China offers Nigeria $6bn loan for infrastructure

China has offered Nigeria a loan worth $6bn to fund infrastructure projects, the Nigerian foreign minister said on Tuesday.

The announcement came as both countries signed a currency swap deal to boost trade. Nigeria has been in talks with China on an infrastructure loan for months.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and its top oil producer. But its public finances have suffered as the price of crude oil dropped around the world.

Although President Muhammadu Buhari wants to triple capital spending in 2016, he also needs to plug a projected deficit of $11.1bn.

“It is a credit that is on the table as soon as we identify the projects,” Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama told reporters after Buhari met Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It won’t need an agreement to be signed. It is just to identify the projects and we access it.”

There was no immediate comment from China.

Lin Songtian, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s African affairs department, had earlier said Nigeria would be able to benefit from a $55bn package for Africa, which mostly consists of concessional grants or export lines.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC), the world’s biggest lender, and Nigeria’s central bank also signed a deal on yuan transactions.

“It means that the renminbi (yuan) is free to flow among different banks in Nigeria, and the renminbi has been included in the foreign exchange reserves of Nigeria,” Lin said.

Nigeria had said it was looking at panda bonds – yuan-denominated bonds sold by overseas entities on the mainland – to fund the deficit, saying they that would be cheaper than Eurobonds.

Nigeria’s central bank has said it plans to diversify its foreign exchange reserves away from the dollar by switching some into yuan. It converted up to a tenth of its reserves into yuan five years ago.

Lin said a framework on currency swaps has been agreed with Nigeria, making it easier to settle trade deals in yuan. China has signed similar swap agreements with countries ranging from Kazakhstan to Argentina to promote wider use of its yuan.

Beijing also signed agreements to develop infrastructure in Nigeria, part of a drive to deepen its ties with Africa.

ICBC agreed a $2bn loan to Dangote, the company owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to fund two cement plants it plans, he told Reuters.

China’s Xi told Buhari there was huge potential for economic cooperation in areas like oil refining and mining, according to Xinhua, China’s official news agency.

In a speech to business leaders, Buhari said both countries wanted to work together in agriculture, fishing and the manufacturing of cars, construction materials and textiles

Nigeria: #PanamaPapers Reveal T.B. Joshua's Shell Company in Offshore Tax Haven

PREMIUM TIMES

Temitope Joshua is arguably the most influential preacher in Africa. The founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN) attracts huge numbers of people from across Africa and beyond, many of them seeking faith healing from ailments and exorcism from demonic possession.

On September 12, 2014, a guesthouse within his church collapsed, killing 116 people, most of them South Africans, who travelled to the Lagos headquarters of the church for pilgrimage.

The cleric has also endeared his Christian ministry to many political leaders on the African continent who throng his church, with some of them openly testifying that he correctly predicted the outcomes of the elections that brought them to power.

One of the African leaders who believed in Mr. Joshua's prophesy was former Ghanaian president, John Atta-Mills. After his inauguration in 2009, the first visit made by Mr. Atta-Mills, a Professor of Law, was to the Synagogue, as Mr. Joshua's church is commonly called.

Mr. Atta-Mills died in office on July 24, 2012. It remained unclear whether Pastor Joshua saw his death coming.

The pastor's television station, Emmanuel TV, is believed to be one of the most viewed in the continent.

Apart from evangelism, Mr. Joshua is not known to be involved in any other business.

However, files obtained by PREMIUM TIMES from the massive leaked data of a Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca, has now shown that Mr. Joshua and his wife, Evelyn, own Chillon Consultancy Limited, a company incorporated on June 20, 2006 at the British Virgin Island (BVI).

Both owners own one ordinary share each, although the company, with registration number 1033675, is authorized to issue a maximum "50,000 no par value Shares of a single class."

It remains unclear what businesses Mr. Joshua transacted with the shell company which has no physical presence in Tortola, the largest and most inhabited island at the British Virgin Island.

Chillon Consultancy Limited uses the office address of its registered agent, Mossack Fonseca (Akara Bldg., 24 De Castro Street, Wickhams Cay 1, Road Town, Tortola) as its contact information in the British Virgin Island.

Mr. Joshua is the second Nigerian mega preacher shown to set up offshore companies in tax havens.

An April 2013 investigation by PREMIUM TIMES had exposed Chris Oyakhilome, founder and leader of Christ Embassy, as incorporating Gmobile Nigeria Limited, an offshore firm in 2007, at the British Virgin Island.

Although other individuals were listed as shareholders and directors, that investigation was able to determine that the pastor's teenage daughters - Sharon and Charlyn - were the real beneficial owners of the company.

Like many mega preachers in the country, Mr Joshua is reported to live in opulence. Last September, online news website, Sahara Reporters, claimed the televangelist bought a Gulfstream G550 aircraft in April 2015.

According to Sahara Reporters, the jet, registered as "Synagogue Of Nations," was purchased using the Bank Of Utah trustee as front.

A Gulfstream G550 is sold for as much a $45 million and could take up to $3 million dollars in yearly maintenance cost.

Fulani herdsmen kill university staff, farmer in Delta

Members representing Ethiope East constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Evans Iwhurie, weekend, said suspected Fulani herdsmen shot dead a staff of the Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka and a farmer at their farms in cold blood at Abraka.

The lawmaker while lamenting the menace of some Fulani herdsmen in the area said one of the victims, Mr. Francis Okotie, 52 and father of 8 was a senior staff of the university attached to the university library.

Giving details on the incident, Iwhurie explained that, Mr. Okotie was shot twice, on his arm and on the back of his head in an execution style at his plantain and palm oil plantation farm where he had gone to fumigate.

“It is easy to identify the culprits because they always leave behind trails of cattle excreta, and damaged crops by their herds,” he stated.

According to him, the killing of the university staff is coming on the heels of a similar incident involving an indigene of Abraka, Philip Obayendo who was shot and matcheted in pieces by his assailants at his farm at Oria-Abraka.

Speaking further, he said: “The decomposed corpse of Philip, a farmer, was discovered 5days after he was last seen going to his farm.

“Though this is a menace that has been occurring around the country, these two cases are a few of many that have befallen the people of my constituency especially at the Abraka area”

I will resign if I am Saraki - Sen. Fatai Buhari

Senator Fatai Buhari

Fatai Buhari, the senator representing Oyo North, has assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari will fix the nation’s problems and restore its lost glory.

Buhari told newsmen in Ibadan on Saturday that the president had good intentions, and was committed to restoring the lost glory, adding that, it would be achieved.

“President Buhari and the APC have good plans to transform Nigeria into a better country, and this I am sure he will achieve within the period of four years.

“Nigerians voted for the party and we will not betray the confidence reposed in us, they should just be more patient,” he said.

The lawmaker apologised to Nigerians on behalf of the party for the current situation in the nation and added that it was not a new development.

“We have seen it now and we will surely fix it.

“We understand what Nigerians are passing through and we won’t make it hard on them till we solve the problems.

“What we promise Nigerians is safe landing and we shall surely deliver on our promises,” he said.

On the ongoing fuel crisis, Buhari said that the country needed to accelerate the Public Private Partnership (PPP) process of fixing the nation’s refineries to make them functional again.

“We are in this mess because we don’t have maintenance culture, if we have maintained the existing refineries in the country; we will not need to import fuel.

“I am sure with PPP, there will be a total turnaround of the situation,” he said.

The senator said that the government was also exploring the potentials that abound in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector as another source of income for the nation.

According to him, “South Korea did not have oil but built their economy on ICT, and today the country is one of the most advanced countries of the world.”

Buhari, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, said that the mistakes and errors in the 2016 budget had been corrected.

He said that details of the corrected budget had been submitted to the president for assent and implementations.

On the ongoing trial of the Senate President at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the lawmaker said that he would have resigned from his position if he was in his shoes.

“I hate talking about personalities but on this matter, I would have resigned like the President of Iceland recently did.

“I will resign from that position whether I am right or wrong,” he said.

President Buhari at Nuclear Summit and its takeaways BY GARBA SHEHU

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's president, during a closing session at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, April 1, 2016. (AFP)

Today, we live in a world that is troubled by the fear of nuclear terrorism.

The Black Sea region of the world, the new republics born out of the defunct Soviet Union, is awash with illicit trafficking of nuclear and associated radioactive materials.

More troubling is the fact that these dangerous materials are being hawked in areas of turmoil in the Middle-East.

The Islamic State of Syria and Iraq, which took control of the University of Mosul in Iraq, is believed to have formulated lethal explosives using nuclear material at the University lab.

ISIS has shown an incredible capacity and a lack of scruples in war as to deploy and use lethal weapons on civilian targets in the ongoing conflict.

The vision for the Nuclear Security Summit, which President Muhammadu Buhari attended along with 56 other leaders, came out of President Barack Obama’s belief that if terrorists can mount the type of attack they did on the Twin Towers in New York in 2001, they could use nuclear weapons on civil populations if they had them.

The first NSS summit Obama convened set a an ambitious agenda seeking to “strengthen the global nuclear safety architecture, especially to ensure that non-state actors do not have access to nuclear stuff”.

Among others, it aimed at increasing security around poorly guarded nuclear facilities and reactors and radioactive stuff from hospitals, and to secure cooperation among states to prevent,detect and deter smuggling of nuclear radioactive materials. This is in order to keep nuclear weapons “out of the reach of terrorists and rogue nations”.

The well-known ambition of the Islamic State in seeking nuclear materials in a bid to to use them in inflicting maximum damage in densely populated areas and fears expressed from concerns about the chaos in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Libya, described as largely being “ungoverned”, continuing to serve as bastions for the training of terrorist all make the threat of nuclear terrorism seem possible. Although there are several terrorist organizations, armed gangs and armed merchants snooping around for these weapons, ISIS have not hidden their own Weapons of Mass Destruction ambition. They gave the world a hint of this when they launched chemical attacks on civilians in Iraq and Syria.

“If these madmen ever got their hands on nuclear material, they will certainly use it to kill as many innocent people as possible,” warned President Obama.

To us here in Nigeria, nothing brings the lesson home more than the reported allegiance paid to ISIS by Boko Haram. Our supposedly home-grown terrorist organization had from then on extended its tentacles to the world’s most ruthless terrorist society.

With the alliances formed, Nigeria is clearly at a risk of terrorists making or acquiring a nuclear bomb from a nuclear weapons country and exploding on our population; there is the danger of them attacking radioactive material storages in the civilian domain, say hospitals (X-ray machines, smoke detectors etc) to create a so-called dirty bomb that can spread nuclear contaminants.

Why was it important for President Muahmmadu Buahri to attend the NSS?

Let us first talk about diplomacy and the role of Nigeria as a continental leader when it comes to nuclear technology.

This country has been active in the nuclear area for upward of 35 years, that is from the time the Murtala/Obasanjo administration initiated a nuclear program in response to fears that the then Apartheid South Africa, which had nuclear weapons could attack Nigeria given our frontline role in the quest for the liberation of that country. Two nuclear research centers were then set up, one at the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU Zaria and the other at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Ile-Ife.

After South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt come next in ranking in nuclear technology activity on the African Continent.

In realpolitik in the unipolar world in which we live, a meeting called by President Obama is hard to ignore unless you are Mr. Putin or a Mugabe.

In the case of Nigeria, there is a special relationship between our leaders. There is so much love and respect for President Buhari on the Part of Obama that Secretary of State Kerry could pointedly tell our president to come forward with whatever he wanted of the administration if that can be done before the eight months when Obama’s tenure ends. President Obama was himself caught off guard saying to Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister: “Have you met President Buhari? He is doing a good job!”

In addition to all other things, this was a meeting of Presidents and leaders of Government in the World. Very serious issues of nuclear terrorism and how to protect nuclear materials were discussed at the highest level and could not have been delegated. As described by a delegate, the threat is global, the impact of a nuclear terrorist attack will be global and therefore solution must be global.

Our President, who had attended the summit for the first time, laid his own vision for nuclear safety around the globe.

If Nigeria did not participate, the rest of the World will find it difficult to believe that the Country can successfully handle the Nuclear Power Programme we are putting in place.

Nigeria is also affected because of current terrorism in the Country; we stand to get the goodwill of the world by attending and presenting our case and showing what we are doing to tackle the problem.

The participation of our president had hopefully brought national attention to bear, not only on the summit but helping to bring knowledge and awareness of the threats posed by nuclear terrorism.

As a matter of fact, this was the most successful NSS.

Gains from the Summit

As we prepare to start a program for peaceful nuclear technology, Nigeria needs to learn and exchange experience in developing capability and procedures for emergency preparedness. We must not repeat the mistakes others have made.

The country is already getting help on the development and promulgation of best practices for developing and implementing a nuclear program. Following talks and agreements at this summit, we are receiving deeper international cooperation.

The NSS is a demonstration of the complete transparency and confidence in the world on nuclear technology. The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority under a notable nuclear scientist, Prof. Lawrence A. Dim, the Director-General led our team to share the progress report of the work we have done so far.

The whole world has come together as one to deal with terrorism. In fact, a discussion behind closed doors on nuclear terrorism based on a hypothetical scenario yielded a lot in terms of International understanding and cooperation in nuclear security. Countries with advances in this area are willing to share with all the others. Of particular interest, Israel for instance said they would share their advanced detection mechanisms for radioactive materials with all their neighbours, whether they have diplomatic relations with them or not.

Nigeria took home an portent lesson, which is that planning and strategy alone cannot combat the scourge, rather it is implementation that makes it work. The NNRA is expected to come up with plans for table-top exercises and drills from time to time to implement and test these strategies. The regular conduct of exercises and drill will help to mitigate the consequences, loss of life and resources in case of an attack.

President Buhari, who has shown a remarkable degree of support and encouragement has promised to do even more to support both NNRA the national regulatory body and the IAEA to sustain nuclear security.

The country also joined the others to commit themselves to the reduction of Highly Enriched Uranium,HEU stockpiles in order to make it less attractive for terrorist to use for malicious intent in their countries.

The summit created world-wide awareness on the scourge of terrorism and for better protection and securing nuclear and radiological materials. Aside the these gains, there were bilateral meetings with other world leaders which resulted in the following gains

*There is no truth to the widespread speculation that President Obama will visit Nigeria before he ends his term but the Secretary of State John Kerry will be the one to come. Obama has earlier promised our President that he will come to Nigeria after he leaves office. An Obama visit has been the desire of Nigerians and Nigerian Leaders.

*The government of United States has made a commitment to spend 600m US$ in Nigeria arising from this visit.

*The United Nations made a commitment of 800m US$ towards the rebuilding of the North-East part of Nigeria destroyed by terrorists.

*The Government of Demark has expressed interest in investing in agricultural sector in Nigeria. This is also from one of the side meetings of the President during the NSS.

*The Japanese Government is very desirous of working with, and in assisting Nigeria. This is being worked by both parties.

*The US government through the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and his office have pledged to support Nigeria’s effort to establish nuclear Security Infrastructure in all its ramification. They also pledged assistance in the areas of research and forensics development.

The overall achievement of the summit Is that it strengthened the nuclear security architecture at national, regional and global levels. It also broadened the ratification and implementation of international legal instruments regarding nuclear security. Participating nations agreed to to place all nuclear facilities under the highest security surveillance. They also agreed to increase individual and collective capacity to protect their borders against nuclear smuggling and radiological sources.
Nigeria gained international acceptance of its nuclear programs which are designed for peaceful purposes. But there is still much to be done by our parliament in domesticating international agreements, instruments and conventions signed by our governments. Some of these draft laws have been lingering in the legislature since 1999. “We have signed all the agreements, but Nigeria needs a new, comprehensive legal and regulatory framework” says Professor Dim.

With the progress so far achieved, the minister of Power, Babatunde Raji Fashola is optimistic that the foundation for this country’s first nuclear power plant, using the safest technology to produce 1,000 MW may be laid in four years.

With a president who takes great interest in these matters, nuclear energy may be the panacea to the unreliability of oil and gas in the provision of electricity in our country.

– Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity.

Arms deal: EFCC detains Jonathan’s cousin over $40m received from Dasuki

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is holding in custody former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Mr. Azibaola Roberts, over alleged links with the arms scandal involving the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

It was learnt that Roberts, who was arrested on March 23 alongside his colleague, Dakoru Atukpa, is the owner of

Oneplus Holdings, which was among the 300 firms indicted by the Audit Panel on arms procurement, between 2007 and 2015.

One-plus Holdings was paid $40m by former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), for oil pipelines security contract.

The 13-man Arms Panel, after scrutinising documents, had recommended One-plus Holdings among other companies and persons, for further investigation by the EFCC.

As mixed reactions continue to greet Roberts’ continuous detention, his counsel, Mr. Goddy Uche (SAN), has alleged a case of vendetta against former President Jonathan, saying the suspect was allegedly being persecuted owing to his relationship with the former leader.

Uche accused the Federal Government of shying away from its responsibility to pay Roberts’ company an honorarium of $4m, being an outstanding payment for an assignment which his client helped the Federal Government execute.

It’s time to put Nigeria first BY REUBEN ABATI

This commentary is inspired by Olusegun Adeniyi’s Of wailers, counter-wailers and Buharideens. In that piece, the ace journalist and public affairs commentator successfully defines the tri-polarities governing public responses to the Muhammadu Buhari administration. The take-away is that the biggest challenge that Nigeria faces at the moment is political partisanship, which has divided the country into the camps of rights and wrongs and a fierce and bitter contestation over who is right or wrong.

One year after the last Presidential election that led to the exit of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), after 16 years in office and power (sorry, the 60 years project failed) and the exit also, of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, there is now a bitter fight out there on the streets over whether or not Nigerians took the right decision by voting for change, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari. President Goodluck Jonathan’s over 12.8 million supporters have proven to be loyal and indeed that they exist as a serious, organized political force.

They have wasted no muscle, saliva or emotion in slyly reminding Nigerians generally that the electorate didn’t think properly about the choices they made in the 2015 general elections. President Buhari gained 15.4 million plus supporters in that election and they too are not ready to abandon their choice. And as Adeniyi brilliantly points out, you have the Buharideens, whose devotion to the incumbent is at the level of passion, religion and ethnicity. Adeniyi forgot to mention the Jonathanians (I wonder why) who afraid of persecution, have since laid low strategically, but are now beginning to show their hands, as a new contest for the public mind begins, close to the first anniversary of the Buhari administration in power.

My tentative take is that there is too much ego, passion and self-righteousness out there on the streets. Add the reverse triumphalism of the defeated PDP. Well, scratch that. Add opportunism. You may scratch that too. Add didn’t-we-tell-you-the-change-you-sought-was-nothing-but-one-chance? Now, scratch that and replace with the other group saying you-thieves-should-go-hide-your-heads-in-shame. Hmmm, scratch that quickly and replace with all-of-us-na-barawo-una-go-see-wetin-we-go-do-to-you-when-we-come-back. Now don’t scratch this completely, leave some of the ink, and replace with there-is-no-vacancy-here-na-joke-una-dey-joke-because-we-know-corruption-is-trying-to-fight-back. Now, come on, scratch everything and replace with the realization that Nigeria today is entrapped in a vicious power game, a muddled integrity game and a desperate one-upmanship, my-car-is-better-than-yours game. It is as if the election has not ended, it is as if we are still in the season of political campaigns.

I blame the APC strategists for allowing things to remain at this level. They have failed to see the need to move quickly from campaign to governance mode. They are also behaving as if they are under the spell of Karma. The PDP wailers are tying them down, with taunts, forcing them to still campaign after the election. They have now pushed them to become defensive, the exact place where the PDP was more than a year ago, but it is worse, as the APC and its agents have become irritable. The result is that the APC and its government are beginning to over-react to every little provocation. They used to accuse the Jonathan government of being reactive rather than pro-active (I never agreed), but that is what they are doing now, and it is worse according to current testimonies. They who used to be regarded as the masters of this kind of game are losing grip of it.

Today’s men are thus making precisely the same mistakes we made, if we may charitably say so, and if they continue this way, and do not quickly change the narrative, their tactics and their strategy, they may with their own hands unwittingly prepare the grounds for the hobbling of their own government. They have already made one big additional mistake, which the Jonathan government didn’t make: they are forcing the people to look back. They are forcing the people to check the dictionary for the meaning of change and to start asking simple questions. They are practically motivating the people to be nostalgic. The kind of compare-and-contrast narrative that is determining prevalent sentiments is ironic at all levels.

A fellow that should professionally qualify as an idiot even asked the other day: who is thinking for this government? The truth is that there are always people thinking for government but they are mostly the wrong people, exploiting primordial advantages rather than natural and trained gifts. But the worse that has happened in the shape of an own goal is the APC fighting itself. This is too Karmic, and too much of a repetition of recent history, to be true. When Asiwaju Bola Tinubu called out Dr Ibe Kachikwu on the management of the lingering nationwide scarcity of fuel, and the latter’s response to public angst – that was a deadly own goal. When the administration puts Senate President Bukola Saraki in the dock, and treats him like a renegade, that is another own goal. The seemingly intractable scarcity of fuel and foreign exchange and the rising cost of everything is the biggest own goal, in addition to the open denial of promises made to the people. In our time, there were persons who used to wonder whenever certain things occurred if the Jonathan government was not under a metaphysical spell; perhaps, it is possible for a government to be under spells: man-made and induced. We have been told, for example, that government is not a magician, credited to Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State for Petroleum/GMD NNPC but is anyone aware that another government spokesperson had actually said President Buhari never promised to perform magic, weeks before Kachikwu echoed the same point?. Check that, and reflect on the point about magical spells.

I bring up these points merely to provoke further thought. In the last one year, certain specific lessons have been learnt, and you don’t need a Ph.D to know this, just check with the ordinary man on the street. Lesson one: change doesn’t mean transformation. The change of form is not the same as the change of content or style. Lesson two: politicians are the same, no matter the label. Lesson three:it is not easy to run Nigeria. The challenges, year after year, government after government, party after party, are basically the same.Lesson four: it is easy to criticize; it is not as easy to govern. Lesson five: every party or government in power has skeletons in the cupboard and ghosts in their courtyard. Lesson six: the contest for power in Nigeria is a permanent struggle at the heart of the national question. Lesson seven: Nigeria is a country in search of good men and heroes. Lesson eight: the love of government, religion or the kinsman, is not the same as patriotism. Lesson nine: truth can be relative. Lesson ten: politicians in Nigeria are who they are: whores.Lesson eleven: small things matter most.

These propositions are organically contradictory to the extent that they provoke further interrogations. They could generate egotism, unnecessary contestation, bile and argumentation. We do not need that right now. Those who voted, not necessarily for the APC, but for President Muhammadu Buhari saw him as a game changer and a statesman, who having nothing at stake other than love of country, will move the country forward. The grievances in the land are directed at him. The people may not know APC but they know Buhari. They placed their bet on him. They want answers from him. Olusegun Adeniyi says he should not lose the popularity that brought him to power, but he does not tell us how. I suspect that the answer lies in President Buhari insisting that Nigeria must come first. The Manichean approach to governance that has remained dominant for almost one year has divided the country right down the middle, vertically and horizontally, creating camps of disaffection that government does not need. The effect may not yet have been seen, but it is that latent effect that will on the long run, determine the fortunes of the Buhari administration. The time has come for President Buhari to take another look at the tea leaves and ask the forces of division to put Nigeria first.

He came into office as a legacy figure and statesman. He assumed office not as a man seeking history but as a man of history. His remit is to deepen that history and his credentials as a legacy figure and statesman. Those who are reducing his tenure to a competition with the immediate past as justification and platform miss this point and they have seen enough contradictions on display to realize the limitations of their strategy just in case there is one. There is only one valid strategy for a man with Buhari’s antecedents: sustained connection with the popular will. President Olusegun Obasanjo managed that very well during his first term (1999 -2003) and President Goodluck Jonathan is gaining back whatever he may have lost – his individual heroism and the failure of the APC ‘s post-election tactics, have shed useful light on his achievements in office via the force of inevitable comparison.

I believe that the Buhari government has reached that moment when it must review its house-keeping tactics. One option is for the President to move beyond the APC and run a government of national unity. He must search far more widely for meaning, purpose and inclusivity at the levels of thought and policy options. He needs to run a government that shows that it has since gone beyond elections, and seeks to build a nation. One year is gone, so he has very short time. The best assessment of the last one year in office cannot even be done by him, his staff or pundits. He only needs to listen to the anonymous man on the street from Kano to wherever. The people will always speak, and they must be heard, and as the Buhari government approaches its first year in office, the people are speaking louder than ever. Nigerians may be implacable, but when they begin to murmur, it is better to listen. If anyone tells President Buhari that it is the PDP making such noise, let him not believe such persons. If they tell him there is a Jonathanian cabal fighting him, he should tell such persons to try another line because that particular song is beginning to sound too familiar. There may be no magic to governance, but there is certainly serious magic in statecraft. Mr. President, the past is in the mirror.

Jonathan lost the Election because of Mediocres - Mantu

Former Deputy Senate President and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, has said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 elections because he was surrounded by mediocres and amateurs.

Mantu, who disclosed this in an interview with an online publication, said the former President alienated himself from those who were in a position to help him win the elections.

He said: “Jonathan lost because he refused to work with people who know the game. Most of the people Jonathan worked with were mediocres and amateurs. At a point in time, he even left the party machinery and employed some consultants to work for him.”

He said the manner Jonathan was chosen as the party’s presidential candidate did not also help his case, adding that who spoke against the process were sidelined by the party.

He said: “When I sat down as an elder, I sent memos to Jonathan himself. Some of us were seen as prophets of doom. Because we gave good advice, they sidelined me. They didn’t want to see some of us.

“I am not a soothsayer but I know what can happen in a party in which I am a member. I told people we were wasting our time. Many people disagreed. They thought it would be business as usual. I could see clearly that the God of justice would not allow it to happen. When you play God, God will tell you ‘I am power and I give it to anybody I wish’.”

Mantu referred to many groups which deceived the former President that they could mobilise votes for him, noting that many claimed they could mobilise as many as 75 million voters for him in the elections.

He said: “There are many of them; they came to Eagle Square and said they have 75 million signatures. Where were the 75 million people when we were voting? Politics is a grassroots game. When you don’t use your structure at the grassroots, you will lose.

“How many people watch television? Those that have don’t have light. So, when you say you are using television to campaign, you are wasting your time. Campaign is at the grassroots level.”

On what the All Progressives Congress, APC, did well to win the elections, Mantu said: “People were already tired of PDP. PDP was suffering from hangover, fatigue. Sixteen years in power uninterrupted is not easy in a country like Nigeria.

“Then, PDP became over drunk with power. We were staggering. We missed our road. We were no longer respecting the people. Virtually everywhere, APC votes came from PDP members, who were angry with the party.”

He, however, said the PDP was rebuilding itself to cope with its present challenges, noting that the party’s forthcoming convention would help it find its bearing.

NIGERIA: Reps ask Buhari to sign budget without details

Following complaints from the Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari is unable to sign the 2016 appropriation bill into law due to absence of details, the House of Representatives yesterday implored the president to assent to the bill without the details.

The House confirmed that details of the passed budget will be sent to the president in two weeks’ time.

Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, who disclosed this yesterday while briefing National Assembly correspondents, explained that budgets are normally assented to before the details are sent, adding that former President Olusegun Obasanjo signed budgets during his reign without details, so, Buhari can also do so.

Jibrin said: “We have passed the budget and, at the moment, we are working on the details. In order for the nation to move forward and avoid stagnation of administrative processes, the tradition is that the bill is passed and forwarded to the Presidency for assent, while the lawmakers continue to work on the details.

“There is nothing abnormal about this practice and yet nothing abnormal about a president assenting a budget before or after seeing the details. In any case, the budget details are usually sent within a week or two after passing the budget.”

He assured that: “we would take a week or two to work on the details. We are doing the final harmonisation checks here and there that should not take more than a week or two.”

According to Jibrin, “we have instances of President Obasanjo signing the budget without the details; we came to President Umaru Yar’Adua who always preferred to see the details. So, if President Buhari prefers to see the details before assenting to the bill, I don’t think we should make a big deal out of it. It’s absolutely normal.”

He explained that “in view of the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding that characterised the 2016 Budget, it would be unpatriotic of the National Assembly to forward the budget details without being extra-careful, meticulous and cautious in discharging its duties. This is to ensure we do not make same mistake that the executive made.

“The 2016 Budget is the most challenging budget the National Assembly has ever passed in its recent history. Taking into account the many controversies and omissions, particularly in NYSC, prisons, pensions, personnel shortfalls, among others, the budget failed in many respects to connect with the policy thrust of the government.

“The National Assembly Appropriation Committees worked round the clock to address some of the omissions, bring up to date allocations in the budget towards the policy direction of Mr. President, particularly issues relating to security, anti-corruption and economic diversification.”

He said it will be unfair for the Presidency to accuse the National Assembly of delaying the budget.

“It is, therefore, unfair for accusing fingers to be pointed at National Assembly when the Presidency defers or delays assent to the budget. Nowhere in the world that a budget is presented to the parliament, and expect it to be passed without subjecting it to the rigours of scrutiny, debate and painstaking processes and inputs of the parliament.

“When all these things have taken place, we would all agree that it will be very difficult for anybody to sit and start throwing stones at the National Assembly,” he said.

Jibrin noted that “with all these series of challenges in the course of working on the budget, I doubt very much that the executive or Presidency, knowing fully what has transpired in the last few months, will be throwing stones at the National Assembly.

“The general public should note that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2016 budget proposal came to the National Assembly very late. You will also recall that a lot of dusts were raised over different versions of the budget circulated in the National Assembly. Further, some ministers disowned the content of the budget during defence before the National Assembly.

“Amidst these inconistencies and discrepancies, the legislature had been deeply engrossed in perfecting the anomalies, ironing out of the wrinkles and stretching the twists inherent in the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

“The appropriation committee needs to scrutinise the original proposal sent by the president vis-àvis the reports of various standing committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate to arrive at a clean copy of the budget details. This will, in no way, affect any envelop already passed or the aggregate expenditure.”

It will be recalled that the Presidency had, on Tuesday, said that Buhari will not be able to sign the 2016 appropriation bill into law because of the failure of the National Assembly to send details of the bud-get as passed by both chambers last week.

But in a sharp reaction to the House position, the Presidency has insisted that it is waiting for the details to act on the budget.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Reps), Hon. Abdulrahman Suleiman Kawu, in a statement issued in Abuja said the president will not sign the budget until the details are provided.

Kawu said: “Once the president gets the budget, he and his team will look at the details of what the National Assembly has passed. If there is any observation, he will send it back to the National Assembly and if not, he will assent it.

“In view of the ongoing debate about the 2016 Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, I wish to use this medium to inform Nigerians that one week after the passage, the Presidency is yet to receive the budget details.”

The presidential aide, who thanked the National Assembly for working tirelessly on the budget, however said: “We are waiting for the National Assembly to finish with the details and transmit same to Mr. President.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the current National Assembly has not transmitted any budget details to President Muhammadu Buhari let alone for him to sign it. Thus, it is pertinent to inform Nigerians that the budget details are yet to reach the president for his scrutiny and subsequent assent.”

It was observed that the Senate Committee on Appropriation was still busy, putting finishing touches to the document.

When newsmen visited the office of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Danjuma Goje, yesterday, he was said to be busy with some other senators.

Although the identities of some of the senators in his office could not be ascertained at the time of visit, the Deputy Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, Sonni Ogbuoji, was at the meeting.

Also, while journalists were still waiting to get the true position of the budget from Goje, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Francis Alimikhena, who is a member of the Appropriation Committee, walked into the office.

Journalists, who were desperately waiting to be briefed by Goje, got disappointed when he came out and angrily queried why the newsmen gathered in his office without invitation.

He said: “wa ya kira su? wa ya kira su? wa ya kira ku? (meaning: who called them? who called them? who called you?)”

But Ogbuoji carpeted the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for breeding up another round of controversy around the 2016 budget.

He said that the APC did not know why it came to governance, pointing out that it was the party’s ignorance that made it to resort to blame game.

“What I can tell you is that APC does not know why it came to governance. Up till now, they are still looking for who to blame. When they are ready for governance, they will tell Nigerians”, he said.

Nigeria to be among top 10 global economies - Experts

Linda Thomas-Greenfield

The United States has said that Nigeria’s estimated middle class of 50 million people will help grow the country into one of the top-ten global economies by 2050.

It, however, expressed doubts that much of the billions of dollars looted from Nigeria in the last decade would be recovered.

The US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, stated this in Washington ahead of the meeting of the US-Nigeria Bi-National Commission, which took place yesterday.

She said: “In case anyone has any doubts on the extent of Nigeria’s importance in Africa and the world… Nigeria’s population is projected to reach 400 million by 2050, overtaking the United States counand becoming the third most populous country in the world. The median age in Nigeria is 18. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and Africa’s largest oil producer. The country’s middle class of roughly 50 million people is expected to help grow the country into one of the top-ten global economies by 2050.”

Thomas-Greenfield stressed the importance of Nigeria to the world when she said: “These statistics paint the picture of a country with enormous potential and opportunities ahead of it, yet daunting challenges it must tackle in order to succeed. There is cause for cautious optimism at this juncture and the United States looks forward to doing everything we can to partner with Nigeria to seize the moment.

“Why is it so important that we seize the moment? It’s simple: we need a strong, proactive Nigeria, because it’s in Nigeria’s interest, the region’s interest and it is in the world’s interest. Importantly, it is in the United States’ interest, as well. And so, the question in front of all of us today is: What can we do to support a strong, proactive and prosperous Nigeria?”

She, however, noted that despite Nigeria’s size and resources, the United Nations estimated in 2011 that 54 per cent of the country’s population lives on less than $1.25 a day and 16 per cent of children die before reaching their fifth birthday, largely as a result of preventable diseases.

According to her, “Nigeria has also struggled to provide adequate and reliable power to its citizens despite its vast natural resources, with only 45 per cent of its citizens currently having access to electricity.” In addition, Thomas- Greenfield stated that massive corruption has resulted in Nigeria losing billions of dollars every year, especially in the last decade alone.

“Although much of this money that has been siphoned off will likely never be seen again, imagine the impact that this money could have had on Nigeria’s infrastructure and economy,” she stated.

She said that despite these challenges, the US believes there is cause to be optimistic about Nigeria’s prospects, particularly in the aftermath of last year’s elections.

Thomas-Greenfield said: “Nigerians have newfound optimism and an opportunity to set their country on a path to capitalise on its nearly unlimited potential. The election was a first and major step toward Nigeria fundamentally altering its course – and the country today stands at a crossroads.”

The US top official stressed that if Nigeria implements sound policies, the country has potential to regain its role as a strong and effective global player, a leader on the African continent, and an engine of economic growth throughout West Africa and the continent.

Her words: “We want to partner with Nigeria – its people and its government – to make that a reality, and we want to work with Nigeria on issues of global importance such as climate change, nuclear security, sustainable development, strengthening collaboration on global health priorities, and countering violent extremism.

“We are also supporting efforts by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the judiciary to investigate and prosecute complex corruption cases. We have engaged religious communities, who are a very powerful force in Nigeria, to join in the fight against corruption. Corruption will be fought not just through technical assistance, but through widespread social change.”

She said that despite these challenges, the US believes there is cause to be optimistic about Nigeria’s prospects, particularly in the aftermath of last year’s elections.

Biafra:Kanu seeks help from the British Government

Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has petitioned the British Government over his incarceration on alleged treasonable felony by the Department of State Security Services (DSS).

A five-page petition titled Nnamdi Kanu: A victim of travesty of justice and a call for the British Government to be on the watch was signed by Kanu’s counsel, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor.

Ejiofor also attached copies of press conferences on March 18, 2016, certificates of registration of IPOB and Radio Biafra, in the United Kingdom and registration certificates of IPOB in other countries.

The petition read: “We are counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the 1st defendant in the above captioned criminal charge, hereinafter refers to as “our client”, and on whose authority and firm instruction, we formally bring to the attention of the British Government the deliberate design by the Nigerian Government to subvert the course of justice in the above criminal trial.

“It is repeating the obvious to state that our client is a full British citizen, by virtue of which position he is entitled to all rights, privileges and protections, guaranteed under British Laws and conventions.

“We are, therefore, constrained in the circumstance, to formally notify the British Government vide this medium, of our well informed reservations, and apprehension, that our client is undergoing persecution in the charge above referred, and deliberate design by the persecutors to frustrate every effort of the defence team aimed at giving our client a fair trial…

“It is, therefore, our humble expectation that the demonstration of palpable commitment by the British Government will, to a larger extent neutralise concerns and fears raised by the remark under reference.

“We most humbly request the British authority to begin a race against time, for more noticeable impact in this matter” the petition stated.

Meanwhile, the General Coordinator of M21 World Christian Emergency Project, Prophet Godfrey Otubuochi Chidiebere Gbujie said no one can stop the realisation of the state of Biafra as God has already sanctioned its existence.

“God has already established a covenant with Ndigbo and so, no man can stop the state of Biafra because he has already sanctioned its existence,” Gbujie said.