Phew, what an escape! Senior officials of the federal ministry of justice must be thanking their stars by now. As the Commercial Court of England and Wales prepared to deliver its verdict over whether or not to set aside the $11 billion arbitration award against Nigeria, agents of P&ID Ltd reportedly reached out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to arrest the judgment and enter a settlement agreement. With the way the Nigeria legal team, led by Mr Mark Howard KC, had argued its case before The Hon Mr Justice Robin Knowles — and with P&ID failing to dispute the corruption allegations or even prove the honesty of its witnesses — the pendulum was swinging our way.

It looked like a scenario of “all or nothing” for P&ID, with things tending towards nothing. The only way to get any monetary compensation was the mooted settlement agreement. The details were not very clear but having initially proposed $2.5 billion in 2015 before agreeing to $850 million in the dying days of President Goodluck Jonathan’s government (before it was rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari), P&ID would expect a delicious figure from Tinubu. And the Nigerian traitors putting the agreement together were already calculating, as it were, their thirty pieces of silver. The settlement scam had almost been successfully sold to Tinubu. Pray, who will love this country?

In the absence of a substantive attorney-general, the lot fell on officials of the ministry of justice to give legal advice to the president on the proposed scam. They reportedly made a passionate case to the president that the judgment should not be arrested and that Nigeria had a solid chance of winning based on how the court proceedings went. Thankfully, Tinubu listened to them and made up his mind that P&ID should go to blazes, despite the pressure from the buccaneers. Now, just imagine what would have happened to those ministry officials if Justice Knowles had ruled against us and upheld the $11 billion award. They would have been roasted, or, in the least, skinned alive.

To be honest, when I first read up on the P&ID award, my initial proposal was an out-of-court settlement. The case looked bad. I did not see a way out. Nigeria had entered into a gas supply and processing agreement (GSPA) with P&ID in January 2010 and defaulted. In my article, ‘That $9bn award against Nigeria’ (August 18, 2019), I argued that Nigeria could not hope to escape liability by claiming sovereignty. Such rights are waived when a sovereign entity enters into a business venture. The redeeming feature, I argued, was that P&ID itself did not fulfil its part of the GSPA: that is, to build a gas processing facilities (GPF). How could Nigeria have built a pipeline to an invisible GPF?

After Nigeria repudiated the GSPA in August 2012 under a new government headed by Jonathan, P&ID went to the London Court of International Arbitration and won two awards: one, affirming Nigeria’s liability; two, getting a final “quantum” fine of $6.6 billion plus seven percent interest — about $1 million a day — backdated to March 2013. Nigeria’s argument that P&ID did not do any work to warrant the $6.6 billion liability failed. Our position that Nigeria’s assets could not be “attached” because of its sovereignty did not hold water either — with Justice Christopher Butcher of the English Commercial Court ruling in August 2019 that P&ID could enforce the judgment.

At this stage, it had become hopeless based on available evidence. But God loves Nigeria. An investigation ordered by Buhari and led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered several corrupt payments made by P&ID to some Nigerian officials who worked on the GSPA. The officials had, not surprisingly, skewed the agreement against their own country. The MoU that transformed to the GSPA had been altered to give P&ID an incredible advantage over Nigeria. In short, Nigerians worked against Nigeria. People who became billionaires courtesy of their “service” to Nigeria did not have any scruples betraying their fatherland. Pray, who will love this country?

The discoveries by the EFCC helped Nigeria enormously as Justice Ross Cranston of the English Commercial Court granted us respite in September 2019 — meaning the enforcement of the award was put on hold. Nigeria got an extension of time to challenge the decision of the arbitration tribunal based on previously undiscovered evidence of corrupt payments. The case was thereafter referred to trial before Justice Knowles. But there were more miracles on the way. During trial, it emerged that P&ID’s lawyers and officials were (unethically) in possession of several of Nigeria’s confidential internal legal documents, which gave away our strategies as well as our underbelly. Nigerians!

Some Nigerian officials were actually selling out their country to P&ID by leaking these critical documents for a mess of pottage! Copies of the confidential documents ended up in P&ID’s custody the moment they were shared by government officials. That was an ultimate betrayal of fatherland, but this appears to be a culture in Nigeria. After all, in one of the American cables that were published by Wikileaks in 2009, an official of Shell boasted that within minutes of any decision being taken in Aso Rock Villa, the information was always leaked to them. Up till tomorrow, there are Judases in the corridors of power. Their God is their bellies. Pray, who will love this country?

Things got better for Nigeria when it turned out that the evidence given to the arbitration tribunal by Mr Michael Quinn, co-owner of P&ID, was full of lies. It is called perjury. Quinn, who died in 2015, had claimed that P&ID had already obtained finance for the project, that it had done 90 percent of the engineering design, and that it had expended $40 million before the default. In fact, the engineering design was not financed by P&ID. It was for another project and was unfit for the GPFs under the GSPA. And even though P&ID was allocated land for the project in Calabar, Cross River state, it didn’t pay for it and never acquired it. In essence, there were no processing facilities.

Justice Knowles, relying on section 68 of the English Arbitration Act 1996, said he was satisfied that the awards (liability and quantum) were obtained by fraud and contrary to public policy. He made some barely disguised uncomplimentary remarks about the arbitration tribunal. He wondered how the tribunal identified “the sequencing of obligations with the apparent confidence it did”. The tribunal had concluded that it was impossible for P&ID to build the GPFs when Nigeria had not made arrangement for gas supply — but ignored the reverse fact: could Nigeria have built a gas pipeline to GPFs that did not exist? Clearly, both parties defaulted but the tribunal chose the sequence it liked.

P&ID had argued that “…any perjury that took place did not cause any substantial injustice within the meaning of s. 68 as it did not bring about the Awards (or any of them)”. In his judgment, Justice Knowles said: “I respectfully disagree. The Awards were the result of the Arbitration that happened. There is no question to my mind that the Arbitration would have been completely different, and in ways strongly favourable to Nigeria, had the fact of bribery of Mrs Grace Taiga when the GSPA was being made been before the Tribunal. It would have brought in the issue [of] whether the GSPA was procured by fraud, and as a result voidable.” The tribunal had relied on Quinn’s perjured evidence.

With Knowles now setting aside the enforcement of the award, I would say the rest is formality. In deciding the way forward, he wants to listen to both sides. Section 68 gives three options: (1) remit the award to the tribunal, in whole or in part, for reconsideration; (2) set the award aside, in whole or in part; (3) declare the award of no effect, in whole or in part. Having fully established that the awards “were obtained by fraud” and were procured in a way “contrary to public policy”, Justice Knowles knows there is only one option left: to set it aside in whole. The foundation is fraudulent. The GSPA is a “poisonous tree” — as Americans call it — and its fruits are automatically poisonous.

I am taking many things away from this judgment. First, this is good news for Nigeria. Many agreements are foisted on us by traitors who hope to benefit through judgment debts. Nigeria has now secured a leeway for judicial intervention over agreements obtained through corruption or under fishy circumstances. This has raised my hope on the $2.3 billion arbitration filed against Nigeria by Sunrise Power over Mambilla hydropower. How was the contract awarded a day after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had stepped down the memo? What work did Sunrise do? How could Sunrise have spent millions of dollars, as it claims, when its declared total assets was N1 million?

Second, government officials who collude to skew agreements against Nigeria should be on notice that even decades after — when they should be enjoying retirement and playing with their grandchildren and great grandchildren — they can be called upon to answer embarrassing questions. Nigeria is generally a society where there are no consequences for bad behaviour, but I am sure some of those called to answer questions on P&ID did not find it funny. A Pharoah who does not know Joseph will arise one day and the privileges and protections enjoyed by these Judases will be taken away. I hope traitors in Tinubu’s cabinet who are already cutting deals will understand this.

Finally, I am happy that there are still government officials who love Nigeria — never mind the sad tone of this article’s title. They could have colluded with P&ID agents, got the judgment arrested and shared from the blood money. It is easy to cite the example of how a whole former chief justice helped P&ID secure the award against his fatherland and conclude that every Nigerian is like that. But there are still a few people who do not worship money and would not sell out their country. They may not be in millions, as we wish, but they exist. I know some of them. No, they are not perfect. But, yes, they are decent. Their consciences are not so dead that they can no longer differentiate between what is haram and what is halal. And this makes me believe Nigeria is not finished.

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…

SUPREME VERDICT

For practical purposes, the 2023 presidential poll is finally over — with Thursday’s verdict by the Supreme Court affirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner. Some precedents have now been set. One, when it comes to the 25 percent threshold, FCT will be regarded as one of the states. Two, failure to use iRev does not invalidate an election. The court also ruled that any evidence that exists during trial cannot be introduced on appeal. It further ruled that only a certified true copy of a deposition is acceptable in court, and warned litigants against holding roadshows in a case that is sub judice. Not that there will now be peace, but at least this piece of business is concluded. Officially.

REALITY BITES

To put it mildly, Nigerians are having it rough. Prices of goods and services are heading for the skies. The naira has continued its downward journey since the ill-thought-out and poorly implemented unification policy of the Tinubu administration. Things are all over the place. I admit that the current economic hardship is global — even rich countries are battling with the cost of living crisis. I also admit that the problems of Nigeria did not start today and we are partly paying for key decisions we failed to take years ago. But this only reinforces my point about election promises: anybody who claims to have a quick fix for Nigeria’s problems is lying. Things are simply too complicated. Reality.

LAW AND ORDER

Abdulrasheed Bawa, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), have finally been released from DSS detention after several months. No matter what their perceived offences might be, there is no doubt that the government could have handled this matter much better than it did. If there were legal grounds to keep them for so long, the government should have made them clear to the public. Nigerians should not have been left guessing. This is a democracy and under no circumstances should we create the impression that our laws can be applied as government pleases. Imperative.

AND FINALLY…

Whether we like it or not, our federal lawmakers will still buy the multibillion naira “committee cars”, although their monetised benefits already make provision for personal cars. I won’t be surprised if state lawmakers are also giving themselves a similar treat. Those ones always get away with murder as we focus all our attention on Abuja. The choice of luxury cars, we are told by the lawmakers, is because they are durable — at a time millions of Nigerians are struggling to feed. Reminds me of what Senator Chuba Okadigbo said in 1999 when we complained about their (then) huge allowances: “We’re here to alleviate poverty, not spread it.” Someone will soon say the “good old days”. Nigeria!

Rarely in modern times can so few have tried to take so much from so many. If Nigeria had lost its arbitration dispute with Process & Industrial Development in a London court on 23 October, it would have cost our people close to USD15 billion.

We won, and all decent people can sleep easier as a result. Justice Robin Knowles said Nigeria had been the victim of a monstrous fraud. But it was a close-run thing. As the judge said: “I end the case acutely conscious of how readily the outcome could have been different, and of the enormous resources ultimately required from Nigeria as the successful party to make good its challenge.”

But ordinary Nigerians never took the decisions that ended up before Justice Knowles. Had Nigeria lost, it would have required schools not to be built, nurses not to be trained and roads not to repaired, on an epic scale, to pay a handful of contractors, lawyers and their allies – for a project that never broke ground.

How did it get to this point? How did Nigeria prevail? Was this a one-off, or par for a shabby and distasteful course? What are the lessons for the future?

The ‘P&ID Affair’ was already firmly set by the time I came into office in 2015. A company registered in the British Virgin Islands that no one had heard of, with hardly any staff or assets, had won a contract to build a gas processing plant in Cross Rivers. The company was owned by Irish intermediaries who knew Nigeria well and had done business in everything from healthcare to fixing tanks.

The previous government could not supply the gas. The plant was never built. Construction was not started. P&ID did not even buy the land for the facility. But the contract, incredibly, was clear: P&ID could sue Nigeria, and claim all the profits it might have made over 20 years as if everything had been completed.

Nigeria was in court in London, trying to talk down liability and costs. Back at home, fixers were looking to work out a quiet settlement. This is often the way. A lot of contracts end up in dispute. P&ID won a settlement in 2017 of USD6 billion, with compound interest. People, including out of work ex-British Cabinet Minister Priti Patel, were queuing up to insist we paid, or risk Nigeria becoming an untrustworthy trade pariah.

It was clear that far from the whole story had been told. I tasked Abba Kyari, my chief- of-staff and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, with finding a way, even at that late stage and despite so much conflicting advice, to get us a fair hearing. Working with a number of different agencies and senior officials of government, we began to find a huge amount of evidence, not all of which Justice Knowles was to accept. But he agreed that P&ID had paid bribes. He agreed that one of P&ID’s founders had committed perjury. And he agreed that P&ID had somehow found in its possession a steady supply of Nigeria’s privileged internal legal documents, outlining our plans, strategies and problems.

My own view is that this whole, sorry affair shows how important it is to follow the legal process in resolving a dispute. It shows that given time and opportunity for each side to present their case, the temple of justice can satisfactorily resolve all disputes without resort to extra-judicial measures. It was definitely worth the struggle: this was an attempted heist of historic proportions, an attempt to steal from the treasury a third of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.

But even at this moment, we should note what the English judge cautioned. The arbitration process in London “was a shell that got nowhere near the truth.” We need better contracts, in the public and private sector. And we need greater transparency: the reality is that, had P&ID not conjured up quite such an outlandish ransom, they may have found themselves in the same place as the myriad other invisible contractors who all too often quietly take Nigeria for many millions in out of court settlements. Sterner sanctions are indicated for Nigerian public officials who have been proven to connive with foreign criminals to defraud our country.

Nigeria has won this battle with corruption, but the war is far from over. As Justice Knowles concluded: “This case has also, sadly, brought together a combination of examples of what some individuals will do for money. Driven by greed and prepared to use corruption; giving no thought to what their enrichment would mean in terms of harm for others. Others that in the present case include the people of Nigeria, already let down in so many ways over the history of this matter by a number of individuals in politics and administration whose duty it was to serve them and protect them.” Well said.

•Buhari served as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2015-23

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, on Friday congratulated President Bola Tinubu over his Supreme Court victory.

Governor Eno noted that the victory has put an end to all the litigations against the President’s emergence at the February 25, 2023 elections.

The Governor who sent his congratulations at a “Thank You Meeting” by Christian Leaders in the state, on Friday, said although Akwa Ibom State is a Peoples Democratic Party state, his government would continue to align with the centre to attract developments to the state.

“I want to congratulate the president, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory at the supreme court. This has indeed ended all the litigations trailing the president’s emergence at the February 25, 2023 elections.”

Governor Eno noted that although the country is going through hardship occasioned by the removal of oil subsidy, his administration would make sure that every available resource is not wasted on frivolities but deployed for optimal benefits of the generality of the people

“When I say there is no money, I mean there is no money to throw around but there is money to do good things. There is money to do every good thing. Money to do investments will not be a problem in this state. Money by itself is a scarce commodity. If you throw money around like that, it will lose its value”.

He also thanked the clergymen for not allowing divisive ethnic sentiments to saturate the church community, urging them to strive to keep the church united, irrespective of political or ethnic affiliations, to be in sync with his administration’s disposition.

He reassured the group of his commitment to lead a united and prosperous Akwa Ibom State, to justify the confidence the church and entire people of the state reposed in him during the last gubernatorial election.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Christian Nyong, said the Church community was impressed with Pastor Umo Eno’s leadership strides

The CAN leader told the governor that the meeting was a representation of the various blocs that constitute the church community in the state and would engender greater support of Christians in the state toward the success of the present administration being led by one of their own.

Former Super Eagles midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has revealed he was always terrified to play against Ivory Coast legend, Didier Drogba.

Mikel Obi and Drogba played together at Chelsea in the Premier League and won many titles together.

But they faced each other a few times at the international level.

One of those came at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

In a video shared on CAF’s online social media, Mikel Obi said he was scared of Drogba because the striker is a great goal scorer.

“Obviously, the player I never wanted to meet, that I was lucky I didn’t meet quite a lot, was Didier Drogba. You know, I was always scared of meeting him. Because I knew at some point in the game he would score,” he said.

The Lagos State Government has reopened Alaba International Market and some other markets at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, on Saturday. The state government shut the markets earlier because of improper waste management and other environmental infractions.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said the markets were reopened after the environmental issues had been addressed.

Wahab dismissed claims in some quarters that political motives were behind the closure of the markets and stressed that the step was taken to ensure a clean and healthy environment around business facilities.

“I state emphatically that the closure of those markets had no ethnic or political motives as it was done to ensure cleanliness and environmental sustainability for the good of all residents. The decision to reopen the markets followed rigorous assessment and implementation of stringent environmental standards.

“These standards were set to guarantee that businesses in the state operate in a manner that is not detrimental to the environment and the well-being of the people,’’ Wahab said.

He reiterated the significance of maintaining a harmonious balance between commerce and environmental health. He said the enforcement would be continuous as the government would not hesitate to seal any market or corporate facility found wanting.

Commenting on the reopening of the markets, Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said it worked with market officials to ensure the attainment of environmental standards.

He said it was important for markets to operate in a manner that was economically viable and environmentally responsible.

“We have standards that each market in the state has to comply with to make our business environment clean and healthy for buyers and sellers. These include proper waste management, zero tolerance for open burning of waste and zero tolerance for dumping of wastes in the drainage channels.

“Others are the engagement of market policing personnel to monitor market sanitation, observance of distance from road setbacks, medians and market surroundings to avoid indiscriminate dumping. We must also ensure the eradication of street trading and trading on road medians and shoulders, which obstruct the free flow of traffic.

“Tariffs must also be fully paid as any violation of the stated regulations would attract penalties and possible subsequent closure of offending markets,’’ he said.

Gbadegesin urged users and business owners to show commitment to environmental sustainability through proper waste disposal and adherence to environmental laws to prevent market closures. (NAN)

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused Nigerians of being too docile and ready to accept anything thrown at them.

Amaechi, who was actively involved in politics from 1999 to 2023, said this when he featured as a guest speaker at the 2023 TheNiche Annual Lecture held at Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday.

Although most of the things he said at the lecture have been reported, a 4-minute video is currently trending online.

In the video, the former speaker of Rivers House of Assembly and two-term governor of Rivers State, said he had been quiet for some reasons, including the advice of his publicist.

“There are so many television houses and individuals that approached me to speak on different issues since I left office and I declined. I declined for two reasons; one, my publicist advised me not to say anything; and he is very angry as I am speaking to you.”

“Secondly, Nigerians don’t react to anything. What is new to say, Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? Which politician told you he went to university? Which politician told you she served in NYSC, and which politician told you he has certificate?

“Nigerians know and still vote for them, so what is your problem? I say why should I speak when already there’s nothing new? Nigerians choose who to believe and who not to believe, Nigerians choose who to vote and who not to vote. Even if you come to a Nigerian man’s house and kill his mother, the father will continue his life. Nothing bothers you, nothing, so why should I waste my time?

“When we are talking about the Buhari government there is nothing that our chairman said that is new. People have said it several times, right from the Goodluck Jonathan government to the Buhari Government that I was a part of. If I was killed, what would have happened? Nothing, so you will lead a useless life. So, I chose to stay in my house quietly. Unfortunately for me I got admission to study in the Nigerian law school. And rule number one is that you are our property. You are not allowed to go anywhere. That is the rule. So anybody who says why we don’t see you; I am a student of the Nigerian law school. Until I graduate, I can’t disobey them.

“I chose not to speak because Nigerians will do absolutely nothing. If you say it’s a lie nothing will happen. Even if you are not committing any crime, Nigeria will say you are a thief and you go to prison for nothing. It’s a hopeless situation. Is it a lie? So, I will shock you that I want to talk about the Buhari government for two reasons and the Tinubu government. What moral standing do you have to criticize the Buhari government? I was a participant. That was the argument. If I will not say anything about the Buhari government, I will also say nothing about the Tinubu government because you know the problem. Instead of Nigerians finding solutions, they are committing suicide. I am praying so that you commit suicide so that by the time I wake up, I will benefit from your death by taking justice. What others resist like going on in Ghana and Kenya is what Nigerians.. no be four years. After four years, let him go. The man won another term whether magic or crook. No be eight years, he will soon go.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has celebrated his long-time ally, friend, and confidant, His Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos State, on the monarch’s 80th birthday.

The president, in a statement on Saturday by his spokeman, Ajuri Ngelale, described the revered monarch as a fountain of wisdom, knowledge, and a staunch custodian of the rich culture and traditions of Lagos.

“Oba Akiolu and I have come a long way. He is my confidant. He is a dear friend I hold in high esteem for his integrity, honour, and forthrightness. He is always generous with his wise counsel and always willing to offer his fatherly guidance.

“Baba is a defender of the truth and his people. My achievements as Lagos State Governor are partly due to his support and counsel. His Majesty’s reign has brought peace, progress, and development to the good people of Lagos,” President Tinubu said.

The president, who thanked the Eleko of Eko for his unceasing prayers and support, recalled his interventions over the years, even in trying times.

“Today, I celebrate an extraordinary monarch whose wit and foresight are peerless. May His Majesty live long, and may his reign on the throne of his fathers continue to be prosperous,” President Tinubu prayed.

“The Oba of Lagos is a monarch of many achievements. He rose to the pinnacle of his professional career, retiring as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police. The Oba is a fellow of the Nigerian Law School,” he added.

City FM is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Programme: CITY TALKS WITH REUBEN ABATI

Time: 12:00pm

Guest: Abiodun J. Owonikoko Esq., SAN

Topic: "Supreme Court affirms Tinubu's victory in Presidential election"

Date: 28th October, 2023
                         
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92877141732?pwd=VEJWb29OL2VVekZUTHRpdWYxK0xxZz09

Meeting ID: 928 7714 1732
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The presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative Steering Committee has said on Friday said 7 CNG conversation centres have been established in the country.

Mr Zacch Adedeji,the Chairman of the Committee, made this known during the launch of the much awaited CNG initiative with the handing over of 2 CNG buses to the State House, Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusesan Adebiyi, at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Adedeji, who is also the acting Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), was represented by Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)

He said the establishment of the CNG conversion centres symbolised the commitment of President Bola Tinubu administration to spearhead energy revolution in the country.

Adedeji said more CNG conversion centres would be established across the country, adding that the effort was a pivotal step in the country’s journey towards a cleaner and economically sound future.

He added that the project was not only about the conversation of vehicles but also creating employment opportunities.

According to him, FIRS would waive Value Added Tax on CNG purchases and seek duty waivers for the value chain.

He said that the aim was to build a sustainable future leveraging the nation’s cheap and clean energy source.

According to him, it also demonstrates Tinubu’s commitment to environmental sustainability and economic growth.

He said, “This CNG buses to be handed over to the State House are the vanguard of a future, where energy is cleaner and more economical.’’

Adedeji appreciated the President for his support and to all those who played a part in the project.

He said, “I’m pleased to announce that there are currently seven conversion centres in Nigeria and the government is actively working to establish more of them. These plans will be rolled out, starting this afternoon, by the initiative.

“This project is not only about conversion of vehicles but also about generating employment opportunities. It demonstrates President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to both environmental sustainability and economic growth.

“Moreover, it is my pleasure as your Chief Tax Officer, a position I hold alongside as Chairman of this initiative, to announce that we will be waiving the Value Added Tax on CNG purchases as well as seeking duty waivers for value-chain.

“The goal is to build a sustainable future, leveraging our own cheap and clean energy source; gas.’’

[Newsguru]

THE National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has no favoured candidates in next month’s off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

Ribadu made the declaration on Friday while speaking with newsmen after a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) comprising the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the service chiefs.

Ribadu, who noted that the November election would be the first to be conducted on Tinubu’s watch, said his principal was determined to conduct free and transparent elections.

He said: “We are prepared and will be with you 100 percent and will work to meet the standard that you want us to meet.  There is nothing as important as free and fair election in a democracy. This government is interested in that and Mr President has directed that he wants to see a free, fair and credible election.  This is the first election that is going to be held under his watch.

“He said everything possible should be done to ensure that Nigerians witness free and fair elections. I want to assure Nigerians that these elections will be better than the previous ones.  These elections are going to be without violence and a litmus test for us.”

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, revealed that certain candidates planning to instigate violence during and after the elections are under security watch and would be dealt with except they shelve their plot.

Egbetokun said: “We have just concluded the ICCES meeting with INEC. These elections are off-season elections and we are committed to making them free and fair elections. The security agencies are ready for these elections. We have received all necessary information from INEC which has informed us where to deploy to during these elections.

“We have carried out our threat assessment and that has informed us where to allocate our resources and the deployment of our men. All the security agencies are collaborating seriously to ensure that these elections are violence-free.

“My appeal to people who want to come out and make trouble during these elections is for them to stay away from the elections because there will be no place for them to operate.

“We are aware of mobilisation by supporters of some candidates. We are already monitoring them and we are ready for them during these elections. I appeal to those who just want to come out and disrupt these elections to stay away.

“I appeal to the electorate to come out en masse to cast their votes during these elections. We are committed to a peaceful election and there is no going back on that.”

The IGP, who said the security agencies took a position on volatile zones, was however silent on deployment.

“We have our figures and we are not going to make it public. We have given the detail of deployment at the meeting, but it is not for the media.

“All the states have challenges and we are taking care of the challenges,” he said.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Chris Musa, offered a clarification that other security agencies would only be on ground to assist the police to deliver credible elections.

He said: “We are here fully to show collaboration, cooperation and support for the police who are the lead agency in election security.

“The armed forces are going to provide full, comprehensive support to ensure that the police are able to do their job without any interference.”

[Tribune]