Like Jonathan, Yar'Adua; President Bihari Also Violates Nigerian Law On Public Procurement

Premium Times - Despite promises during the campaigns in the build up to the 2015 election, President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to inaugurate the National Council on Public Procurement, NCPP, as required by Nigerian law.

The Public Procurement Act 2007 was signed into law by late President Umaru Yar’Adua on June 4, 2007.

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The Act provides for the establishment of the National Council on Public Procurement, NCPP, and the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, as the regulatory authorities responsible for the monitoring and oversight of public procurement as well as harmonizing existing government policies and practices.  The act was put in place to put more transparency in and ensure public participation in government procurement.

Membership of the council according to the Act should comprise 12 members to be appointed by the president.

While six of the members are government officials, the other six are drawn from relevant professional organisations.  Those from the government side, considered permanent members, include the Minister of Finance, who serves as chairman, and the Director General of the BPP as secretary.

Others are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of Service, and the Economic Adviser to the President.

Those representing professional bodies are drawn from the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture, the Nigeria Society of Engineers, a representative of civil society organisations and that of the media.

NOT ONLY BUHARI

Although President Yar’Adua signed the Act into law in his first week in office, he however, failed to set up the council until his death in May 2010.

His deputy and successor, Goodluck Jonathan, who eventually served as president for five years also failed to inaugurate the council.

As a result, most of the functions of the council were carried out by the Federal Executive Council, FEC.

The FEC is made up the president, the vice president, all the ministers and some presidential advisers; meaning the president and his political appointees who are all less likely to question his decisions.

The inability of the government to set up the council has meant the FEC approves contracts to be executed by its members.

Mr. Buhari had in a document circulated during the 2015 campaigns titled ‘ My covenant with Nigerians’ promised to “inaugurate the National Council on Procurement as stipulated in the Procurement Act so that the Federal Executive Council, which has been turned to a weekly session of contract bazaar, will concentrate on its principal function of policy making”.

Although the president after assuming office disowned the document, a PREMIUM TIMES fact check showed the ruling All Progressives Congress did author it.

The document was authored by the policy and research directorate of the APC presidential campaign, headed by current Minister of Solid Minerals Development and former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, when the party was trying to convince Nigerians to abandon the then ruling PDP.

COUNCIL COMING SOON

A top official of the APC administration who declined to be named because he is not permitted to speak to the media on the matter said the issue of NCPP ” just like other boards and parastatals will be set up at the right time.”

The official said he is aware the office of SGF is working on the composition of the boards of parastatals.

He however, said, “the truth is government has a lot more important matters to attend to at the moment and the issue of procurement council and all others will be attended to in due course.”

Several efforts to speak with the SGF, Babachir Lawal, were unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile phone could not be connected. He also did not respond to our text message at the time of publishing this story.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, however, promised to “make inquiries and revert” to us. He said the administration is “working on it”.

In reaction to the failure of the Buhari administration to set up the council, lawyer Jiti Ogunye said it is unacceptable for successive administrations to fail to inaugurate the NCPP.

He said the inability of the Buhari administration to inaugurate the council has ” grave consequences” because the Act establishing the council was not meant ” to be observed in breach”.

“The executive is not at liberty to choose which law it could implement. It is not a discretionary matter,” he said.

Mr. Ogunye said both the federal and state governments are charged under Section 5 of the Nigerian constitution 1999, as amended to “govern the country and execute all the laws passed by the National Assembly”.

The human rights lawyer said he could not say if the actions of the FEC to carry out the functions of the NCPP is illegal because there is no legal pronouncement on the matter.

He said the best way to resolve the controversy is through “public interest litigation seeking an order of mandamus” asking the Nigerian government to ” do what the law says they should do”.

Mr. Ogunye said the NCPP is the citizens only chance to participate in the procurement process in the country.

“The business of the Federal Executive Council is to deal with policy issues. It is not a contract awarding body,” he said.

We need a court declaration to say the FEC “as a substitute to the NCPP is illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional. On the basis of arguments, we can say what they are doing is illegal, but there is no legal declaration to that effect.”

Army Converts Captured Sambisa Forest To Military Training Ground

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has disclosed that Sambisa Forest, which was recently recovered from insurgents, will now serve as training centre for the army.

He said already, he had directed that the Nigerian Army small arms championship for 2017 should hold in the forest.

This is just as former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has hailed the successful recovery of Sambisa Forest by the Nigeria Military, saying it has further confirmed his confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari will crush Boko Haram.

Speaking at a camp fire ceremony with troops of 145 Battalion Damasak, Borno State, to mark Christmas celebration, Buratai said: “We are opening up roads in Sambisa Forest to site a base. It is going to be one of our training centres in the country as well as ground for testing acquired equipment before putting them into operation. A similar thing will be established at Alagarno, the former acclaimed spiritual base of Boko Haram before their defeat there.

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“ We want to thank you, officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, especially the theatre commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, the GOCs and all the soldiers fighting insurgency in Borno and Northeast for bringing Boko Haram terrorists to their knees. My gratitude also goes to the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy whose collaboration has made the work fruitful.”

Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff reopened the Maiduguri-Gubio-Kareto-Damasak and Maiduguri-Monguno-Baga highways for commercial activities, following the emerging peace in Borno, with a strong warning to the personnel and members of National Union of Road Transport workers and National Union of Road Transport Employees to desist from any sort of extortion on the highways.

The two major highways, which are transit routes for trade between Nigeria, Chad and Niger Republic, particularly in the areas of smoked fish, hide and skin, cattle, gum Arabic, rice and beans, among others, were closed two years ago by the military because of Boko Haram activities.

Buratai charged troops to ensure that the highways are not only free from accidents, but also free from insurgents.

“This is a great day as the occasion is dedicated to members of Road Transport workers and Employers whose activities were crippled by Boko Haram.

“But I must warn everyone assigned on this road not to indulge in any form of extortion from the road users as anyone caught will be dealt with,” he warned.

Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, who witnessed the reopening of the roads, described this year’s Christmas as the best since his election as governor, because of the remarkable events in his life and that of Borno

“Since I was elected as governor of Borno state, this is the best Christmas I have ever witnessed. It is in this Christmas that the Nigerian Army established their supremacy against Boko Haram in Sambisa. It is in this 2016 that many communities were liberated from Boko Haram. It is in this same year that the 21 Chibok girls were rescued at once by the military. It is Borno and Nigeria’s year of Victory,” the governor stated.

In a statement in Minna, Niger State, yesterday, Babangida said he was highly delighted with the news of the successful operations of “Our gallant military personnel in the Sambisa Forest.”

He lauded the courage and determination of President Buhari, army chiefs and other security personnel for their sacrifices for the liberation of Sambisa Forest and adjoining abodes of Boko Haram.

The former president reiterated that the crushing of Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest has reaffimed his position that “President Muhammed Buhari and the military are capable of crushing any challenge of territorial integrity of Nigeria.”

“May I rejoice with the government and Nigerians on the successful dislodging of Boko Haram from their base in Sambisa. With the successful takeover of the Sambisa Forest, l hope that very soon, the remaining Chibok girls will be located and reunited with their families,” he added.

Babangida also paid tributes to all fallen heroes for paying the supreme sacrifice in their efforts of keeping the nation from aggression.

According to him, “the labour of our heroes past shall never been in vain.”

He further urged the military to unveil a new strategy of further defeating pockets of insurgents/terrorists, armed bandits and cattle rustlers all over the country.

Meanwhile, the federal government has congratulated the gallant troops of the Nigerian military for finally seizing the Sambisa Forest from the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists and securing the North-east, paving the way for the re-opening of two strategic roads in Borno state.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement, appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the troops as they clear the remnants of the terrorists who are now on the run.

He also called for increased vigilance among Nigerians, as Boko Haram escapees seek to integrate themselves into communities far and near, saying eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

‘’We urge Nigerians to keep our gallant and victorious troops in their prayers, and to also imbibe the mantra of ‘if you see something, say something’ as a way of ensuring that no escaped terrorist is able to wreak havoc in their communities. It is also important to know that now that they have been dispossessed of their fortress, the Boko Haram escapees will intensify their cowardly attacks on vulnerable targets if only to maintain an illusion of terror. But there should be no panic because the worst is over,’’ Alhaji Mohammed said.

While commending the military for the re-opening of the Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak road and the Maiduguri-Mungono-Baga road, he hailed Governor Shettima for his unwavering support for the military and his administration’s determination to quickly restore normalcy across the state.

The Minister said it was in recognition and celebration of the great feat performed by the military that he decided to lead over 30 Nigerian and international journalists to join the minister of defence, Brigadier Gen Mansur Dan Ali (retd), the service chiefs and the Governor of Borno state, at the opening of the two strategic roads.

Alhaji Mohammed said overall, the leadership provided by President Buhari provided the much-needed impetus for the military’s victory in the North-east, and urged Nigerians to continue to give their unalloyed support to the president in his untiring efforts to restore peace and security across the country and also revamp the economy.

Boko Haram: The End of A Nation's Woe, By Philip Agbese

Whether it was borne out of his operational knowledge or out of belief driven decisiveness, the directive by Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai to troops fighting in the northeast to deal Boko Haram the final blow turned out to be prophetic. It was similarom to the scenario that played out in Exodus 14:13 ‘And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.’

Boko Haram put more fear into Nigerians than the Egyptian overlords put in the Israelites. Few ever anticipated that the terror group would be defeated in their own lifetime. Many had concluded that the scourge is something that has come to stay.

This was what made the COAS’ directive prophetic in its daring forecast. Even at that many people were sceptical at the time Buratai saw into the near future. The scepticism may be explained in part as the product of the intense propaganda mounted by Boko Haram sympathizers whose efforts were boosted by the desperate attacks staged by the militant wing to give the impression that the terror group was still invincible. 

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Added to this are the various stories and videos published in some mainstream media and pliant online platforms to create the impression that the Army was fighting a losing battle. On top of that was the collective pessimism among a population of those that have been conditioned to believe their country cannot run its own affairs the right way. Friday December 24, 2016 proved otherwise. The Army took the last Boko Haram camp in Sambisa Forest, effectively ending the insurgency and defeating the terrorists.

Only the officers and men of Operation of Lafiya Dole could have easily decoded Buratai’s directive as a clear indication of an imminent end of the war based on their military training and the knowledge they have of him during his many outings with them in the trenches. Under other circumstances those that gave up hope would have been right in thinking that Boko Haram’s reign of terror will never come to an end. Afterall, countries that should sell weapons and military gears to Nigeria repeatedly declined citing trumped up reports of abuses.

Another great threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty at the height of the war on terror were the activities of foreign NGOs like Amnesty International that desperately worked to stall any progress in defeating the terrorist by effectively mounting propaganda for them. It was a vicious circle. Amnesty International fabricated reports on which countries based their decision not to sell equipment to Nigeria and the NGO then cite refusal to sell equipment as proof that Nigerian troops were committing atrocities. The group’s questionable reports were usually launched to coincide with whenever troops were poised to carry out decisive offensive – demoralising the troops was the desired outcome of such manoeuvres.

Furthermore, dark forces against the war on terror were the intellectual and cyber wings of the terror group that consistently muddled the issue on social media and online platforms. These were the people that produced slick videos to create the impression that the war was being lost. Of course, they had the assurance of being given publicity by western affiliated online newspapers that hide under ethics and a commitment to report all side to support the terror group. These are the enemies that should receive special attention now that fighters of the group’s militant wing is are in flight – they are the ones that will attempt reviving fear using any attacks that the fleeing losers can launch as pivot for unleashing national hysteria.

The desperation to keep Boko Haram in place was frantic as it became apparent that there were also those that want the terror group to thrive just so that it can be milked for financial gains as evident from the armsgate scandal in which billions of naira were being fleeced in the guise of buying weapons under the former administration. Those that make money from phoney negotiations and peace talks that led nowhere. The refusal of the Army and the Federal Government to again fall for the cheap tricks was highly condemned by those who would have been beneficiaries of the resulting fraud. These set of people have been hungry for a while since the government resorted to not paying criminals and their hunger will breed more desperation that we must all be on the look out for.

We must look across our borders. Our neighbours have not shown a capacity that correspond to ours in dealing with this terrorists, and we must immediately eliminate the possibility of Boko Haram re-grouping in another country. This is thus the time to ramp up our participation in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to take advantage of the alliance in pursuing the fleeing terrorists into any neighbouring country to enter into. 

We cannot risk not incinerating the snake now that its head has been cut off since the kind of leadership that gave us this victory is rare. It's obvious that we won the war with the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari as Commander in Chief of the Armed Force with his right choice of military chiefs, whose appointments signalled the beginning of the end for Boko Haram. That decision was crucial to now finally sealing our victory with the decisive leadership of General Buratai. Nigerians are appreciative of the efforts as demonstrated by a father of twin boys born in one of the suburb of Abuja who named them Buhari and Buratai in appreciation of the selfless efforts of the present administration.

It is a victory that has united both hailers and wailers. Even the Chief Mourner of GEJ’s failed administration, Reno Omokri, who ordinarily would have been denial as a leader of the disgruntled was forced to say a big thank you to the Nigerian Army and the Federal Government.

In conclusion, the Nigerian Army which pride itself as the "Pride of the nation" has proven that this description is beyond rhetoric. The exploit of the troops of the Nigerian Army is thus rightly being celebrated. State governors and other notable persons have been ending congratulatory messages to Mr President, COAS and the Nigerian Army. 

The euphoria of Boko Haram’s defeat being delivered as our New Year gift must however not make us forget to do the needful. The sacrifices that made the war succeeded must never be ignored and not be forgotten. Members of Operation Lafiya Dole without any hesitation should be promoted by at least one rank including those that paid the supreme price being posthumously so honoured and the difference reflected in the entitlements payable to their families.

Agbese writes from the United Kingdom.

SHOCKER: President Buhari Not In Charge, Taken Hostage By Cabals - Lawmaker

The suspended member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has lashed at President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that he has allowed himself to be taken hostage.

The former Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, did not say who took the President hostage, but in a series of tweets on his twitter handle, @AbdulAbmJ, on Monday, the lawmaker asked Buhari to either fight those blackmailing him or give up the presidency.

In one of the tweets, he wrote, “A President must repel blackmail with all his arsenals or give up the presidency.

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“You cannot be an effective president while in hostage!”

He accused Buhari of playing into the hands of people he (Jibrin) claimed did not believe in him.

Jibrin, a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kano State, tweeted, “Mr. President, you are playing into the hands of people who do not believe in you and your our government.

“You will come back to these tweets in 18 months.”

He further alleged that Buhari had turned his back on a lot of issues in the name of achieving political stability and harmony.

Jibrin noted that the President’s decision would later come to haunt him.

He added, “Mr. President, such ‘political stability’ and ‘harmony’ that compels you to turn away your face where you shouldn’t is useless to our country!”

It was not clear whom Jibrin was referring to, but observers said coming on the day the Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, turned 49 years old, Jibrin might have become frustrated in his bid to have Dogara prosecuted.

Buhari, had in a birthday message to Dogara, praised the speaker, saying that he (Dogara) inspired his trust in the youths of the country to deliver Nigeria out of challenges.

Jibrin had been suspended by the House in September after lawmakers dismissed his N40billion budget padding allegations against Dogara and three other principal officers.

The three others are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun ; Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.

Jibrin had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, the Police and the Department of State Services, seeking the prosecution of Dogara.

None of the agencies has acted so far by inviting any of the officers for questioning.

Jibrin later left the country for the United Kingdom on the excuse that his security was no longer guaranteed in Nigeria.

2016: CSOs Score Buhari High, Urges Nigerians To Pray For Better 2017 - Press Statement

Despite numerous challenges and problems it inherited, the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration has managed to turn around the fortune of the country which was on the verge of collapse by tackling insecurity, fighting corruption and diversifying the economy.

This was a resolution of an interactive session of Civil Society organizations and concerned groups in Nigeria on the Sectorial Performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration in the Year 2016.

The communique was signed by Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi and Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Muhammadu, 

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Chairman and Secretary of the Communique Drafting Committee, as well as 3 other members of the committee, Bishop Musa Fomson, 

Charles Ibekwe, and Promise Ebikepine who represented other Civil Society Organizations.

The CSOs said President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated as President at a time the country was on the brink of total collapse in all sectors of the economy owing to sustained years of misrule, mismanagement and mindless pillaging of national wealth and resources by a greedy political elite.

It said the administration has however managed to rework collapsed national structures and institutions of governance to deliver democracy dividends as well as answer to the yearning and aspirations of Nigerian people for a prosperous nation.

It said, in spite of the meagre resources at the disposal of government because of declining oil revenues, the journey in the last one year and a half has posted impressive results in most sectors of the economy.

It reads in part, "Nigeria was in a near state of anarchy occasioned by insecurity in most regions of the country. Boko Haram Terrorists in the Northeast had held the country hostage with their lethal weapons, bombings, killings, and destruction of properties and abduction of innocent Nigerians was the norm. The fanatical Islamic sect had declared a caliphate hoisted its black flag in several communities in the NorthEast.

"The morale of Nigerian troops in the anti-terrorism campaigns was severely dampened basically due to lack of weapons, poor welfare packages, unpaid salaries and allowances. The government has been able to reverse the situation, through organizational restructuring of the Nigerian military. With the able leadership of the Nigerian Army under the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. TY Buratai, complemented by other segments of the armed forces and security agencies, Nigeria has been able to defeat terrorism, which has earned it international applause.

"Presently, no Nigerian territory is under the occupation by terrorists, normalcy has returned to affected communities and camps for IDPs are gradually being dismantled. And the current exercise of Operation Rescue Final of the Nigerian Army is routing out the remnants of the terrorists. The country should be appreciative of what the members of the armed forces have achieved and in this regard the federal government must demonstrate gratitude by seeing to it that members of the armed forces receive the highest salary in the country, highest pension and gratuity and their spouses and children should have special endowments that cater to them in the event of any eventuality."

Other areas which it said the administration has done well includes agriculture, anti corruption and eleectoral reforms.

It said the administration spared no effort to recover looted public funds and nearly N550 billion has so far been recovered, through plea bargain with suspects, which will fund part of the deficit in the 2017 budget.

The communique reads further, "agriculture remains a viable alternative for the diversification of the Nigerian economy, since the wholesale reliance on oil revenues has proved to be problematic. Thus, in 2016, government granted zero-interest loans in cash and farm inputs to farmers across the country.

"The CBN has also offered loans to farmers as part of this palliative. The essence is to achieve food security and change the present status of Nigeria as a food importer to food exporter. These initiatives have paid off handsomely with the bumper harvests been experienced by farmers nation-wide at the moment."

SEE FULL TEXT OF COMMUNIQUE BELOW:

Communiqué Issued at the end of an interactive session of Civil Society organizations and concerned groups in Nigeria on the Sectorial Performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration in the Year 2016.

The organisation after a careful activity based on internationally accepted analytical indices have concluded as follows:

1. President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces on May 29, 2015 at a time the country was on the brink of total collapse in all sectors of the economy owing to sustained years of misrule, mismanagement and mindless pillaging of national wealth and resources by a greedy political elite who did not wish Nigeria well.

2. The administration berthed with a clear vision and mission to rescue and emancipate Nigeria, rework collapsed national structures and institutions of governance to deliver democracy dividends as well as answer to the yearning and aspirations of all citizens of Nigeria for a prosperous nation.

3. This vision and mission was subsumed and or, enunciated by the campaign mantra of attitudinal “Change” in Nigerians approach to governance and public affairs. In spite of the meagre resources at the disposal of government because of declining oil revenues, the journey in the last one year and a half has posted impressive results in most sectors of the economy.

4. Nigeria was in a near state of anarchy occasioned by insecurity in most regions of the country. Boko Haram Terrorists in the Northeast had held the country hostage with their lethal weapons, bombings, killings, and destruction of properties and abduction of innocent Nigerians was sustainably carried out. The fanatical Islamic sect had declared a caliphate, hoisted its black flag in several communities in the North-East.

5. The morale of Nigerian troops in the anti-terrorism campaigns was severely dampened basically due to lack of weapons, poor welfare packages, unpaid salaries and allowances. The government has been able to reverse the situation, through organizational restructuring of the Nigerian military. With the able and committed leadership of the Nigerian Army under the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. TY Buratai, complemented by other segments of the armed forces and security agencies, Nigeria has been able to defeat terrorism, which has earned it international applause.

6. Presently, no Nigerian territory is under the occupation by terrorists. Normalcy has returned to affected communities and camps for IDPs are gradually being dismantled. And the current exercise of Operation Rescue Final of the Nigerian Army is routing out the remnants of the terrorists. The country should be appreciative of what the members of the armed forces have achieved and in this regard the federal government must demonstrate gratitude by seeing to it that members of the armed forces receive the highest salary in the country, highest pension and gratuity and their spouses and children should have special endowments that cater to them in the event of any eventuality.

7. Similarly, threats of militancy in the Niger Delta are being tackled. The Ogoniland Clean-up and Restoration Programme has commenced in earnest. Government has also received the 16-point agenda which originates from all stakeholders and interest groups in the Niger Delta region, which it hopes to eventually, start implementation. Government has not only sustained the Presidential Amnesty Programme for ex-militants in 2016, but it is also exploring ways to increase its outreach and make it more beneficial. Calm is retuning to the oil-rich region with the concomitant effect of increased daily crude oil exploration.

8. The deadly threats of secessionists in the South-East and the menace of armed banditry and cattle rustling in the North-West have been effectively curtailed and contained mainly by the Nigerian Army. These communities now live in abounding peace and harmony, free from the molestations of these groups.

9. The administration inherited a country severely damaged by the corruption of public officials. In 2016, government launched the attitudinal renaissance and national re-orientation campaign christened #ChangeBeginsWithMe. The administration spared no effort to recover looted public funds and nearly N550 billion has so far been recovered, through plea bargain with suspects. This fund has formed part of the deficit in the 2017 budget.

Some accused persons are also standing trial in various courts and the arms purchase scandal in the office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) is an apt example. Government was able to also secure the understanding of Western countries and other foreign nations in custody of Nigeria’s looted public funds and soon the repatriation of this wealth would commence. 

11. Sufficient power supply is the bedrock of national development and the incentive to attract foreign investments. The unbundling of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) notwithstanding, the administration inherited a diminutive power supply base of less than 2,500 megawatts of national grid. Despite disruptions by militant activities in the Niger Delta, the federal government has been able to shore-up national grid supply to about 5,500 megawatts by last October. There are long term investments and measures in the power sector to push national grid capacity to 10,000 megawatts hopefully in early 2017.

12. Agriculture remains a viable alternative for the diversification of the Nigerian economy, since the wholesale reliance on oil revenues has proved to be problematic. Thus, in 2016, government granted zero-interest loans in cash and farm inputs to farmers across the country. The CBN has also offered loans to farmers as part of this palliative. The essence is to achieve food security and change the present status of Nigeria as a food importer to food exporter. These initiatives have paid off handsomely with the bumper harvests been experienced by farmers nation-wide at the moment. 

13. The sanctity of the vote is what the administration holds in high esteem. It is the conviction of this government that Nigerians should be free to elect their leaders and representatives at all levels. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has improved tremendously. Even at that the attitude of the policies have remained a source of concern. The country is still bugged with the problem of inconclusive elections which is aided and abated by disposition of politicians to electoral violence.

14. The electoral umpire is undergoing some electoral reforms and the conclusive governorship elections in Ondo state and the Rivers state re-run elections are the attestations to the reforms in INEC. Politicians-induced electoral violence has been a source of worry to government and Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike and his likes unfortunately exemplify this oddity. A situation where security agents on election duty are assailed and beheaded in cold blood should not be tolerated henceforth.

15. The administration inherited a sick economy. With no foreign reserves to fall back on; decline in oil revenues and the naira nose-diving against the US dollar and other major world currencies, inflation peaked incredibly. Again, months of owed salaries of workers at all tiers of government and contractual debts in excess of trillions of naira, government faced a heavy burden. Over N400 billion has been paid to the local contractors in 2016.

16. But ultimately, the solution to Nigeria’s economic woes resides in the diversification of the economy to earn foreign exchange. The modest effort so far has been the support to the agricultural and solid minerals sectors. In spite of the severity of the problem and with the measures adopted by the CBN, government has been able to maintain an exchange rate of below N400 to the US dollar in the parallel market. And in the last couple of weeks, the naira has stabilized at an exchange rate of N305 to one US dollar.

17. This is a summary of the performance of the Buhari administration in select sub-sectors in 2016.

Appeal and conclusion

We believe it is a good work in progress which its wheels must continuously be oiled with our positive contributions in whatever manner we are capable.

As we move into the year 2017 with greater hopes of consolidating on the gains already made, we seize this opportunity to appreciate you for your time and audience.

Finally, we implore you to join us in prayers, as we collectively work to make Nigeria, our dear country better and prosperous in which we will all be proud to call ours.

Signed:

Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi E

Chairman, CDC

Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Muhammadu

Secretary, CDC

Prince Promise Ebikepine

Member CDC

Patriot Charles Ibekwe

Member CDC

Bishop Musa Fomson

Member CDC

2016: Kudos Mr President, By Charles Ibekwe

The year 2016 is one in which many Nigerians groaned as they get used to a different way of doing things, it will go down in history as the year we decided to stick with change irrespective of the difficulties associated with the process. We have President Muhammadu Buhari to thank for remaining committed to seeing the process through despite the harsh criticisms from the very people whose future he is working so hard to secure.

Someone gave an analogy that what some people would have preferred is for Mr President to administer painkillers for a life threatening situation that requires radical surgeries for removing diseased tissues. The surgeries to remove the diseased tissues would definitely lead to post-operation pains as the body heals itself. The same body could have taken the painkillers and get those momentary reliefs and possibly the euphoric feelings that come with some of such mediation and be lulled into a sense of feeling that all is well while the disease spreads farther.

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The analogy is apt. Take the economy for instance. It turned out that all that had happened over the years was that the cracks in the system were papered over without the inherent structural defects been corrected, the cracks filled up with mortar and plastered over before painting. Despite years of chanting catchphrases the country continued to be driven by a mono-culture revenue derivable from crude exploration. Citizens were barely allowed to know about dangerous shortfalls that were quickly covered with borrowing.

It is to President Buhari’s credit that we finally confronted the pressing need to pay attention to other sectors for funding the economy. That the international price of crude oil fell coupled with attacks that crippled oil export are happening at this time further worsened the situation. But contrary to initial concerns these twin problems were instead converted to opportunity, a final chance to break the addiction to oil revenue. And like all addictions, the country and entire citizenry experienced the pains of withdrawal symptoms from their addiction.

Surprisingly, the positive results are coming in early. The loss of a large chunk of oil revenue put pressure on the naira and made it drastically lose value against major foreign currencies with the inevitable consequences that that our second addiction, the addiction to imported goods was impacted. It became too expensive to continue cultivating the taste for foreign products so our local entrepreneurs are having a field day, smiling to the bank irrespective to the wails coming from those that were not prepared for such transition.

If the feelers from the last quarter of 2016 are anything to go by small and medium businesses would have a bumper year in 2017 as more of them make more inroads by tapping into the opportunities that have been created as a result of diversifying into other sectors of the economy.

Equally of importance in 2016 under President Buhari is that it would go on record as the year the scourge of Boko Haram, inherited from the previous administrations, was halted, degraded and defeated. The insurgency of the terrorists was all but accepted as final prior to the coming of Mr President but his choice of military leader and the political will to end the reign of the world’s deadliest terror group saw Boko Haram fighters and commanders being killed, captured or surrendering over the course of the year. Remnants of the killer group still stage attacks on unsuspecting places using newly thought up tactics but the incoming year should see them totally routed if the tempo from this year is sustained. 

With youth unemployment being identified as one of the root causes of their availability for recruitment into Boko Haram and other vices like militancy, separatists fighters, kidnapping and robbery, the N-Power programme of President Buhari launched in the year is a masterstroke. The first batch of 200,000 youths engaged under the programme will demonstrate what is possible under the programme and how the administration is youth friendly. 

In spite of the economic challenges, the government has continued to give priority to rehabilitation and expansion of infrastructures. While it may appear slow, anyone that travelled for the end of year holidays can attest to the work going on to fix the roads, the ones that are not being fixed are being maintained as palliatives. In fact one post on Facebook captured it by saying that even though Nigerians were lamenting how difficult things are, for the first time in several years they celebrated the year end without fuel queues and the number of people that travelled in the spirit of the season defied the cries over an economic recession.

The other sectors, all cannot be outlined in this piece, The positive results trickling in from each sector may not be immediately visible at this early stages. They are a testament to the great things that would happen when Mr President gets the urging and support of Nigerians to do more.

Ibekwe a public affairs analyst contributed this piece from Enugu State.

Buhari Has Fulfilled Campaign Promises, Says CSOs

... want him to do more on corruption, security

A coalition of about 17 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Friday said the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari has, to a large extent, achieved some of its campaign promises which includes security of lives and properties, employment, war against corruption and others.

They, however, tasked him to do more.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Convener of the CSOs Dr. Emmanuel Ogah said they went round the country including the Northeast, assessed the performance of the present administration and came up with their findings.

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According to him, "It is the end of a year already. Year 2016 opened for us as Nigerians on a positive note. It turned out to be a defining year as our collective resolve to stick with the change we demanded from our leaders was tested on more than one occasion. It was a year in which we heard Nigerians questioned the propriety of embarking on change from the way we used to do things.

"For this reason, a group of CSOs, CBOs and several independent organisations went round the country to assess what is on ground and see what further interventions are needed to positively impact the life of citizens".

On the war against terrorism, Dr Ogah said "We found, from visits to affected communities and informal interviews with affected persons that the war on terrorism has been largely successful in the North-East where the military has succeeded in pushing Boko Haram terrorists from the area.

"Some displaced persons have been able to return to their ancestral lands. Concerns remain about the wellbeing of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the various camps where they are currently resettled while authorities have repeatedly assured that they will improve on their living conditions with more support to the military in preventing resurgence of the terrorists.

Speaking further on anti-corruption, he said "the anti-corruption war is one aspect that touches on everyone in the country. In most of the places we visited for assessment, there was a general consensus that the country would have fared worse if the cancer of corruption was not addressed.

"Citizens remained dazed at both the extent and magnitude of theft by persons in position of trust under the previous dispensations. They however acknowledged that there is some measure of pain arising from the fact that slush funds from corruption no longer flow to sustain unrealistic lifestyles which has now forced people to live within their means.

"The sense is that people that had earlier subsidised their earnings with questionable funds have come to the realisation that they need to be more creative in earning their living. This perception is backed by appeals to create palliatives in the wake of the dismantling of what was once the nation’s leading industry".

On the the economy, the CSOs said "the economy, like the anti corruption fight, is an all encompassing issue for Nigerians. There was the general acceptance that the hardship occasioned by the fall in crude oil price, sabotage of oil exportation by Niger-Delta militants and the consequent fall in the naira’s value, threaten to overshadow the multiple gains recorded by President Buhari.

"What would have been a gloomy outlook has however revealed a silver lining as Mr President’s stance on finding home-grown solutions has led to small businesses rising up to begin meeting demands for goods that are no longer profitable to import. What was termed economic hardship has also stimulated genuine intensification of alternate sources of revenue to crude oil. The appeal in this instance is for palliatives to be put in place for vulnerable populations in the country.

The CSOs however urged Nigerians to support the efforts of the present administration in combating Boko Haram and war on corruption, which will in turn, have positive impact on the economy for the benefits of all Nigerians.

According to Ogah "our military needs to be further encouraged in getting rid of the remnant of the Boko Haram terror group. This could be in the way of provision of new equipment and hardware for troops with additional funding provided to combat the menace.

"The anti-corruption drive should be strengthened with key institutions shielded from politicisation. The war on corruption must be allowed to go on full blast as we have seen that recovered loots can be put to good use in funding the national budget".

IPOB Threats: Jittery Buhari, Ministers 'Run' For Dire Lives From Southeast Summits

Punch Newspaper - President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, stayed away from the maiden South-East Economic and Security Summit in Enugu, about 48 hours after some pro-Biafra agitators warned him not to set foot on Igbo land.

Buhari was to be the chief guest of honour at the summit, which held in the Enugu State Government House, according to the programme of the event.

Although the President was expected at the event — as suggested by several speakers who spoke during the programme, he neither showed up nor was he represented.

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Also, ministers from the South-East, who were slated to make presentations at the event, all stayed away.

A pro-Biafran group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, had, in the build-up to the summit, issued a statement, warning Buhari to stay away from the South-East — in his own interest.

IPOB, whose leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is being held by the Federal Government, accused Buhari of “persecution”, and threatened “a breakdown of law and order” should the President attend the summit.

Although no mention of the IPOB warning was made throughout the opening session of the summit, Buhari’s absence was a major talking point as several speakers expressed surprise at the development.

Present at the ceremony, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a presentation on “Sustainable development: Zero hunger,” said the South-East could become the food basket of the country if the various states collaborated to develop agriculture.

He also canvassed cooperation among the governors in the region on other developmental issues.

Obasanjo said, “We have a challenge of youth unrest which is understandable because these are young people who have education without employment, and skills without production. So, you should expect some agitation from them.

“We cannot leave these children. We must take responsibility.”

Chairman of the South-East Security and Economic Summit, Prof. Barth Nnaji, who is a former minister of power, observed in his opening remarks, “We have not seen the President.”

In his address, Nnaji thanked the Enugu State Government for undertaking to sponsor some aspects of the President’s visit.

Also, at the beginning of his address, the chairman of the event, a former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, drew attention to Buhari’s absence.

“I was going to start by saluting the representative of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but I have not been told of such a person,” the retired diplomat said.

Anyaoku went further to express regrets that Buhari was not present at the event.

Rounding off his address with a call for the restructuring of the country, he said, “I had hoped that Mr. President would be here to hear me.

“Like Cato, the Roman senator who always ended his speeches by calling for the destruction of Carthage until his call was heeded, I will restate my assertion that if the Nigerian federation is restructured to have less federating units, this country will achieve greater stability and faster pace of development, and there will no longer be a need for the Federal Government to bailout many of the non-viable 36 states.”

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, observed that the programme printed by the organisers of the summit did not include his photograph and also did not list him among those to speak at the event.

Ekweremadu also spoke on the need to restructure the country, stressing that the current system was not working.

In separate presentations, the governors of Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states, and the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, drew attention to challenges and opportunities in their various areas.

They also spoke of the need to work together to develop the South-East.

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, did not attend the summit, and was also not represented.

Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, urged the Federal Government to address the various challenges besetting the South-East, including the bad state of federal roads, the menace posed by herdsmen and the need to upgrade the runway and other infrastructure at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

Former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme was among the dignitaries at the summit.