Abuja Residents Kick Against Postponement of General Election

Some residents of Abuja today protested against alleged plans by the Nigerian government to manipulate the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] to postpone the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

The protest, organized by the civic group, National Consensus Movement, commenced from the Unity Fountain, Maitama, with protesters marching in the directions of Eagle Square, a premium event centre in the nation’s capital.
But as they filed past the Federal Secretariat, the protesters were blocked by officers of the Nigeria police.
Not deterred, the protesters went on chanting, ” Election must hold, Election must hold.”
The placard-carrying protesters said it was hard for anyone to believe that after heating up the polity, the government could resort to an attempt to postpone the already planned election.
Some of the various placards read: “Nigerians say no to postponement, we want election”, “Democracy must survive.”, “Our vote of confidence to Jega. Give us elections. February 14.” “Election must hold on 14th of February ” and “GEJ, you claimed you have done 20,000km of roads, why are you afraid of elections?”
Others read, “No responsible Nigerian will support postponement of election and NCS members are all responsible. So say no to postponement ” and “No to election postponement. ”
One of the protesters, Mohammed Abdullahi,30, an Abuja-based business man, said it would be unfair to the average Nigerian if the election is postponed.
Mr. Abdullahi said elections in Nigeria have become occasions when some citizens travel from their base to their states of origin to vote.
He said a call for postponement would inconvenience people who have already moved their families to various locations in a Nigeria to cast their votes.
He also called on the government to reconsider its plans for the rumoured postponement and allow INEC its independent right to handle the affairs of the election.
“Some of my friends in PDP have even told me it’s not fair because they have spent a lot of money in campaigns. And postponement only means sourcing for funds for fresh campaigns,” Mr. Abdullahi said.
Others said the plan for postponement is a tactical approach by the present administration to ensure elongation of tenure.
The National Council of State is meeting today to deliberate on issues of possible postponement.
However, Attahiru Jega, Chairman, INEC, has said the commission is prepared for the coming elections and has no plans for a postponement.
Before today’s anti-postponement protest, some apparently hired youths numbering about 100, had on Monday marched on INEC headquarters demanding the postponement of the elections.
The youth had gathered in front of the electoral body’s headquarters, asking the commission to delay the polls because of the difficulty in the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card, PVCs.
According to the protesters, only 40 per cent of the poll had been distributed ahead of the February 14 and 28 elections.
They also claimed that INEC needed 960,000 ad hoc staff but that at the time of their protest the staff had not been engaged.
They argued that if the polls were allowed to go ahead as scheduled, several million Nigerians would not be able to vote.

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Jonathan's administration does not spare good people-Nyako

 

 The former governor of Adamawa state, Murtala Nyako said declaring him wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not come to him as a surprise, adding that the present administration does not spare good people.

Reacting to the development, Nyako said he was not in the least surprised by the latest turn of events because the present administration had shown a disdain for honest people.

The former governor spoke through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmed Sajoh.

He said, “We are not surprised but if it is true that they have done that (declared Nyako wanted), it is a good development.

“This administration does not spare good people. Show me any of the vile and corrupt people who have been declared wanted or convicted.

“Then show me the good people it has not hounded.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on Wednesday declared Murtala Nyako and his son, Abdulaziz Murtala, wanted.

The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren said Nyako and his son were declared wanted for offences bordering on economic crimes.

“Former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, has been declared wanted by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Also wanted by the EFCC is the son of the ex-governor, Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako, a retired naval officer.

“Both are wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering.”

The EFCC had in July last year given the indication that it was most likely to declare Nyako wanted because he failed to honour the commission’s invitation to answer questions on how monies meant for the running of the state were spent.

Uwujaren had said then that the commission was opting for the strategy to declare Nyako wanted because he had been elusive since he was ousted from office.

“Since Nyako, was removed, he has been elusive. So, the commission has devised a strategy to declare him wanted.

“The commission is planning to declare him wanted,” Uwujaren said.

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Audit report indicts NNPC, to refund $1.48billion

The forensic audit conducted by the audit firm of PriceWaterHouseCoopers on behalf of the Federal Government on the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC] has indicted the management of the national oil company for various questionable transactions.
Part of the recommendations include that the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, the upstream subsidy of the NNPC should refund about $1.48billion to the Federation Account for various unreconciled transactions.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on Monday publicly received the report a day after a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN], Chukwuma Soludo, wrote a long, acerbic article accusing the managers of the Nigerian economy of misappropriating over N30trillion of public funds, including several billions in oil money.
The forensic audit was commissioned following allegation by the immediate past Governor of the CBN, Lamido Sanusi, that about $20 billion oil money was missing from the NNPC.
The Presidency had on March 12, 2014 announced, through a statement by the president’s spokesperson, Reuben Abati, that it had authorised the engagement of reputable international firms to carry out the forensic audit of the accounts of the NNPC.
The allegation that the huge amount had been stolen was raised in 2013 by a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano.
Mr. Sanusi said as much as $49 billion was diverted by state oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
He later reviewed the amount to $20 billion, and called for investigations after writing to President Goodluck Jonathan.
A Senate probe into the allegation yielded no result. Mr. Sanusi was later fired by President Jonathan after he was accused of “financial recklessness”.
The government said no money was missing, but promised a forensic investigation of NNPC.
In April 2014, the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, announced the appointment of the accounting firm, PriceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC), to conduct a detailed investigation into the accounts and activities of NNPC.
The minister said the investigation, under the supervision of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, would take about 16 weeks.
That schedule meant at most by September 2014 ending, the report should have been ready. A two-month delay meant the report should have been ready by November.
But the government only publicly received the report on Monday.

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Okonjo-Iweala Has An Impeccable Record- Nuhu Ribadu

The former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman and PDP Governorship candidate for Adamawa state, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has refuted the allegation by former CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo that N30 trillion got missing under the watch of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Nuhu Ribadu said it was not possible to have such a huge amount of money go missing under her watch.
He stressed that the Minister of Finance has an impeccable record having monitored her while she was minister under Former President Olusegun Obasanjo
"I was baffled and got deluded for anyone to say that N30 trillion got lost. I think we just have to look at what we earn as a country and what our budget had been in these few years and see how possible it is. If everything we earned is not up to that within the period she has been the minister, which is about three to four years, then we need to be careful. We need to be careful to avoid more damage to our nation, because there are certain things that when it comes out, it will never go back again.".

"I challenge anybody to say that she stole N1 at that time; we were all there. I was in charge of EFCC and I want to hear anybody say that she did this and that. I followed her up till now. I think it is somehow uncharitable for someone to come out to say that such an amount of money was missing under her watch. When I worked with her, she exhibited a nationalistic attitude that was not questionable and believed in any policy that could take Nigeria and its people high. I am close to almost all of us that worked together as a team and I know that Ngozi continues to do what she knows how best to do, which is to serve Nigeria. She managed this economy fairly in spite of all the challenges and difficulties; it is sad for someone to look at Ngozi and said that she has a hand in it (alleged missing funds). This pull-down syndrome has to stop and we must manage ourselves very well; I am not happy now with what is going on and I think that if it is politics, I think it is something that is hurting us as people and hurting the economy as well,” he said.

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Boko Haram Attack, Threat to peaceful election in Nigeria-Ban Ki-moon

 

      Ban Ki-moon

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern that insecurity in Northeast Nigeria may have dire consequences on next month’s elections, adding that the prevailing attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect pose threat to peaceful conduct of the elections on February 14 and 28.
The UN secretary said he will continue to rally UN member nations to discuss how to tackle the problem.
Ki-Moon observed that not only was the activities of sect escalating the insurgents now pose threat to peace in neighbouring countries, particularly Cameroon.
In a statement at the UN headquarters, New York, but made available by the National Information Officer at the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Oluseyi Soremekun, the UN secretary urged the insurgents to embrace peace in the interest of humanity.
It reads: “We face another grave test as Nigeria readies for its election next month.  Boko Haram has continued its violence, killing Christians and Muslims, kidnapping even more women and children, and destroying churches and mosques.
“Mayhem has spread across the region, and is now having a direct impact on Cameroon and other countries.

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President Jonathan rejects tenure extension for SEC’s DG

    Ms Arunma Oteh
President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected a request for the extension of tenure of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Director-General, Ms Arunma Oteh.
Jonathan  approved the appointment of a Commissioner in the Commission, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, as acting Director-General.
The President rejected a memo from the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, seeking a second term for Oteh.
The memo was said to be based on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim’s recommendation.
Ms. Oteh’s controversial tenure ended on January 6.
Although she lobbied to return, the President was said to have thought otherwise.
It was learnt an evaluation showed that her performance was “neither sterling nor spectacular.”
The government found that the stock market has not recovered from the 2008 financial crisis.

A source said: “Despite intense lobbying by some government officials and business players, the President stood his ground that Ms. Oteh should not come back.
“Jonathan rejected a memo from the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala seeking the retention of Ms. Oteh. The Minister based the case for Oteh  on a strong recommendation by the SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim.
“To some extent, the SGF misled the Minister because the indices did not add up for Oteh as to earn a renewal of tenure. There was no convincing statistics to prove that Oteh has led the stock market to a leap recovery.
“No one could explain why the Office of the SGF which suspended her while in office will be the one championing her retention. I think there was a tribal connotation to it.
“The evaluation of her tenure indicated an average performance because she was rated as ‘neither sterling nor spectacular. The President chose to look beyond ethnic sentiments and stood on the side of truth and the public yearning for a change in SEC.
“Stakeholders in the Stock Exchange Market, workers and others alike wanted a fresh breath of air in SEC. You will recall that at the peak of SEC crisis in 2012, Ms. Oteh’s commissioners even disowned her.
It could not be ascertained if Ms. Oteh will remain a member of the President’s Economic Management Team (EMT).
“Another source added: “She earned First Class in Computer Science from  the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the nation might still engage her elsewhere.
“No nation will allow a First Class brain and respected intellectual to waste away. Definitely, the Presidency may accommodate her elsewhere.”
Gwarzo, the Executive Commissioner for Operations, graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Bayero University, Kano in 1987.
He obtained a Post-Graduate Degree in Development Finance from the University of Birmingham in 1999.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers.
A third source said: “Gwarzo will act pending the appointment of a substantive DG. The President has the discretion to appoint a DG in line with Section 5(1 and 2) of the Investments and Securities Act 2007.
The section says: “The DG and the three full time commissioners shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Minister and confirmation by the Senate.
“The DG shall hold office for a period of five years in the first instance and may be reappointed for a further period of five years and no more.”
Ms. Oteh was suspended on June 12, 2012 and was recalled via a letter by the SGF.
The reinstatement followed an audit report on SEC by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Her recall created bad blood between the Presidency and the House of Representatives because she was reinstated on the eve of the presentation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Capital Market’s report on the SEC’s activities.
The crisis between the House and Ms. Oteh followed a public hearing into the capital market operations.
During the hearing, the then Chairman of the House Committee on Capital market and Other Institutions, Mr. Herman Hembe, alleged that Ms. Oteh was not qualified to be DG.
He said the committee also discovered how Ms. Oteh allegedly spent N850, 000 on hotel accommodation in a day and N85, 000 on a meal.
But Ms. Oteh took exception to the allegations, saying: “This has been a Kangaroo court. Not even in Idi Amin’s Uganda did we have this type of public hearing. You had implied that as a regulator, that by having people on secondment from the private sector, it could undermine the capacity of the regulatory functions of the commission.
“In asking the SEC to contribute N39m for this public hearing, don’t you think that you are undermining your capacity to carry out your duties?”

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RUPA Partners Amarok Society To Improve Education of Out-Of-School Children in Nigeria

A non-governmental organization, Rural Package Community Development Initiative (RUPA) and a Canadian-based NGO, Amarok Society have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve the education of out of schools children in Nigeria.

This was disclosed at a ceremony held at RUPA office in Abuja on Friday attended by members of RUPA National Executive Council and officials of Amarok Society.

The National Chairman of RUPA, Hon. Kingsley Ntui, signed on behalf of RUPA, while Dr. Tanyss Ida Munro signed on behalf of the Canadian organization, Amarok Society.

According to Hon. Kingsley Ntui, the MoU is anchored on the establishment of schools in Nigeria as a strategy to reduce illiteracy and boost educational system.

Hon. Kingsley Ntui described the partnership as a welcomed development and very strategic to the general development of education of poor children in Nigeria.

Also speaking, Dr. Tanyss Ida Munro said Amarok Society provides education to the very poor children in the society without access to school by teaching their mothers to become neighborhood teachers.

According to her, the organisation opened its first school in Bangladesh in January 2006, adding that many of the original students of the schools are now completing secondary school and a couple has progressed to university.  

“As of January 2015, Amarok operates 20 schools in Bangladesh, 1 school in Pakistan and is about to open in Nigeria through our partner, Rural Package Community Development Initiative (RUPA).  Amarok partners with Rotary International and has significant Rotary support in Canada, United States and some support in the UK. 

“The Nigerian model, the RUPA-Amarok partnership will target the 58 million out-of-school children world wide in a highly cost-effective way. Rather than building schools for children, very poor illiterate mothers will attend school for 2 hours (using existing infrastructure) every day. Mothers enrolled in these schools will then teach 5 neighbourhood children everything they learn in their own homes every day. Costs for educating children in this way are very low. Once children complete primary education at the neighbor-mother’s school, they can attend the Nigerian secondary school system”.

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