Recently, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa-Ibom State made headlines for announcing a N310 million gift to youths in the state. This generous gesture, aimed at non-protesting youths, has sparked widespread debate. While some see it as a commendable initiative to empower young people, others wonder if the real motive is to silence potential dissent and discourage youth from voicing their frustrations about the state of the economy and governance.

In a country where protests have become a powerful tool for change, particularly for young Nigerians, the timing of this gift raises eyebrows. Is this a well-intentioned move to reward those who remain peaceful and cooperative, or is it a subtle attempt to stifle any rising opposition?

Akwa-Ibom, like many other states in Nigeria, is grappling with significant economic challenges. High unemployment rates, rising inflation, and a lack of basic amenities have left many young people frustrated and disillusioned. In this context, the youth have been at the forefront of calling for better governance, with their voices often channeled through protests and demonstrations.

Across Nigeria, youths have made it clear that they are no longer willing to stay silent in the face of economic hardship. The nationwide #EndSARS protests in 2020 were a strong testament to the power of organized youth resistance. For many young people in Akwa-Ibom and across the nation, protests have become a democratic tool to voice their grievances and demand change.

Given this backdrop, the timing and nature of Governor Eno’s N310 million gift to non-protesting youths is concerning. Is the gift truly meant to empower, or is it a strategic move designed to quell any potential dissent and silence critical voices?

While the governor’s administration has presented the N310 million initiatives as an empowerment program, there is a growing belief that this may be a classic case of a “Greek gift”, a seemingly generous offer with hidden motives. Specifically, critics argue that by targeting non-protesting youths, the government is attempting to create a divide among the young population, rewarding silence and submission while potentially penalizing those who dare to speak out.

In a democracy, the freedom to protest and dissent is a fundamental right. However, gifts like this, offered exclusively to non-protesting youths, undermine this principle by subtly discouraging young people from exercising their democratic rights. In a functioning democracy, the role of the government should be to listen to all voices, especially those of its younger generation, rather than offering incentives to keep them quiet.

This strategy is inherently undemocratic, as it discourages youth participation in governance by creating a financial disincentive for dissent. By rewarding only those who remain silent, the administration is sending a dangerous message: silence and submission will be rewarded, while protest and dissent will be ignored or, worse, punished.

Governments have a responsibility to engage with their citizens, especially the youth, in a manner that encourages dialogue and constructive criticism. However, when financial incentives are offered to a select group, based on their willingness to remain silent, this undermines the very fabric of democracy. It creates an atmosphere where youths may feel coerced into silence in exchange for short-term financial gain, even when their frustrations with governance are valid.

This tactic, often referred to as a “divide-and-conquer” strategy, is particularly harmful in the context of a democratic society. In Akwa-Ibom, where many young people are grappling with unemployment, inflation, and inadequate infrastructure, the prospect of financial empowerment can be enticing. However, when such empowerment comes with the implicit expectation of silence, it shifts from being a tool for positive development to a means of control.

The ability to protest and express discontent is a cornerstone of democracy, and any move that seeks to silence these voices, whether through direct suppression or more subtle financial incentives, should be viewed as an assault on democratic values.

Protests, marches, and civil activism have long been recognized as vital tools for holding governments accountable, especially in societies where dialogue and engagement between the government and its citizens are limited. In Akwa-Ibom, as in many parts of Nigeria, the youth have often found themselves at the forefront of such activism, demanding better governance, job creation, improved infrastructure, and social justice.

By offering N310 million to non-protesting youths, Governor Eno’s administration may be attempting to preemptively quash any potential uprisings or public demonstrations. But such a move risks deepening the disconnect between the government and its people. Instead of seeking to silence dissent, the government should focus on addressing the root causes of youth frustration, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities.

It is essential to remember that the youth are the future of any nation, and their active participation in governance and political discourse is crucial. If young people are discouraged from speaking out or protesting, they may lose faith in the democratic process altogether, leading to greater disillusionment and disengagement in the long run.

Governor Eno’s N310 million gestures could have been a powerful tool for genuine youth empowerment if it had been designed to benefit all youths, regardless of their political stance or willingness to protest. However, by explicitly excluding protesting youths, the administration has risked turning what could have been a positive initiative into a political tool of suppression.

True empowerment involves providing opportunities that enable young people to thrive independently, equipping them with skills, education, and access to resources that can improve their quality of life. Financial gifts with strings attached do little to create long-lasting change. Rather, they only serve to suppress genuine grievances and create a sense of complacency among beneficiaries.

In a democracy, the youth must be allowed to speak their minds, whether through peaceful protests, social media advocacy, or other forms of expression. Governor Eno’s N310 million gift may appear generous on the surface, but its underlying message is concerning. Silencing dissent by offering financial rewards to those who remain quiet undermines the democratic process and risks creating a generation of young people who are disengaged from political discourse.

Rather than trying to silence dissenting voices through financial gifts, the government should engage with the youth directly, listen to their concerns, and create sustainable programs that address their challenges. In the long run, only genuine engagement and true empowerment will ensure the growth of democracy and development in AkwaIbom and beyond.

The Chinese arm of PriceWaterCoopers (PWC) has been banned in China for six months with a fine of Rmb441 million, around $62 million slammed on it for auditing failures related to the collapsed property developer Evergrande, in Beijing’s toughest action yet against a Big Four firm. Techeconomy has reported.

The move follows a March announcement by China’s securities regulator that PwC China had approved Evergrande’s accounts even though the developer had inflated mainland revenues by nearly $80 billion in the two years before its default in 2021.

The penalty surpasses the $31 million fine and three-month partial business ban imposed on Deloitte last year for “serious audit deficiencies” related to its work with China Huarong Asset Management, one of China’s largest bad-debt managers.

China’s finance ministry said PwC issued “false audit reports” of Evergrande and that the audit procedures had “serious defects” in design and implementation, leading to many false conclusions. It also accused PwC of not maintaining “professional scepticism” and failing to point out errors and a lack of information disclosure by Evergrande during the audits.

The securities regulator said 88 per cent of the records kept by PwC regarding the real estate projects were inconsistent with the actual implementation and were “seriously unreliable.” When on-site investigations were carried out, some projects were still “a piece of vacant land” despite being considered to have met the delivery conditions, the regulator said.

“The work performed by PwC Zhong Tian’s Hengda audit team fell well below our high expectations and was completely unacceptable,” Mohamed Kande, global chair of PwC, said in a statement on its website. Hengda is the principal subsidiary of China Evergrande Group.

[Leadership]

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to succeed in its bid to return to power at the national level after nine years and two consecutive attempts.

The acting national chairman of the party, Alhaji Umar Iliya Damagum, believes, however, that the party won in the 2019 and 2023 elections.

Though he assumed position as national chairman of the party after the 2023 presidential elections, he has not been spared blame for the loss.

Damagum, who spoke in an interview with Weekend Trust, said though he inherited the problem, he has chosen to remain calm so as to accelerate the healing process.

He says, “Well, when you have a fragmented party that is full of people that are not happy they lost, people have played different roles; so my duty here is to take the bullet for all sinners so that the party will remain an indivisible party.”

Just like other chairmen before him, Damagum has come under fire for the seeming inability of the party to mend its cracks ahead of the 2027 elections.

The different camps

Currently, the PDP is embroiled in a serious crisis with several of its leaders refusing to concede positions.

Within the last one year, the PDP has had cause to change its leadership for a record three times and has not been able to hold a convention to elect a new chairman due to internal crisis.

The party is yet to elect a substantive national chairman since the exit of Iyorchia Ayu and had to postpone taking a decision on the matter till the next National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party while asking the acting chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, to continue.

Split into two major camps – one led by former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the other led by former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike – both sides have been implacable and have tenaciously held on to their positions with righteous indignation.

There also seems to be an emerging third camp which does not align with any of the two camps led by Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, who is equally believed to be nursing a presidential ambition.

It is believed that it is the Atiku camp that is pushing for the election of a new national chairman from the North-central zone while Wike’s is okay with Damagum continuing as chairman.

Aside the issue of camps, the North-central zone of the party is insisting on Damagum’s removal, saying the position of national chairman ought to return to the region since the ousted chairman, Iyorchia Ayu is from there.

Even as the matter has temporarily been calmed, there are mixed feelings over whether the party would be able to put its house in order and do better in 2027.

Former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federal, Anyim Pius Anyim, who served in both offices on the PDP mandate, and former deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, recently left the party.

This is even as 60 federal lawmakers have threatened to leave the PDP if Damagum does not step down from his position.

How the problems started

National chairman of the party in 2015, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, under whose  leadership the party lost the presidential election, also suffered the same fate.

Mu’azu resigned his position as the party’s national chairman on May 20, 2015, owing largely to this disagreement and that opened the flood gates to fresh issues.

A fresh crisis arose over the need to retain the chairmanship position in the North, after the then deputy national chairman, Uche Secondus, held the position in acting capacity for some months. In February 2016, a former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who had joined the party, was asked to step in to replace Secondus.

Sheriff acted as chairman for three months when former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, was asked to take over as caretaker chairman leading to a legal tussle between Sheriff and Makarfi, which was finally won by the latter at the Supreme Court.

The party was able to hold a convention and Secondus was returned as chairman on 10th December 2017, in an election.

Another crisis erupted and Secondus who was said to have overstayed his tenure was made to leave and on October 31, 2021. One time Senate President Iyorchia Ayu emerged through a consensus as the new national chairman of the party.

Ayu led the party to the 2023 elections during which a major rift occurred in the course of electing a presidential candidate for the party.

After so much back and forth, the party for the first time jettisoned its principle of zoning which enabled former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, to contest the primary from where he was duly returned as the flag bearer.

This caused a major rift in the party as the then governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who was eyeing the ticket, felt betrayed and decided to fight back.

Following the emergence of Atiku, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, insisted that Ayu should resign as chairman of the party. The problem continued up till the elections, in which the party lost the presidency, and even after the polls.

Damagum on his part attributes the party’s loss of power in 2015 to contests for the presidential ticket, adding, “the presidency was supposed to rotate after Yar’adua’s term, but when it didn’t, many people were aggrieved. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put those grievances aside to sit down and say, “Okay, even if it’s just another four years, let him finish, and then we’ll move on.” We failed to realise that the consequences of not addressing those grievances would be so severe for the party.”

Why erring members have not been sanctioned

The inability of the party to discipline erring members is seen as the biggest encouragement to such acts of defiance. This comes as surprising for a party which in the past did not condone any act of indiscipline and which at the slightest indication of anti-party tendencies moved to enforce discipline and order.

In the past, the party took disciplinary actions against powerful members like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar even as a sitting vice president and other state governors.

In the current dispensation, almost all the leaders of the party have been accused of working against the interest of the party at one time or the other but without consequences.

The G-5 governors led by Nyesom Wike, which had Samuel Ortom of Benue; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, as members also challenged the party at various instances with some of them working openly for presidential candidates of other parties.

Their stance is believed to have contributed to the defeat of Atiku, the PDP presidential flag bearer in that election.

Wike, who is the leader of the G-5 took the matter beyond the general elections by accepting to serve as a minister in the APC-led government and has continued to poke his fingers at the rib of the party.

Former Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has said openly that the G-5 governors would replicate its support for President Bola Tinubu’s candidacy in 2027 if he decides to seek re-election.

“Our leader, Nyesom Wike, has already made a declaration that in 2027, we are supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he stated.

Resolving the crisis

In the bid to resolve the issues facing the party, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party recommended the setting up of two committees – the reconciliation and the disciplinary committees.

The disciplinary committee headed by a former minister of foreign affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, has started work and has invited those accused of working against the party’s interest to appear before it.

Some believe not much can come out of the exercise because those accused are the leaders of the party.

In an interview with Weekend Trust, Sule Lamido said, “They are not ordinary Nigerians or voters. The erring members are former presidents, vice president, governors; I mean leaders who invented the PDP. They are supposed to lead by example and understand the legacies of the party and what is ahead of it.”

But the infighting has not abated even as the party is trying to show that it is capable of managing the crisis.

Only recently, Wike threatened the PDP governors for trying to intervene in the matter between him and the Rivers State governor Sim Fubara.

Why PDP is hopeful

Despite the crisis, the PDP believes its structures are still intact and is able to pull a surprise in the 2027 elections.

Inside sources in the PDP say though the perception outside is that the party is dying, happenings within it indicate that it has maintained its position as the ‘strongest’ party in Nigeria.

“I can assure that you will see what will happen once the whistle is blown. During our last congress, we know the number of people from the other parties who approached us,” one of the party leaders stated.

The view appears credible given that the PDP is recording a high number of interests in its presidential ticket even when political activities are yet to start.

So far, former vice president Atiku Abubakar is believed to be interested in vying, while the governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, is also said to be interested, even as there are moves to convince former President Goodluck Jonathan to run on the platform of the party.

Evidence that the party is doing well, according to another source, lies in the fact that the PDP has held its National Working Committee and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings as well as ward, local government and state congresses successfully in 24 states.

“So, how can anyone call such a party a dying party when it is doing all that a political party is supposed to do and functioning well?” the source queried.

[DailyTrust]

As transportation costs continue to rise in Nigeria due to the recent hike in petrol prices, the situation remains a source of anxiety for millions of Nigerians, especially low income earners.

For many, the daily journey to work, school, or the market has become a huge financial burden.

The situation is even more dire for low-income households, who are already struggling to survive on meager earnings.

Public outcry has been growing, with many calling on the government to address the rising costs.

It is one of the reasons for the recent nationwide protests with the hashtag #EndBadGovernance.

Protests have also been held in major cities, with citizens demanding immediate action to reduce the cost of living.

Findings by DAILY POST revealed that the increase in petrol price has driven up prices of essential goods and services, exacerbating financial hardships for many, especially the low income earners.

The price hike, which came into effect early last week, has seen petrol prices soar to a record high of between N850/litre and N1,400 per litre depending on the area, adding to the already mounting pressure on household budgets.

Due to the hardship this has caused Nigerian citizens, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Archbishop Matthew Kukah, urged President Bola Tinubu and the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to take measures to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians and also reverse the petrol price hike.

He said, “I once asked a girl if she is in the APC, PDP, or Labour and she said ‘I am hungry.’ And so, since I am speaking to those who are in power, please know that we, Nigerians, are hungry.

“Find a way of reducing the price of fuel. Find a way of keeping our country secure. That will be the greatest legitimacy of any government.”

In the same vein, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, also condemned the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and warned the federal government not to take Nigerians for granted.

The President-General of the forum, Yerima Shettima, in a statement criticised the hike in the pump price of petrol, noting that the government has lost touch with the reality of things in the country.

“The government urged Nigerians to refrain from protests with promises of improvement, only to exacerbate their struggles by unexpectedly raising petrol prices.

“For me, the federal government should have a rethink on the numerous challenges. President Bola Tinubu must allow Nigerians to breathe, because with the current state of affairs, angry and hungry Nigerians are being pushed to the wall, and the reaction of a hungry and angry person may be unimaginable,” he said.

Speaking to DAILY POST, a cross-section of Nigerian low income earners lamented the hardship the hike in the price of petrol has caused them, appealing to the government to revert to the old price.

A sales representative, Amina Abubakar said, “I’m finding it difficult to balance my budget.

“The increase in petrol price has added to my transportation costs, and I’m struggling to afford necessities like food and rent.

“We expected so much from this government, but what we are seeing now is heartbreaking.”

Another FCT resident, Eche John, complained that he usually spent N800 to work but now spends N1500 since the announcement of the new fuel pump price.

He said, “This transport thing is something else. The truth of the matter is that salaries have not increased while many people are already losing their jobs.”

Another Abuja resident, Glory Adetunji, expressed concern about how the rise in fuel price has not only affected the cost of transportation but also started to drive up the cost of goods and commodities in general.

Ojetunde said, “The fuel price increase has already led to an increase in the price of goods.

“I bought a sachet of milk recently for N300 instead of N200 that it was sold initially before the fuel price increase.”

Another low income earner, Johnson Okpe, who is a Point of Sale, POS, attendant said the situation has deteriorated, adding that he may have to stop going to work for lack of transport fare which has just skyrocketed.

“I don’t know how I’ll manage to feed and still have money to spend on transportation.

“House rent is still there staring me in the face. If nothing is done to ease this hardship, hunger will kill everyone. I virtually spend my salary on transport fare.”

A sales girl, Chioma Eze who commutes from Mararaba to Wuse market in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria, said her transportation fare has gone more than double compared to how it was in the past year.

“I used to spend about N1000 on transport every day, but now it’s over N2000. It’s really getting out of hand.

“I might be forced to stop this work because how much are they paying me that I will be spending N2000 on transportation on a daily basis, excluding feeding,” she lamented.

A secondary school teacher, Auwal Ibrahim, who did not mention the name of his school, shared his struggles thus:

“My salary hasn’t increased, but transportation costs have gone up significantly. I now have to spend nearly over 50% of my income on transport alone.

“It’s hard to see how this can continue without some form of intervention.”

A private security personnel, Hassan Abdul, who resigned from his job recently, decried the hardship orchestrated by the hike in petrol price, saying he is confused over the next line of action.

“My salary was N40,000 and I have a wife and a kid to cater for. Now, after calculating how much I would be spending on transportation alone, I discovered I would still be borrowing money to meet up.

“Instead of continuing, I had to resign and begin to think of what to do next. I don’t even know what next as I speak with you now,” he lamented.

A housekeeper, Ekaete Frederick, also said she had to resign because of the same issue of hike in transportation fare.

“Imagine I go from New Nyanya to Garki, in the FCT on weekdays on a N50,000 job and I spend N2000 daily.

“Calculate it and then subtract it from the N50,000 and see what is left. Instead I better resign and then look for another job close by or go into hawking sachet water,” she lamented.

A commercial motorcyclist, Uche Emeka decried lack of passengers and the pain of getting fuel for his motorcycle, saying most people have resorted to trekking and that has affected their work.

“These days, people no longer enter okada. They rather choose to trek to their destinations.

“I don’t blame them anyway, because after they must have spent over N2000 on transportation already, they would like to cut down on the cost. How much is even the salary? We are just in trouble in this country,” he stated.

As for Paul Owoicho, he fears that the new development would increase the already inflated level of criminality in the land, calling for urgent intervention to avert a lawless society.

“People are hungry. Someone who does not want to do anything evil before might be tempted to do so just to survive.

“There will be a high rate of uncontrollable social vices in the land and the innocent Nigerians are the ones at the receiving end,” he cautioned.

[DailyPost]

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has reopened the verification portal for nurses and midwives on its website.

Checks by our correspondent on the NMCN portal on Saturday showed that nurses and midwives can now submit verification requests.

Our correspondent confirmed that the verification portal was reopened on Friday.

When our correspondent checked the portal, it read, “Good news, verification requests are back online.

“Please note that henceforth expiration dates on renewal applications will be calculated based on the date you applied.”

Also, a nurse, Anthony Ijeoma at Nursingworld Nigeria, confirmed that the portal has been reopened.

Ijeoma commended the efforts of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives for bringing the change to fruition.

“I also commend NMCN for listening to reason and reopening its verification portal for nurses within and outside the country,” he stated.

PUNCH Online reported that the sudden deactivation of the verification portal by the council in February plunged countless Nigerian nurses and midwives working abroad into turmoil.

Already, some nurses without the necessary verification from the NMCN find themselves in violation of visa conditions and employment laws, resulting in legal consequences.

Many nurses abroad, including those in the United Kingdom and the United States, have been forced to return to the country over the issue.

On February 7, the council released a circular on the guidelines for requesting verification of certificates for nurses and midwives in the country.

By the circular, nurses and midwives must have a minimum of two years post-qualification experience from the date of issuance of the permanent practicing licence, and the council shall request a letter of good standing from the chief executive officer of the applicant’s place(s) of work and the last nursing training institution attended and responses on these shall be addressed directly to the Registrar/CEO, NMCN, among others.

This led to state councils and chapters of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria in Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Yenagoa, Ondo, Plateau, and others to petition the nursing council and the headquarters of their association to demand the withdrawal of the circular on certificate verification.

Some nurses and midwives also protested the guidelines, and some dragged the NMCN to court, and the court case was withdrawn.

On February 27, the House of Representatives also asked the council not to implement its revised guidelines for issuing verification certificates to nurses and midwives in the country.

The professionals have said that the council’s action is an attempt to hinder their freedom to pursue career opportunities abroad.

They also said it was not unconnected to the plan of the Federal Government to reduce the number of health workers emigrating out of the country to seek greener pastures abroad.

On Friday, NANNM appealed to the Federal Government to address the association’s demands with urgency.

The National President of the association, Michael Nnachi listed some of the pressing needs of the association as the re-opening of the nurses and midwives certificate verification portal, payment of salaries of all staff of Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, constitution of the board, creation of special nurses salary structure or immediate review of nurses peculiar professional allowances.

More to come…

[Punch]

In what many may consider as the most provoking development leading to next weekend’s governorship election in Edo State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP last Thursday walked away from a peace accord among the parties and candidates.

The accord was brokered by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee, NPC.

However, as everyone knows these accords have been observed more in the breach by the parties. Perhaps the most striking illustration of the vacuity of these peace accords was in the run-up to the 2019 governorship election in Kogi State.

At the signing of the peace accord for that election on November 12, 2019, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Natasha Akpoti was beaten black and blue by thugs of a rival political party as she attempted to approach the venue of the peace accord signing ceremony.

Interestingly, the Inspector General of Police at the time, Mohammed Adamu and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu were inside the hall while this ugly development occurred.

An INEC official asked of his reaction to the brutalization of a candidate invited for the assent to the peace accord replied thus “We were inside the hall and wouldn’t know what was going on outside.”

This predictable assertion of ignorance by INEC of the wanton molestation of rival candidates and violation of its procedures is what has shadowed the integrity deficit of the commission. The corollary is that the INEC is unable to defend the results of its elections.

How is INEC able to defend the result it produces that shows a 95% turnout of voters in particular constituencies? How?

Indeed, it is remarkable that the present leadership of INEC has come to see the signing of peace accords as a significant milestone in its conduct of elections. This ought not to be. In bringing the different parties to sign peace accords, the commission has invariably succumbed to the idea that election is a physical war.

The commission was constituted to manage and arbitrate the contest of ideas between political actors. It should be seen inclining itself into helping the electorate to sift out the qualities of leadership in candidates.

This correspondent submits that the charged atmosphere that we see in elections in the country these days is because of the failure of INEC to stand by the truth on the results.

We have severally seen ballot boxes snatched, elections disrupted and INEC keeping mum. In 2023, a lady was brutalised and blood spilled as she went to cast her vote in a voting centre in Lagos. INEC did not see that as a sufficient disruption of the election.

Political actors have indeed been emboldened by the seeming indifference of the electoral commission to the violent disruption of its procedures and processes.

It is against this background that the troubling developments in Edo State erupted into the walkout on the peace committee by the PDP.

At issue is the claim by the ruling party in the state that INEC appointed a former aide of Minister Nyesom Wike as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state. As everybody knows, Wike and Governor Godwin Obaseki despite being members of the PDP do not see eye to eye on many issues. While Wike is very comfortable serving in the APC administration, Obaseki believes that the administration and the APC do not mean well for the country.

Willy-nilly, the PDP also complained of the appointment of a police commissioner for the state who the party claims is also an associate of Wike’s. Even more troubling is the arrest of several officials of the PDP Campaign and their transportation to Abuja.

Indeed given the popular claim that Governor Obaseki does not know how to manage relationships following his falling out with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Chief Dan Orbih, the suggestion was that the governor would be dealt a heavy blow with the rejection of whosoever he supports.

However, the seeming brutalisation of the PDP appears to be winning the governor sympathy with many questioning the neutrality of the security forces and INEC.

The concerns of the PDP are germane and a sensitive election management body should be seen addressing every allegation that diminishes the credibility of its processes.

Whatever, as voters go to the polls next weekend in Edo State, what the state needs is a governor who will take it to the next level.

It is in that respect that we expect the candidates to bring forth their arguments as to why they should be elected. Whether through debates or any other platform, we expect the candidates to put forth their arguments on a clearer path for Edo.

 If this election is sabotaged and the will of the people mortgaged on the platform of avarice or suppressed, then the prospects of a free and fair election in 2027 could well be waved away. Indeed, Prof Yakubu or whoever succeeds him would not need the subterfuge of a technical glitch to explain away whatever electoral heist is forced on the polity.

The Federal Government, on Friday, disclosed that the supply of petrol from Dangote Refinery will commence tomorrow after both parties reached an agreement on pricing and supply.

NNPC will remain as the sole off-taker of petrol from the refinery with other marketers getting the product from the national oil company.

Speaking in Abuja, a member of the Presidential Committee on the Sale of crude Oil and Refined Products and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji said in return NNPC Limited would commence the supply of 385,000 barrels of crude oil to Dangote Refinery on October 1, 2024.

Adedeji announced that “all agreements have been completed and loading of the first batch of PMS from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday 15th September”.

He disclosed that Dangote Refinery will in return supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid for in Naira.

He said other decisions reached by the committee include the sale of Diesel in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker while PMS will only be sold to NNPC.

“From 1 October, NNPC will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira

“In return, the Dangote Refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid in Naira.

“Diesel will be sold in Naira by the Dangote Refinery to any interested off-taker. PMS will only be sold to NNPC, NNPC will then sell to various marketers for now. All associated regulatory costs will also be paid for in Naira”, he added.

The agreement is expected to ease the acute shortage of petrol across the country and also allow the government to continue the payment of subsidies on the product.

The Presidential Committee on the Sale of Crude Oil and Refined Product has announced that loading of the first batch of petrol from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday, September 15.

A member of the committee and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday. Briefing journalists, the FIRS boss said that from October 1, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will commence the supply of about 385kbpd of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery to be paid for in Naira.

[Vanguard]

Five people have reportedly died in an accident that involved the campaign convoy of Monday Okpebholo, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo.

TheCable understands that the accident occurred on Thursday at Warrake road in Uzebba of Owan west LGA, Edo state.

It was learnt that one of the vehicles in Okpebholo’s campaign convoy hit a Toyota Camry conveying five persons, killing the occupants, including the driver.

The victims were said to be returning home after attending a burial ceremony.

The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at a mortuary in Edo State University, Uzaurie, in Etsako west LGA of the state.

One of the victims was identified as Emmanuel Edionwe.

According to the Punch, a relative of Edionwe, who did not want to be named, said the family is devastated about the news of their son.

“We just learnt that five of them have died after the collision with Okpebholo’s convoy. There is just one of them who is in critical condition and is now being nursed to life at the hospital,” the family member said.

“We are devastated beyond words. Emmanuel was a good, easy-going boy who should not have died.”

The newspaper quoted Cyril Mathew, the Edo sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

A source said the lone survivor of the accident is in critical condition at the Irrua Specialist Hospital., adding that a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will pay the families of the victims a condolence visit today.

[TheCable]

I am taking a break from political commentary to everyday language usage this week. A few weeks ago, a British journalist who writes about oil and gas wrote to thank me for past articles I wrote that explained why Nigerians call “petrol” “Premium Motor Spirit.”

“While I have always assumed PMS meant petrol, I never knew exactly why this term was so widespread in Nigeria!” he wrote. This email inspired me to republish parts of what I wrote about this.

There is a widespread misconception in Nigerian journalistic circles that “premium motor spirit” is the proper name for petrol, and this misconception appears to be percolating into wider popular usage.

Almost without exception, Nigerian newspapers refer to petrol as “premium motor spirit” or PMS. In fact, “petrol” is typically represented as the alias of “premium motor spirit.” In other words, Nigerian newspapers mislead their readers into thinking that everyone in the English-speaking world recognizes “premium motor spirit” as the real name for “petrol.”

 Take, for instance, this 2017 lead from one of Nigeria’s best-edited online newspapers: “Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, is selling at N500 per litre in the black market in Kaduna State as government began enforcement of ban on sale of petroleum products in jerry cans.”

Almost all Nigerian newspapers feel the need to refer to petrol as “premium motor spirit” and to signal that the rest of us linguistically unwashed plebeians call it “petrol.” It never ceases to provoke loud hearty laughter in me each time I read it. It’s my go-to linguistic comic relief.

 Well, only Nigerian newspapers, and the people who are influenced by them, call petrol “premium motor spirit.” It’s an entirely meaningless phrase to native English speakers in America, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It also makes no sense to English speakers in India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Commonwealth countries where English is spoken as a second language.

 In 2012, I asked several of my American friends, colleagues, and students what the phrase “premium motor spirit” evoked in them. They all said they had never encountered the phrase and had no clue what it meant.

I searched the 520-million-word Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) to see if any American English speaker has ever used the term. I got no matching record. I also searched the 400-million-word Corpus of Historical American English (COHA) to find out if any American ever used the expression between 1810 and 2009.  Again, no luck.

I thought, perhaps, the phrase would be familiar to British English speakers, so I searched the British National Corpus to see if there is any record of its use in British English. I had no luck, either.

Finally, I searched the 1.9-billion-word Corpus of Global Web-Based English, which indexes English usage in 20 different English-speaking countries. I had some luck this time around. I got 53 matches. But of the 53 matches for “premium motor spirit” that turned up in the database, 49 came from Nigerian English users, 3 from Ghanaian English users, and 1 from a Kenyan newspaper.

When I followed the link to the Ghanaian sites that used “premium motor spirit,” I found that the writers were Nigerians who were based in Ghana. The fact that Kenya is the only other country where “premium motor spirit” was used, even if only once, as an alternative name for “petrol” alerted me to the fact that the word probably has British English roots.

Origins of “Motor Spirit”

My hunch was right. Although the term enjoys no currency in contemporary British English (as evidenced from its complete absence from the British National Corpus), it actually started life in Britain some 200 years ago.

Carless, Capel & Leonard (now renamed Petrochem Carless Ltd), one of Britain’s first oil companies, was the first to use the term “petrol” in English, in 1870, to refer to refined petroleum products, which weren’t used to power cars at the time.

By the 1930s when petrol became the fuel used in internal combustion engines, Carless, Capel & Leonard applied to trademark “petrol” so that the company’s competitors (who frequently used the term “motor spirit” to refer to their product) won’t be able to call their product “petrol.”

But the application was denied because the use of “petrol” to refer to refined petroleum products, derived from the French petrole (ultimately from Medieval Latin petroleum, which literally means “rock oil,” from the Latin petra, which means rock or stone, and oleum, which means oil) had become widespread by the 1930s in Britain.

With the denial of Carless, Capel & Leonard’s application to trademark “petrol,” other British companies that had referred to their product as “motor spirit” freely adopted “petrol” as the name of choice for their product, and “motor spirit” fell into disuse.

“Premium” wasn’t an invariable lexical component of the name. The “premium” in the name refers to the grade of the product. There are three major grades of petrol in the UK: “ordinary unleaded,” “premium or super unleaded,” and “leaded four star.”

 In the US, petrol, which is called gasoline (or gas for short), has the following grades: “Regular,” “Mid-grade or Plus,” and “Premium.”

 Saudi Arabia has “premium” and “super premium” grades of petrol. Many other countries have several names for different grades of petrol.

So “premium” is one of at least three adjectives that could modify “motor spirit” when “motor spirit” enjoyed currency in Britain. There could conceivably have existed “ordinary unleaded motor spirit” or “leaded four star motor spirit”—or whatever names existed at the time for grades of motor spirit in Britain.

In other words, calling petrol “premium motor spirit” is the same thing as calling petrol “premium petrol” now, even though there are other grades of the product.

Interestingly, Nigeria is one of only a few countries in the world where petrol is ungraded. Maybe that is why our journalists assume that every petrol is of a premium grade and therefore call petrol “premium motor spirit” (never mind that “motor spirit” is obsolete).

Premium Motor Spirit a Scientific Name?

A few people have asked me if “premium motor spirit” is perhaps the scientific name for petrol since Nigerian oil industry experts, including academic researchers in petroleum studies, liberally use it.  No, it’s not. There isn’t one specific scientific name for petrol.

As I said earlier, “motor spirit” is the archaic British English name for petrol, and “premium” indicates the grade of the “motor spirit.” Today, most British speakers have no idea what “motor spirit” means and would be even more puzzled by the permanent modification of the term with “premium.”

It’s mystifying that Nigerian journalists—and Nigerian academics— are about the only people who are still wedded to a phrase that died in Britain in the 1930s.

Note that different countries have different names for petrol. Most people know that Americans and Canadians call it gasoline. Germans and people who are influenced by German linguistic traditions call it “benzin,” which is derived from “benzene,” a constituent part of petrol. The French from whom the British borrowed “petrol,” now call it “essence.” Spanish-speaking people call it “gasolina.”

I also find it intriguing that Nigerians use the American English “kerosene” instead of the British English “paraffin” as the term of choice for lamp oil.

Maybe Nigeria should formally adopt “motor spirit” as its national name for petrol. After all, petrol is the “spirit” that moves “motors,” which is the alternative name for vehicles in British and Nigerian English.