, I then wrote to the president to make my case clearly and the president approved it that we should go ahead but in conjunction with the ministry of justice

“By then, May & Baker had gone to court for breach of contract. We were able to persuade them to withdraw the court case.  They were happy to do that and together we started (renegotiation). I left before it was concluded.

“I was happy that during President Buhari’s term that matter was completed.”

The former minister added that although the joint venture agreement is “back on track”, the facility has not started the production of vaccines.

TIMELINE OF DEVELOPMENTS

In 2017, the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with May & Baker for vaccine production.

A year later, a seven-member board of directors was inaugurated, with three members from the government and four from May & Baker.

In September 2022, the federal executive council (FEC) approved the production of vaccines in commercial quantity to support routine immunisation programmes in the country.

Osagie Ehanire, then minister of health, said the initiative was a joint venture between BNVL and Serum Institute of India, an Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company.

Ehanire had said the approval was limited to routine vaccines and not the COVID-19 vaccine.

In December 2022, May & Baker Nigeria announced that BNVL would commence the production of vaccines before the second quarter of 2023.

[TheCable]

Former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alh Yahaya Bello today, honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. 

This decision was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies.

The former Governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process. 

The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. It is important for the former Governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear. 

The former Governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development; and supports the fight against corruption in the country.

It is on record that he was the first Governor of Kogi State to put in place an anti-corruption mechanism to check graft and ensure that the resources of the State work for the people of the State. 

He was accompanied to the EFCC Headquarters by high profile Nigerians. 

It is our hope that the Commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Details of his engagement with the operatives of the Anti-Graft Agency will be disclosed later. 

Ohiare Michael,

Director, Yahaya Bello Media Office

The Petroleum Club, Africa’s first-of-its-kind policy advocacy group in the hydrocarbon sector, will hold a lavish dinner in Lagos next week to celebrate one of its founding fathers, Atuekong Don Etiebet, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The club is made up of leaders in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and respected professionals associated with the industry. The dinner event holds at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, the exclusive, members-only elite club. He has asked me to attend the dinner as his guest, noting, ‘’I am not inviting you as a journalist. I’m inviting you as a friend’’. Vintage Atuekong! Chief Etiebet is a pioneer in ICT, a towering figure in business and the petroleum industry. His landmark accomplishments are well documented. He was Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister from 1993 to 1995, during which the iconic NNPC Towers in Abuja were built and the construction of the NLNG was relaunched with considerable support from the government that eventually led to its completion after a 35-year stagnancy. He was also played important roles in the establishment of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), an interventionist agency, which was headed by former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general. The PTF is credited for massive infrastructural development, using funds saved from partial withdrawal of fuel subsidy which sent petrol price from N3/litre to N12/litre. As Minister, Etiebet also introduced many reforms in the oil industry, including strengthening the DPR an important regulatory agency.

As Petroleum Minister, Etiebet had the foresight and sound judgement about deep offshore oil production as the new frontier of oil and gas production in the country. he approved the first ever deep-water offshore oil and gas exploration and production program pioneered by Shell in 1994. Today, the Bonga oil fields on the Atlantic Ocean is the nation’s most resourceful offshore production platform. It is a wonder that despite his deep involvement in the industry as minister, Atuekong has no single oil field (either OPL, OML or marginal oil field) allocated to him. That is the nature of a typical Akwa Ibom man – honesty, integrity and transparency. In this country, his breed is rare. Many oil ministers that came after him are still engulfed in scandals. We are aware of girlfriends of top military leaders who were allocated oil blocs and today they’re very rich!

 Atuekong is also a pioneer and colossus in business, especially the ICT and real estate. He is the Chairman of Obodex Group which comprises 12 businesses in the ICT, oil and gas and property development. In recognition of his contributions, President Jonathan decorated him with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). Professionally, he’s also been widely celebrated, a reflection of his broad footprints in the nation’s corporate terrain. He is Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS); Fellow of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (FCPNS); Fellow of the Nigerian Mining Geosciences Society (FNMGS); Member of Society of Petroleum Engineers (MSPE); Member of Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (MNAPE); Member of American Association of Petroleum Geologist (MAAPG), among other professional laurels. I do not know of any other Nigerian that is so well decorated and accomplished in the petroleum and ICT sectors as Atuekong Don Obot Etiebet. Yet, he is unassuming and self-effacing. He belongs to the old generations of Nigerians who made money and created wealth from hard work, industry and grit.

Etiebet is a household name in Nigeria and a proud Akwa Ibom leader. His elder brother, Donald, was a senator and later governor of Cross River State in the Second Republic when Shehu Shagari was President. He died at 81 in 2015. The name is also prominently emblazoned on a high rise building in Ikeja, near Sheraton Hotel in Lagos. Etiebet Place, built in 1992, stands as a towering testimony to the business sagacity of this newest octogenarian. After obtaining a Masters degree in Applied Geophysics from the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and working in the oil industry in that country and in Shell Petroleum in Holland, young Don Etiebet (his full name is Donatus) returned to Nigeria in September 1971 to start building his businesses. The first was Earth Sciences Limited, established in 1972 as the first Nigerian-owned company in geophysical prospecting and computer data processing services.

The company grew rapidly and in 1979, Etiebet founded Data Sciences Nigeria Limited (DSNL) to take over the computer businesses of Earth Sciences. It was the exclusive distributor for the the US-based Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). DEC was the was the pioneer producer of interactive computers and largest manufacturers of mini computers in the world. Data Sciences provided computer hardware and software to the oil industry, and later in other areas like education, banking and in the utilities sectors. In 1980, he established another company, OBODEX Nigeria, which, in 1990, launched the first ever Nigerian brand name in personal computers, known as OBODEX PCs. OBODEX PCs introduced the first keyboard with the Naira sign. Hundreds of young Akwa Ibom persons, some of whom have become business leaders and political chieftains today, got their first jobs in the employ of Chief Etiebet. Many of them arrived Lagos from their villages and hamlets for the first time in the 1980s and ‘90s to pick up their first jobs at OBODEX Group. They owe the old man a lifetime of gratitude.

His company was the first to install computer-based communications systems linking oil platforms in Warri and Portharcourt and homes of the oil executives in the two locations. This was the forerunner of what we have now as e-mail and Internet connectivity; and for his pioneering roles, he has remained a trustee of the Nigeria Internet Group which he helped found. Atuekong Etiebet contributed immensely to the establishment of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) that is responsible for the formulation of government’s policies on ICT. His pioneering works also led to the establishment of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the regulatory agency for ICT, of which he was a pioneer director.

Chief Etiebet’s chieftaincy title, Atuekong, means the lead warrior. It is a fitting recognition for a man who has spent his resources fighting for the poor and underprivileged in the society and the development of his native Akwa Ibom State. He and his elder brother, Senator Etiebet, are some of those who fought for the creation of the state. Atuekong himself fought assiduously for the abrogation of the obnoxious onshore-offshore oil dichotomy that eventually led to the payment of huge oil revenues to Akwa Ibom State. In my book published in December, 2021, titled ‘’Inside Story of the Fight for the Abrogation of the Onshore-Offshore Oil Dichotomy’’, I identified and celebrated Atuekong, with 12 others, for his heroic contributions to that struggle. Since President Obasanjo signed the abrogation bill in 2004, Akwa Ibom has been receiving huge sums of money in derivation payments and FAAC allocations every month, and it’s the reason the state has grown quite rapidly in the last two decades. I urge the state government to celebrate Chief Etiebet and the other men and women, including Obong Victor Attah and Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, who played important roles in that fight.

 Etiebet has also been a notable player in Nigerian politics. He was the founder and financier of a major political party, Nigeria Center Party (NCP), during the transition programme of General Sani Abacha. He ran for the presidency of the country under the party’s platform, gathering considerable national appeal and support. But unknown to him and many others, Abacha was deceitfully and cunningly planning to transmute from a military leader to a lifelong political Head of State. Abacha forced Etiebet and others to abandon their political ambitions in in 1997 in order to perpetuate himself in power, but fortunately, the brutal dictator died suddenly in 1998, paving the way for a more genuine transition program midwifed by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubarkar. Etiebet then teamed up with other notable politicians to found the PDP, on which he also ran for president at the Jos convention in February 1999. He later joined the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was elected its National Chairman in 2003, thus becoming the first, and so far, the only Akwa Ibom person to lead a national political platform. In 2014, he decamped to the APC in a massive rally in Uyo that was attended by Gen. Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. That’s when I got very close to him.

Atuekong turned 80 on Sunday, September 15; and he’s been receiving thousands of goodwill messages from far and wide, within and outside Nigeria. A few years ago, he suffered a serious health setback, but he recovered soon after. God in his infinite mercies showed him mercy because Atuekong is full of love and goodness. Happy birthday, dear Atuekong.

Whitehall is a street in London that has bestowed its name on ministries of the British government. It also bestowed its practices and traditions on the civil service of Nigeria and most other Commonwealth countries.

The street is now a metaphor, like New York City’s Wall Street and Broad Street, which respectively represent investment banking and dramatic arts theatres. Fleet Street, London, where the earliest British newspapers had their offices, is synonymous with journalism.

In addition, Whitehall is a symbol of the power and prestige of the British bureaucracy, as it is also steeped in intrigue and falsehoods that lead to the failure of ministers who weren’t aware of the banana peels on its corridors.

Like its British progenitor, the Nigerian civil service, once described as an abyss by a senior journalist and columnist, is home of “capa y daga,” or cloak-and-dagger, intrigues, treacheries, lies, and large doses of incompetence. And that, unfortunately, is the system that runs Nigeria.

The political class that pretends to be ruling Nigeria is no more than a group of ignoramuses, led by the nose into the labyrinth of governmental machinery run by cunning civil servants who have near-permanent tenure within the bureaucracy.

It is these generally incompetent bureaucrats that administer the disastrous economic and political policies in Nigeria. The World Bank doubted the competence of Nigeria’s bureaucracy even from the early days of post-independence Nigeria.

When proposing Nigeria’s First 5-Year Development Plan for 1962-1968, the World Bank observed that “it is doubtful whether the (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa) Government’s administrative machine, as at present staffed and organized, will be able to carry out public investment at the planned rate.”

So, when you are impatient and lambast the “wobbling and fumbling” political class of Nigeria, remember that it is this calibre of unprofessional bureaucrats that have been providing them with counsel from the very beginning.

The bureaucrats have been as constant as the wall gecko in Nigeria’s corridor of power. That is probably why the most senior officers in the civil service are styled “permanent secretaries.” It takes a tortuous process to discipline or fire incompetent or erring civil servants.

The failure of Nigeria’s bureaucracy in the last 64 years makes it clear that the economic and political fate of Nigerians is in the hands of incompetents, with their much-storied credentials, obtained from some of the academic citadels of the Western world.

If you look at the epileptic outing of Nigeria’s energy “multiverse” which includes electricity and fuel for automobiles, homes, and industries, you will see a graphic representation of the cause of the quandary that Nigeria has sunk into.

Despite the many transformations and changes in the nomenclatures of the electricity provider, Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, to the National Electric Power Authority, National Electric Power Plc, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, and the spaghetti of names for now partially privatized electricity generation, transmission, and distribution companies.

The same incompetence is apparent in the running of the Nigeria National Oil Corporation, which was renamed Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation. It has a legendary incapability to provide enough fuel for Nigerians.

After a meeting with some International Oil Companies, former President Olusegun Obasanjo wisely sold Nigeria’s refineries in Port Harcourt and Kaduna to billionaire businessmen, Aliko Dangote and his pal, Femi Otedola.

The bureaucrats saw their cookie crumbling and quickly joined labour to prevail on Obasanjo’s successor, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, to reverse the decision. He reacquired the refineries and returned them to the bureaucratic vultures.

The bureaucrats are simply lurking within the lumbering NNPCL, indulging in their private interests, while ramping up $6.8 billion in trade debt, which has now become a roadblock to Nigerian motorists having a regular supply of petrol.

The bureaucrats, who famously kept the lie of fuel subsidy going in the public space, have now capitulated and admitted that the subsidy can no longer be sustained and the pump price of petrol must be hiked.

Recently, NNPCL surreptitiously increased the pump price in its petrol outlets. When Dangote Refinery offered to sell petrol and diesel at undisclosed prices said to be below that of NNPCL, marketers, allegedly encouraged by bureaucrats, rejected the products.

They preferred the imported products because it gave them legitimate access to foreign exchange. Maybe President Bola Tinubu should have allowed marketers to import petroleum products and see them compete with the expected lower cost of Dangote Refineries.

After failing to run NNPCL refineries, the oil bureaucrats cleverly sidetracked marketers and initiated a meddlesome plan to make NNPCL the sole off-taker of Dangote Refinery petroleum products, perhaps to look as if they are working. Still, the bureaucrats continued with their mischief.

After Olufemi Soneye, NNPCL Corporate Affairs Manager, announced that NNPCL paid N898.78 for petrol per litre from Dangote Refinery, it was compelled to respond that though NNPCL paid in Dollars ($0.55), the price was lower than the current cost of imported petrol. NNPCL then disclosed that the petrol price for the Lagos market is N950.22 (or $0.58).

Everyone knows that this is just a scheme to put NNPCL somewhere in the loop of the petrol supply chain. NNPCL should only sell crude petroleum to Dangote Refinery, collect its money, and leave the midstream and downstream sub-sectors alone.

The perennially unresolved disagreements between the government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities reveal a horde of bureaucrats lurking in the crevices of failed negotiations and unimplemented agreements.

The involvement of bureaucrats in inconclusive negotiations dates back to the days of the Federal Military Government of General Yakubu Gowon, who issued a quit notice for striking dons to vacate their official university residential quarters.

The can of the problems continued to get kicked down the road to successive politicians who have no sense of the history of the failed negotiations and therefore have no clue on what to do to resolve the outstanding disagreements.

It keeps looking as if the bureaucrats love the problems to continue to have a sense of relevance and have something to do in their offices every day. It sounds like the fulfilment of the mischievous quip, “Why do what can be done tomorrow, today?”, something you often hear on the corridors of civil service premises.

Keen observers see in Nigeria a tribe of self-serving civil service bureaucrats who look out for their interests only and leave the devil to care for the citizens and their employers. Someone suggested that bureaucrats became more self-centered after former military Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, carried out a massive purge of the civil service in 1975.

They claim that when serving civil servants saw that their tenure was no longer protected and that they could lose their jobs, pensions, and gratuities on the whim of a Head of State, they wisely opted to look after their interests only and relegated the business of governance to a secondary level on the totem pole of priorities.

There can be no justification for carrying out the business of governance in half measures. Any bureaucrat who is not prepared to give his or her best to the service of the nation should simply make way for those who will be more committed.

But let no politician think that this exonerates them from blame for causing pain to fellow Nigerians; this just happens to be the time to call out bureaucrats who hide behind seemingly unwary politicians.

The barrage of court trials and two assassination attempts that have characterized the 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign were expected to undermine his bid for the presidency. Yet, like a cat with nine lives, Trump has not only prevailed in several court cases but also survived two assassination attempts—one during a campaign event in Pennsylvania and another at his golf club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Despite these challenges, Trump has managed to overcome many of the obstacles designed to derail his quest to return to the White House in 2025. It is worth noting that Trump's struggle is not unique; the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has also allegedly sought to use the judicial system to remove the independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy jnr. from the ballot. Historically, no U.S. president has been convicted and sentenced to jail, but Trump was faced with 34 criminal charges and is awaiting sentencing. If not for his determined fight and the Supreme Court's less aggressive stance, his political adversaries and the judicial system might have succeeded in keeping him off the November 5 ballot.

Before Trump's legal troubles, the most severe challenge faced by U.S. presidents was impeachment, which typically resulted in the loss of a second-term opportunity. Similar to the challenge Trump had to deal with, the independent presidential candidate Mr.Kennedy Jr. is a former DNC member also faced political persecution from his former party which is a justification for his supporters believing that the DNC's efforts to remove him from the ballot reveal deep divisions within the party.

On August 24, when he chose to withdraw his candidacy and endorse Trump, he expressed his frustrations about the DNC's attempts to disqualify him from the race. Despite his legal challenges, Kennedy Jr. managed to navigate the complex political landscape before endorsing Trump. Unlike Kennedy Jr., Trump has faced legal convictions and two assassination attempts in just two months, likely exacerbated by the intense criticism from his opponents who view him as a threat to democracy. Only Gerald Ford 38th U. S president experienced two assassination attempts with a woman as the assailant.

I will discuss the attempts on Trump's life in more detail later in this discourse.

Despite the numerous legal challenges and attempts to disqualify him, Donald Trump remains resilient and is still the frontrunner in the race for the 2024 presidential election, just under 50 days away. The conviction he faces involves alleged tax evasion and financial manipulation in New York, where many of his businesses are based. Trump dismisses these charges as a political witch hunt orchestrated by his rivals, a claim the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has firmly denied.

This situation provides a troubling lesson for developing countries: the use of legal obstacles against political opponents, once thought to be a hallmark of third-world politics, is now becoming a feature in advanced democracies as well. The pattern of legal attacks against Trump, who is being pursued under the Biden administration, mirrors tactics seen in developing nations, where political persecution is more common.

For instance, in Nigeria, similar tactics are evident: the current governor of Kano state is accused of politically motivated prosecution of his predecessor, even though he too has been accused of also hounding his predecessor and in Kaduna state, a former governor is facing revenge charges from his successor. Similarly, in Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro reportedly declared himself the winner of an election without proper vote counting or transparency last month in August . Subsequently following a brutal crackdown on dissenters, his opponent in the contest Edmundo Gonzalex has fled the country for the safety of his life.

These parallels suggest that Trump's prosecution could be seen as political persecution akin to what is found in some developing countries, rather than purely legal or judicial actions. The challenges against Trump emerged after Congress, controlled by the DNC and encouraged by the executive branch, failed to impeach him over the January 6, 2020, Capitol invasion by his supporters even though the House of Representatives did, but the Senate voted against Trump’s impeachment by the lower chamber.

In their book "How Democracies Die," Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt discuss the erosion of liberal democracies globally, positioning Trump's presidency as a potential threat to democratic norms.

It is striking that, six years after the publication of the book "How Democracies Die," which portrayed President Trump as a threat to democracy, the current situation in the U.S. political landscape suggests Trump may be the victim of judicial weaponization. This alleged misuse of the Department of Justice (DOJ) by the Biden administration could be targeting not only Trump but also independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has endorsed Trump for the 2024 presidential race.

The notion of DOJ weaponization has become significant enough to prompt a strong denial from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who insists that the DOJ is not engaged in improper practices against political opponents.

As a scholar in politics and international affairs, I find it alarming how rapidly democracy seems to be eroding in a country-the U.S. which is often considered the pinnacle of democratic governance—a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Surprisingly, this potential decline in democracy does not align with the prediction by Levitsky and Ziblatt, who suggested that Trump would be the one undermining democracy. Instead, if Trump's and Kennedy Jr.'s claims are accurate, Trump might be the victim of such tactics, not the perpetrator.

The authors of "How Democracies Die" noted that American politicians increasingly view rivals as enemies, intimidate the press, and threaten election results, undermining democratic institutions like the courts and intelligence services. They expressed concern that states once praised for their democratic innovation are becoming authoritarian by altering electoral rules and suppressing voting rights to retain power.

They also highlighted the unprecedented election of a president with no prior public office experience, presumed minimal commitment to constitutional rights, and alleged authoritarian tendencies. The book concluded with a troubling question: Are we witnessing the decline of the world’s oldest and most successful democracy?

Given that these concerns were first raised in 2018, during Trump's presidency, and now seem even more pronounced under a bureaucracy-led administration, I worry about the implications for newer democracies like Nigeria’s. That is because if democracy in the U.S. is under serious threat, what hope is there for emerging democracies struggling to establish themselves?

In my view, the current state of democracy in the U.S., which appears to be under severe threat, suggests that Levitsky and Ziblatt should revisit their book from six years ago to address the present political turmoil and allegations of judicial abuse by Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

While the events of January 6, 2020, with the Capitol invasion leading to a protester's death and injuries to law enforcement, were troubling, the recent spate of assassination attempts on Trump within two months is alarming. These attempts are likely fueled by the continued demonization of Trump as evil by his opponents. Despite accusations against Trump for inciting the Capitol riot, no charges have been filed against those inciting violence against him, which has led to unprecedented threats against his life.

Trump's strong support base, despite intense verbal and physical attacks, remains substantial, as shown by the 2019 election and current polls even as his rival, Kamala Harris, continues to portray Trump as a threat to democracy, further escalating tensions. Pope Francis’s recent comments labeling both presidential candidates as evil and urging Catholics to vote for the lesser evil may also contribute to the toxic environment surrounding the violence defining the forthcoming U.S. election.

As we await the outcome of investigations by relevant security agencies into the latest assassination attempt on former president Trump, it's clear that the heightened rhetoric and extreme language in this election season are contributing to the dangerous climate. Given Nigeria’s constitution is modeled after the U.S. system, the lessons from these developments are crucial for understanding and improving our democratic practices.

Among the many unusual events in the current U.S. political season, it's striking that former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, ex-Congressman Adam Kinzinger, former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, and former Trump spokesperson Anthony Scaramucci endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris over their party's candidate at the RNC convention in Philadelphia. This endorsement was even featured prominently in a campaign video by the RNC.
Contents of television adverts themself are so incendiary that it is a surprise that there have not been open confrotations between supporters of both parties in the manner that violence erupts during electioneering campaigns in African countries where democracy is underdeveloped like Kenya, Malawi , Uganda and Nigeria amongst others.

In contrast, the endorsement of Trump by independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose support worried the DNC, received minimal media attention.

It is also notable that during the September 10 ABC News debate, Kamala Harris accused Trump of influencing the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling that had legalized abortion for decades. Harris, who supports abortion rights, argued that the new ruling undermines women's rights. If Trump did influence the decision, it would be seen as a significant achievement for him and a blow to the DNC and the Biden-Harris administration. While the RNC might argue that Trump appointed three of the justices responsible for the reversal, this raises concerns about political influence in the judiciary.

Harris also accused Trump of obstructing a bipartisan bill on gun control and immigration and border control bill in Congress. This claim suggests that Trump still holds substantial political power, capable of undermining the current administration's efforts. However, it is curious that the Biden-Harris administration succeeded in passing the bipartisan Infrastructure Act but failed to pass the border and anti-illegal migration bill.

After Trump defeated Biden in the June 27 presidential debate, he is now reported to have lost the September 11 debate to Harris, according to a CNN flash poll. This result is seen by some as a form of revenge for Harris after Trump’s earlier victory over Biden. However, polls taken shortly after debates may not reflect the final outcome accurately. Despite Harris's strong performance in style and demeanor during the debate, Trump remains favored by some voters on key issues like the economy and immigration, which are crucial for the 2024 presidential race. While Harris reveived the endorsement of the songstar Taylor Swift, Trump has the backing of the richest man in the world, Elon Musk.
That suggests that while Harris’s campaign is populist and female solidarity Trump’s is driven by economic and kitchen table issues.

Interestingly, President Biden's bid for a second term was derailed by a disastrous debate outcome that led his party to replace him with Vice President Harris as the DNC candidate. Biden's failure to manage the economy, which has been plagued by inflation and a high cost of living, was his main shortcoming. He was not facing impeachment, a common reason for modern U.S. presidents failing to seek re-election. For instance, Richard Nixon did not seek a second term due to the Watergate scandal, while Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden all faced challenges either from party renomination issues or defeat by the opposition.

In many ways, Jimmy Carter's and DNC’s loss in 1980 was due to several factors and hack back to Joe Biden’s current woes.
Here are a few examples:
1. *Economic Troubles*: High inflation (14.8%), unemployment (7.5%), and an energy crisis created a difficult economic environment. Similar economic issues are affecting Biden today.
2. *Iran Hostage Crisis*: The 444-day hostage crisis made Carter appear weak, paralleling how the ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict has affected Biden's image.
3. *Foreign Policy Issues*: Carter faced criticism for his handling of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and other foreign policy matters. Similarly, Biden is criticized for the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
4. *Internal Party Conflicts*: Carter's primary challenge from Senator Ted Kennedy weakened him, similar to how Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s independent run is impacting Biden.
5. *Challenger's Strong Campaign*: Ronald Reagan's effective campaign capitalized on Carter's weaknesses. Trump is often compared to Reagan for his outsider status and campaign style.
6. *Shift to Conservatism*: The 1980 election marked a shift towards conservatism, a trend that echoes today as Trump positions himself against the liberal agenda of Harris.

This shift highlights a continuing struggle in American politics between conservative and liberal ideologies.

It is remarkable how the political landscape in the U.S. in 2024 mirrors that of 1980, 44 years ago. The parallels between Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Donald Trump today, as well as between Jimmy Carter then and Joe Biden now, are striking. Unlike Carter, Biden anticipated a similar outcome and chose to step aside, allowing Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the DNC ticket. This strategic move has given the DNC new momentum, making the current race a close contest.

If the RNC had similarly replaced Trump’s vice-presidential candidate, JD Vance, with someone like Nikki Haley or Sarah Palin, the dynamics of the race might have shifted significantly. Being of lndian origin ,Haley might have countered Harris's appeal to minority voters, and Palin could have strengthened gender equality arguments, which currently favor the RNC.

Pope Francis’s recent comments on the U.S. presidential race, urging Catholic voters to choose the "lesser of two evils," might not dramatically change the decisions of the 52 million U.S. Catholics, but it could clarify choices for some voters who would consider Trump lesser evil. However, it has heightened political tensions since the word evil is considered too toxic to be used in the context of elections.
Pope Francis criticized both candidates on moral grounds: Trump for his stance on immigration and Harris for her support of abortion rights. His intervention stands out because he typically avoids commenting on party politics.

Just like Trump's controversial comments about Haitian immigrants and the resulting threats against them such as the claim that there have been bomb threats in schools in Haitian communities in Ohio, calling Trump a threat to democracy whose re-election would result in the end of democracy may have also contributed to the recent spikes in assassination attempts against the 45th president of the U.S.
His unconventional approach, including his strict immigration policies targeting illegal immigrants, as is the case in Europe where illegal immigrants are also under attack,challenges American traditional practices and may contribute to the animosity he faces.
The truth is that even though the U.S. was built by immigrants, no president courts open borders and wants illegal immigrants to overrun the country because of the consequences which Trump and his supporters are trying to prevent, but his opponents demonize him as if he is evil. Yet they lament that he scuttled a bi-partisan bill to solve border/immigration issues.
What that suggests is that the incumbent administration may be bereft of ideas of how to stem the tide of illegal immigrants or just want to play to the gallery to gain the votes of liberals.

Also, the criticism Trump receives from American technocrats about his alleged departure from traditional political norms is akin to the backlash faced by past leaders who were deemed to have deviated from established practices. Like Ronald Reagan and Trump, who both entered politics from outside traditional bureaucratic paths. Reagan who was a two (2) term governor of California before becoming president was a movie star. Trump’s outsider status -real estate mogul and reality television show host has shaped both his support and opposition.

Despite currently facing prosecution, some would say persecution, Trump remains a prominent contender and powerful frontrunner for the presidency in the upcoming November 5th election. The belief that his repeated escapes from assassination attempts might signify a higher destiny suggests he could be poised to return as the 47th president of the U.S.
May God save Donald Trump

Magnus Onyibe, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst,author, democracy advocate, development strategist, alumnus of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, and a former commissioner in Delta state government, sent this piece from Lagos, Nigeria.
To continue with this conversation and more,please visit www.magnum.ng

Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has hinted on a possible return to the Nigeria Premier Football League.

Musa urged his supporters to decide on his next club among the 20 teams in the NPFL.

The former NPFL hotshot made the announcement on the social media.

“Let’s go again, which of this team’s do you wish for me to sign,” Musa wrote on X with the logos of the 20 NPFL clubs..

Musa previously had two stints with Kano Pillars in the NPFL.

The 31-year-old has been without a club since leaving Turkish Super Lig club, Sivasspor.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday explained why his administration linked its Eight-Point Agenda to Digital Identity Initiatives.

He said the measure would streamline service delivery, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and allow Nigerians to benefit directly from government programmes and services.

The President said a robust and efficient digital identity system has proven vital for the success of government programmes, such as providing incentives for farmers, the student loan scheme, the National Youth Talent Export Programme, Renewed Hope City and Estate Housing initiative, and the Skill-Up Artisans Programme.

President Tinubu said this at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Conference Centren in Kado, Abuja, while declaring open this year’s National Identity Day organised by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr. George Akume, said this year’s event with the theme: Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – Enabling Access to Services, underscored the critical role that digital identity plays in the nation’s development.

“In today’s digital age, the ability to prove one’s identity is not just a matter of convenience; it is a cornerstone of our socio-economic progress.

“Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is the backbone that enables access to essential services, from healthcare and education to financial inclusion and social welfare.

“It is through a robust DPI that we can ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of their background or location, has the opportunity to participate fully in our nation’s growth.

“Our administration’s eight-point agenda, which includes food security, ending poverty, economic growth and job creation, access to capital, improving security, enhancing the business environment, upholding the rule of law, and fighting corruption, is intrinsically linked to the success of our digital identity initiatives.

“By leveraging DPI, we can streamline service delivery, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure that government programs reach those who need them most,” the President said.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the day was worth celebrating as it was meant to open up new opportunities for Nigerians to actively participate in government programmes and enjoy the benefits thereof.

He said Digital identity system enables government to plan for its socio-economic programmes and other challenges, noting that it remains critical to social and financial development of the country.

NIMC’s Director General Abisoye Coker-Odusote said: “I must say we are on the right path, and key strides have been made through collaboration and partnerships with government agencies and private sector players – linking of NINs and phone numbers with the telecommunication companies, NIN and Bank Verification Number (BVN) harmonisation with financial institutions to facilitate digital payments, digital money, digital identity and digital processes, amongst others.

“Furthermore, the Student Loan Initiative showcases how DPI can eliminate financial barriers to education.

“By collaborating with 257 institutions, 332,715 students have been registered for loans, and over 18,000 students have already received payments through the initiative,” she said.

Former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, has revealed that during his tenure from 2007 to 2015, he required his aides and commissioners to join social clubs across the state.

This mandate, Fashola explained, was aimed at ensuring that government policies and activities were more accessible and better understood by the public.

“During our administration, I mandated my aides and commissioners to join social clubs in Lagos so they could gain insights and educate people about government policies wherever discussions were taking place,” Fashola said.

Fashola, who also served as a former minister and is a patron of the Eko Club, shared these insights during the club’s 50th-anniversary lecture last Wednesday.

The lecture was titled “The Role of Social Clubs in Social Engineering.”

The ex-governor emphasised the importance of common interest as a key pillar of social clubs and urged Eko Club to reinvigorate its focus on sporting activities. Fashola noted that sports is a significant yet underutilised source of employment, especially in an environment grappling with high youth unemployment.

“Eko Club must return to its sporting objectives and lead the revival of youth inter-club competitions. We cannot rely solely on government efforts for the success of our athletes at international sports events,” he said.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also called for the club to be more engaged in matters of public interest.

He added that Eko Club should expand its role beyond hosting events and be more involved in societal issues.

“It is my humble view that we have been somewhat detached from issues that affect our common interests. Eko Club is too significant and prestigious to be known merely as a venue for parties, anniversaries, and weddings, important as these may be to social engineering,” Fashola remarked.

He encouraged the club to focus on its future rather than dwelling excessively on its past, advising them to prioritize the next 50 years of development.

[Punch]

Netzence Sustainability Limited (Netzence) has reiterated commitment to ensuring sustainable practices across the world, saying its CloseCarbon technology will serve as a solution to the global climate crisis.

The firm, in a statement, lamented that the global efforts to mitigate climate change were facing significant challenges in accurately monitoring, reporting and verifying carbon emissions.

The statement, however, said Netzence’s CloseCarbon technology would address it by providing a comprehensive technological platform for organisations.

The statement reads: “Netzence’s CloseCarbon technology addresses this issue head-on by providing a comprehensive and robust platform for organisations to manage their carbon footprint. At the heart of CloseCarbon lies a sophisticated data-driven approach that enables organizations to seamlessly monitor, analyse, and report their emissions. This innovative solution leverages advanced algorithms and machine learning to gather and process vast amounts of data, ensuring the highest levels of accuracy and transparency in carbon accounting.

“The compliance carbon market is a constantly evolving landscape, and CloseCarbon is designed to adapt to these changes seamlessly. The solution stays up-to-date with the latest regulatory requirements, ensuring that organizations remain compliant as the rules and regulations in the carbon market evolve. Additionally, the technology is built on a flexible and scalable architecture, allowing it to incorporate new technologies and data sources as they emerge, ensuring continuous improvement and optimization.

“CloseCarbon’s data-driven analytics also provide organizations with valuable insights into market trends and emerging risks, enabling them to make informed decisions and stay ahead of the curve. As sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors become increasingly important, CloseCarbon’s comprehensive carbon management capabilities align with these growing priorities, helping organizations enhance their sustainability credentials. By offering a holistic approach to carbon management, CloseCarbon addresses the market’s need for integrated compliance solutions that streamline reporting, reduce complexity, and drive meaningful sustainability initiatives.

“One of the key benefits of CloseCarbon is its ability to streamline the complex process of compliance and reporting within the carbon market. By automating data collection, monitoring, reporting, and verification, CloseCarbon empowers organizations to navigate the intricate regulatory landscape with ease.

Organizations using CloseCarbon can effortlessly generate detailed reports that meet the stringent requirements of various carbon trading schemes and regulatory bodies, saving valuable time and resources while enhancing the reliability and credibility of their carbon data.

“Beyond the compliance aspect, CloseCarbon offers organizations a powerful tool to optimize their carbon reduction strategies. By providing actionable insights and data-driven recommendations, CloseCarbon helps businesses identify the most impactful areas for emissions reduction, enabling them to prioritize and implement effective sustainability initiatives. This holistic approach to carbon management allows organizations to make informed decisions, allocate resources efficiently, and demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship – a crucial factor in the increasingly eco-conscious business landscape.

“Transparency and trust are essential pillars of the compliance carbon market, and CloseCarbon’s robust data management capabilities and rigorous reporting standards help build confidence among regulators, investors, and stakeholders. By offering verifiable and auditable carbon data, CloseCarbon empowers organizations to showcase their environmental credentials, strengthening their position in the compliance carbon market and enhancing their overall sustainability reputation.

“The success of the compliance carbon market lies in its ability to inspire collective action towards a sustainable future. Netzence Sustainability Limited’s CloseCarbon aligns seamlessly with this objective, providing a scalable solution that can be adopted by organizations of all sizes and across various industries. As more businesses embrace CloseCarbon, the cumulative impact on carbon reduction efforts will be profound, marking a crucial step in the global transition towards a net-zero emissions economy.

“Netzence’s CloseCarbon stands as a game-changer in the carbon compliance market, offering a comprehensive and innovative solution to the longstanding challenges of carbon accounting and reporting. By empowering organizations to streamline their compliance, optimize their carbon reduction strategies, and foster transparency and trust, CloseCarbon paves the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.

“As the world grapples with the urgent need to address climate change, the adoption of solutions like CloseCarbon will be instrumental in driving collective action and progress towards a net-zero emissions future. Netzence’s vision and commitment to sustainability have positioned CloseCarbon as a crucial tool in the fight against the climate crisis.”

[Vanguard]

By the time the Department of State Services released Nigeria Labour Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, last Monday evening September 9, he had become contrite, remorseful and perhaps ashamed of his uninformed action. The labour leader was invited twice by the secret police and twice he failed to honour the invitation.

As I learnt, during the second invitation, Ajaero even told the new DSS boss who telephoned him that he was travelling out of the country and could only honour the invitation on his return. What an insufferable arrogance! However, unbeknownst to him, at the behest of the police and office of the national security adviser, which have been investigating him, the DSS had placed him on a watch list.

For failing to honour the invitation, the SSS operatives promptly arrested him at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja on Monday morning as he arrived to board his flight to London. He was whisked to DSS office in Abuja where the police interrogated him for his alleged infractions, which remain yet unstated. It is instructive to state that the DSS, according to official sources, has nothing against Ajaero. However, the service arrested him so he can respond to the allegations levelled against him by the police.

That interrogation was said to have been conducted within the DSS premises with his lawyer in attendance. When the interrogation was over and Ajaero was released on bail, the DSS took him home in a well-fortified security vehicle early enough on Monday night. He was then asked to break the news of his release to his associates by himself. Unknown to many, the NLC president himself delayed the announcement of his release till almost midnight that same Monday for reasons known to him.

I have gone to this length to narrate Ajaero’s encounter with the DSS based on the information I garnered from sources close to the service in order to demonstrate that the NLC president was not picked up at the airport for no unjustifiable reason, as many may want us to believe and that he was not in any way manhandled by the service during the period of the arrest.

On the contrary, he was reportedly treated with respect and decorum, and his rights fully respected. The DSS explained to him that not honouring the invitation extended to him was a grave error on his part, which he allegedly admitted and reportedly apologised.

With that background, it is evident that the United Kingdom Trade Union Congress, which intervened in the matter and attacked the present administration for alleged intolerance and violation of Ajaero’s fundamental human rights without justification, did not understand the issues involved and what actually transpired. The TUC-UK is one organisation lawyers would label a meddlesome interloper in this matter. And it was just fit and appropriate that the Presidency had given the association the response it rightly deserved.

For crying out loud, why would a labour leader deserving of that name or more precisely, why would an Ajaero who is the NLC president not honour a lawful invitation by a legal entity like the Nigeria Police?

It would appear Ajaero deliberately acted the way he did in order to further heat up the polity that has already become tense over the fuel situation or to befuddle the matter of his arrest in a bid to embarrass the government.

I will return to the matter of premium motor spirit shortly.

Just like Ajaero would want it to act, the NLC behaved in a way typical of the union. Without interrogating what actually happened, the congress slammed the federal government with a midnight deadline to order Ajaero’s release, otherwise government should be ready for a showdown.

Affiliate organisations of the labour union were placed on red alert, following an emergency meeting of the national administrative council of the NLC in Abuja in reaction to the arrest. They were directed to mobilise for a confrontation with the government if the NLC president was not released by midnight.

Why is labour so recalcitrant and inflexible, why does the union always resort to protest, in spite of the present government’s demonstration of good faith with them? Why is labour always dangling the strike option at the snap of their fingers?

The other day and despite the then-ongoing negotiations with the government and organised private sector, labour still called for a strike over the national minimum wage, disrupting business activities in some parts of the country, particularly aviation operations in Lagos and Abuja. In the end, after its ineffective industrial action, labour returned to the negotiation table with the government and OPS during which a new N70,000 national minimum wage was agreed upon.

The two unions even got an icing on the cake, as President Bola Tinubu directed a three-yearly review of the NMW as opposed to the existing every five years review.
The President Tinubu administration has shown good faith, trust in labour, and belief in what a harmonious relationship the government and labour unions can contribute to nation building and a stable polity. It is high time labour reciprocated this appropriately.

On the matter of the fuel situation, I mean the recent increase in the pump price of PMS, which Ajaero obviously wanted to load up with his arrest to create another confusion, there is also a need for some clarifications. In the wake of the hike in the pump price of petrol from N617 to N897 per litre, while calling for an immediate reversal of the increase, the NLC had claimed the hike was a breach of the agreement it reached with the government during the minimum wage negotiations where it came down from its demand of N250,000 to N70,000.

In a statement signed by Comrade Ajaero, Labour claimed it had an understanding with the government that there would be no further increase based on which it agreed to the N70,000 NMW. However, those who attended the negotiations and witnessed as the negotiating parties reached an agreement said there was no such understanding. I believe Ajaero and the other labour leaders know the true position of things and are merely engaging in subterfuge.

Truth is the recent hike was a difficult pill for government to swallow. President Bola Tinubu recently said In Beijing, China while addressing the Nigerian Community there that if there was a better option, the government would have taken it. The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited had long informed the government it was not covering its cost, arguing that with the unification of the multiple exchange rates that earlier existed, the company now required more money for the foreign exchange it would need for fuel importation. NNPCL argued that the matter was not helped by the high debt it owed suppliers.

According to the corporation, in order to guarantee fuel availability, there is a need for an increase that would be close to the cost of making the products available. And because the PMS price in Nigeria is about the lowest within the sub-region, smuggling walked on all fours as the products are being smuggled across the border.
We can argue that the government needs to double up its efforts in checking smuggling, and that would be right. However, fuel availability must be guaranteed in the interim while efforts are being made to drive down the cost including warding off smuggling. Availability is expected to be further assured with Dangote Refinery now coming on stream.

Indeed, the announcement on Friday that the federal government had finally reached an agreement with Dangote Refinery on the commercial terms for the supply of crude oil to the refinery and the off-take of its PMS is heart-warming. Following the agreement, the government announced that the distribution of petrol from the refinery would commence on Monday, September 16 with an initial 25 million litres per day. Under the agreement, NNPCL will be the sole off-taker of petrol from Dangote Refinery while diesel from the facility will be sold directly to any interested marketer.

And as a buffer for the gradual reduction in the demand for PMS, the government is also speeding up efforts on the compressed natural gas initiative. Already, the government has commenced the distribution of CNG conversion kits and cylinders to transport unions in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states under a plan aimed at converting one million commercial vehicles free across the country in the next two years. As opposed to PMS that is around N897 or N900 per litre, CNG costs between N230 and N300 per kilogram.

In my view, the federal government must now begin the implementation of the NMW and get the organised private sector to also toe the same line to stem labour’s seeming uneasiness. Arrears on the NMW must also be paid to win over the hearts of workers. This is also where the governors must immediately come in as well. The increasing revenue now going to them should come handy in implementing the new minimum wage.

Rahman is a senior presidential aide