Tinubu, Atiku fight over APC BoT chair

John Alechenu, John Ameh and  Eniola Akinkuotu

Cracks among key political office holders and leaders in the All Progressives Congress are threatening the unity of the party, which is in control of the Federal Government, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

Investigations indicated that between President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for instance, there is a “cold war” over key decisions taken by the former.

“There have been cases of appointments into offices, which have generated tension between the President and Tinubu. That is just one angle to the issues,” a top member of the party in the National Assembly confided in Sunday PUNCH in Abuja.

The other angle, the source said, was an attempt to sideline Tinubu because he held no official position in the party.

“During most decision-making meetings of the party, key officials often point out that he (Tinubu) cannot influence decisions on the grounds of being the national leader because there is no such office in the APC constitution.

“For example, while political office holders like the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Mr. President, National Assembly members, governors, among others may have a say in decision-making, the office of national leader has no much powers,” the source added.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that this was also why the choice of who would occupy the position of Chairman of the Board Trustees of the party had become a contest between former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu.

“It had been initially agreed that Abubakar should become the BOT chairman. But, since the other leaders are now saying that the position of national leader is unconstitutional, Tinubu wants to revert to the position of BOT chairman.

“That way, he will become a major decision– maker in the affairs of the party and the Federal Government as presently constituted,” the official stated.

The source described the recent criticism of President Buhari and the APC-led Federal Government by Tinubu’s wife, Remi, and his daughter, as “signs” of the alleged cold war between the President and the national leader of his party.

Findings also showed that a group in the party had been pushing for the exit of Odigie-Oyegun as the national chairman, “owing to his not too impressive role in the election of the presiding officers of the National Assembly, particularly the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.”

However, another faction backing Odigie-Oyegun was said to have held the view that he should be allowed to stay on till the party would have conducted its national convention and filled the vacant positions in the APC.

SUNDAY PUNCH further learnt that while Buhari had been cautious in relating with Saraki, he was “normally at home with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, whom he sees as an “ally” at the National Assembly.

However, a reliable source within Tinubu’s camp told one of our correspondents that the former governor and Buhari were back together.

He said the problem with the APC was that the presidency had distanced itself from the party and had thus lost touch with the change agenda.

The source added that there was a growing consensus that once the party had a new chairman and a new publicity secretary, things would change.

He said, “We are of the view that unless the party leadership is changed, the change agenda will fail. The new agenda is to make sure that the President and the party are on the same page. There is no presidency that can survive if it divorces itself from the party.

“The presidency’s action is also justified because we have a party leadership that is just not there. It is not focused, disciplined or pushing any agenda and so the presidency has ignored the party but the two must work together.”

He revealed that all party leaders will meet in Abuja on Tuesday where major decisions would be taken regarding the way forward.

He added, “Unlike three months ago when nobody cared, everyone now cares and has decided to work together and ensure that the party is structured. I don’t know how the restructuring will take place but we will change the party chairman and find a replacement for Lai Mohammed.

“Once we can get this right, things will change and that is why we are having a caucus meeting on Tuesday which all party leaders for the first time have agreed to attend.”

Attempts to get a reaction from the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, were unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile phone were neither picked nor returned.

A response to a text message sent to him on the subject was being awaited as of the time of filing this report.

A similar call made to the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank was picked by an aide who said, “I will tell him you called.”

A response to a similar text message sent to him was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report. 7:00pm.

Similar attempts to get an official reaction from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were equally unsuccessful.

A call to the Director General of the Atiku Media Office, Mazi Paul Ibe, indicated that his phone was switched off. A response to a text message sent to him was also being awaited as of the time of filing this report.

Punch

From the gods with Love…How Ifa Oracle Picked Ooni of Ife’s Second Wife, Wuraola

Highlife With Lanre Alfred

High Life…Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Knowledge of divine things for the most part are lost to man by incredulity. Thus bothered by the foul whisperings about his new bride at home and abroad, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has responded to bearers of malicious rumours stating that, his new wife, Wuraola, was a divine gift from the gods. According to him, Wuraola’s ascent to the throne, his bedroom and inner cockles of his heart, was divinely ordained. Simply put, Olori Wuraola, the new queen of Ife kingdom, emerged by a supernatural procedure; she was handpicked by the divine oracle of Ile Ife.

While many were of the opinion that the Ooni and Wuraola were dating before he married her and that the new queen lived a seedy life on the fast lane before her marriage to the Ife monarch, Oba Adeyeye’s family have cleared the air. They also alleged that Ifa Oracle picked Wuraola because she might be a solution needed in the rulings of King Ogunwusi Adeyeye. According to them, the King never met Wuraola before, it was the oracle that revealed her to Kabiyesi. The irunmole are still alive and they are doing wonders, according to the Ogunwusi ruling house.

The ceremonies have ended. The husband has taken his wife home. Whatever anybody says or feels, the process of increasing Nigeria’s population must have begun in the confines of the Ooni of Ife’s home. It was gathered that before Oba Adeyeye emerged as the Ooni, his marriage to his estranged wife, Adebukola, had already hit the rocks but they lived together. Now that he is married to Olori Wuraola, what will happen to Adebukola? Are they divorced now? Or is she going to remain the respectable Oba’s first wife? What will be her fate now?

African sweethearts…From late Maryam to Aisha Babangida, a better life gift to Nigerian women

If the legacy of heroines is truly the memory of a great name and bequest of a great example, then the former first lady of the country, late Maryam Babangida, has left an enviable legacy for her wards and family. Maryam no doubt left behind big shoes for her children to fill. The late wife of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) will forever excite fond thoughts in the hearts of millions of Africans. There is no gainsaying she was both an African and Nigerian sweetheart. She transformed lives positively and established a legacy that remains phenomenal even as you read.

Last Saturday the memory of the iconic woman was honoured at Tungan Ashere Adult Literacy Centre, Gaku District, Zuba Abuja-FCT Abuja as 52 women graduated from the Better Life Programme for the African Rural Woman Adult Literacy programme, an initiative of late Maryam. The 52 women who could not read and write completed their 12 months course; not only can majority of them now read and write, they can also express themselves in English Language. The special event which was aimed at encouraging the female students within these communities to embrace literacy began with a brief history of Better Life Programme for the African Rural Woman.

The baton has since been passed on to Maryam’s daughter, Hajiya Aisha Babangada, who has tried to achieve even more than her mother did. The new leadership of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), headed by Aisha, shares and respects the vision and mission of the organisation as founded by her late mother. In August 2012, Aisha embarked on a charity programme tagged, “Servant Learners,” whereby youth volunteers from different professional and educational backgrounds came together to offer free services to communities. Tungan Ashere community was identified and picked for the pilot phase of the programme because of its location and the needs of the people despite their closeness to the nation’s capital.

Rainoil Boss, Gabriel Ogbechie, plans high-octane 50th anniversary
Gabriel Ogbechie has attained the golden age of 50 and he will celebrate it to high heavens. Stylish, exquisite and unassuming, the billionaire oil magnate and owner of Rainoil will celebrate his golden jubilee in grand style come the month of May. Gabriel is ready to spare no expense to celebrate this milestone as he is known for his love for good life. Though a quiet man, one would have to get very close to him to know that he never dithers from acquiring the finest luxury money can buy. As you read, he has scenic houses scattered around Nigeria and choice cars, to mention a few of his enviable acquisitions.

Many wouldn’t have forgotten so soon the luxurious birthday party he threw for his wife, Gabriel Ogbechie, when she turned 50 in October last year. The celebration was the talk of the town, as he spared nothing to make it memorable for her. Now, it is his turn to be spoiled and feted. Gabriel’s family and friends can hardly wait to celebrate him as he attains this momentous breakthrough in his life.

Kingsley Kuku and his second wife, Chika, serenade first wife, Tonbra, on her birthday
If diseases are the tax on pleasures, then President Muhammadu Buhari is the nemesis to every light-fingered public officer. No sooner did he become President than the political and socioeconomic spaces began to undergo a spasmodic and definitive operational and philosophical reset. Take the hilarious case of Kingsley Kuku for instance, despite his initial posturing, the former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs, is scared silly of the invitation extended to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Kuku is yet to honour the EFCC’s invitation for questioning on allegations of fraud. He had earlier failed to appear before the commission on July 28, a few weeks after the anti-graft agency invited him for interrogation; citing a knee injury, for which he was receiving treatment at St Andrew Hospital, Alabama in the United States (US), as his reason for ignoring the invitation of the agency.

He also denied claims that he was a fugitive, emphasising that he was a patriotic Nigerian, who would return home to clear his name. Unlike most husbands, Kingsley hardly reminds his wives “of an orang-utan trying to play the violin.” And unlike the late French writer, Honoré de Balzac, Kingsley’s first wife has no reason to doubt or disdainfully analyse the character and depth of her husband’s love for her in such manner. Last Sunday, Kingsley and his second wife gave his first wife, Tonbra, a –never-to-be-forgotten birthday. It was a big celebration galore. However, contrary to insidious speculation that her marriage to Kingsley would not survive the ravages of fame and celebrity lure, when Kingsley took a second wife, Chika, Tombra navigates the tumultuous terrains of matrimony with towering confidence and a gait that bespeaks an inviolate inner peace and contentment – which makes her a sight for sore eyes amidst the banalities of everyday turbulent matrimony.

For Yakowa’s widow, reality bites….very hard too
Vows leap like vain air from the lips of a man’s best friends in the wake of his death – especially when those promises are made to his children and the widow he left behind. Ask Amina Yakowa, the widow of former Kaduna State governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. Amina has finally seen through the heartfelt ‘promises’ of friends and political associates of her late husband; they all lied. It would be recalled that immediately after the former governor of Kaduna died in a helicopter crash in the company of former defence chief, General Azazi, late Yakowa’s friends, fellow governors and political associates pledged to move the world in favour of Amina, the widow he left behind.

But ever since they uttered their promises, none of them has endeavoured to fulfill his pledge, thus leaving the poor widow desolate and helpless, particularly now that she has run into hard times. Following their desertion, Amina has awakened to the sad reality of the emptiness and absurdity of mortal pledge. Yakowa’s widow wonders even as you read where all those people who promised her heaven and earth when her husband died, have absconded to. Those that promised to reduce the sky to a skyscraper and do their best to lighten her grief have dumped her like a bad habit. Such is the depth of the human pledge, it’s as shallow as a fresh brook.

British Airways’ shabby treatment of Nigerians
British Airways (BA), is desperately in pursuit of two passenger divides: one Nigerian, and the other, for the rest of the world; the two divides, though informally perpetuated, are separate and unequal. British Airways authorities no doubt consider its Nigerian passengers minions and expendable; little wonder the airline subjects Nigerians to the worst treatment possible. Like recalcitrant racists, desperate to preserve the perks and privileges enjoyed by whites in the slave era, British Airways, the United Kingdom’s most viable air carrier, doles haughtily, hideous barbs on every flight. It doesn’t matter whether you travel first class, business class or economy class, as long as you are Nigerian, British Airways staff will shove you alongside fellow Nigerians into a rickety, poorly ventilated and badly serviced airplane.

No matter what class you travel, as long as you are Nigerian, you will be treated to vile tasting meals – usually accompanied by dried out salad. This has become worrisome considering the huge profit the British carrier makes from Nigeria; despite its discourteous and scornful cabin crew and ticketing office staff, hordes of Nigerians including superrich industry titans, politicians, celebrities and ever ubiquitous fortune seekers continually throng its corridors and aisle thus justifying the airline’s shabby treatment of Nigerians. More worrisomely, Nigerians have learnt to turn a blind eye to such an eyesore simply because of the oft overwhelming excitement coursing through their psyches at being able to leave Nigeria. Regardless of the individual reasons people constantly troop to travel by BA, it gives the airline no reason to disregard and be contemptuous of its Nigerian clients.

ThisDay

How Suspended PTAD DG Ran Agency

By Catherine Agbo

Revelations have emerged of how the suspended director general of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs Nellie Mayshak, ran the agency as a sole administrator, without a board to supervise the agency’s operations.
According to information available to LEADERSHIP Sunday, is been investigated for issues bordering on violation of some sections of the Pension Act 2014, employment without due process, and financial mismanagement among other things.
The Federal Ministry of Finance, in a statement on Friday, confirmed the indefinite suspension of Mayshak, and three other senior staff of the directorate.
The statement said that Mayshak was suspended over alleged mismanagement of funds.
“The suspension which is a normal civil service procedure is to pave way for an unimpeded investigation into the activities of the directorate under the watch of Mayshak,” the statement said.
A source within the agency told LEADERSHIP Sunday that whereas the Pension Act 2004 provided for the establishment of PTAD and in the amended Act, Pension Reform Act 2014, Section 42 and 43 amended the name slightly and provided for the headship of PTAD to be an Executive Secretary, when Mayshak was appointed, it was as Director-general, in violation of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014 (43).
The source further alleged that in violation of the Act, PTAD unlike other federal government agencies never had a board, thus allowing the now suspended director general who was also the pioneer head of PTAD, free hand to operate.
Also, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that whereas the PRA (2014) 42(3) provided for representatives of the Civil Service Pension Department, Police Pension Department and Customs, Immigration and Prisons Department; they are not represented in the agency.
“This singular act is a breach of the Parliament Act and amounts to wilful negligence which is tantamount to gross misconduct according to the Public Service Rules (PSR). Does this singular Act not a breach of the parliament? In the Public Service Rules (PSR) does this not amount to wilful negligence and tantamount to misconduct if not gross misconduct?” the source stated.
It was also alleged that employment at PTAD at inception was skewed in favour of acolytes of the agency head and children of senior government officials, hence fencing out others, including former staff of the pension office.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered from sources within the agency that at the inception of PTAD, the agency allegedly conducted a Computer Based Test (CBT) in conjunction with a recruitment outfit for recommended representatives of the former pension office since in their wisdom, they deemed it fit not to inherit all staff of the former pension office in line with the Head of Service circular Ref. No. 63903/S105/T/1/68 of 30th October, 2013 establishing PTAD, which directed that all assets and liabilities of the former pension offices be inherited by PTAD.
“As if that was not enough breach, PTAD conducted a recruitment exercise in November 2014 through February 2015 and threw over 95 per cent of the inherited civil servants out but regularised the appointment of preferred/anointed candidates of the high and mighty in Nigeria, particularly those that were earlier engaged on contract terms irrespective of the interview and also engaged a few more anointed candidates.
“The recruitment exercise did not follow laid down procedure. Candidates that should have been given contract appointment were offered permanent appointment. It is both ironical and paradoxical that in the interview conducted, over 95 per cent of the civil servants that participated in the recruitment exercise failed while 100 per cent of the contract staff all passed the so called test. This is obviously questionable and I stand to be corrected or proved wrong that the above is both deliberate and a calculated attempt at expunging inherited civil servants from PTAD,” the source added.
On the issue of emoluments, it was alleged that apart from approving N60 million monthly salary for herself, Mayshak in connivance with top officials of the ministry of finance at the time, including a former minister, recommended an outrageous salary structure that was merely ratified by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
While pointing out that it is true that staff of PTAD need to be encouraged and motivated by way of enhanced salary to prevent being lured into committing fraudulent acts, it ought to be benchmarked against the existing salary structure in the Federal Public Service since PTAD draws its funding from the Federal Treasury and does not generate any income.
“How can one explain this scenario where a fresh graduate staff on GL 08 is paid a huge abou N300,000 monthly, more than a full fledge Director in the main-stream Civil Service that is at the verge of retirement? This calls for concern,” he added.
The source added that PTAD did not get a waiver to carry out the recruitments it did, in violation of extant civil service regulations, just as the provisions of the Procurement Act was grossly violated in the award of most contracts in PTAD.
“Arbitrariness in general spending and misappropriation of funds is a ‘house-hold’ name in PTAD. For instance renovation/painting of a rented property belonging to a then sitting minister was carried out three times in a year. Consider the huge cost to rent the property when there is vacant accommodation in the Federal Secretariat and other government buildings in the FCT. How can you explain feeding one pensioner with N4, 500 during the police pensioners verification exercise? How can the setting aside of as much as N9.5 million for security and contingencies in verification of reimbursement claims to Ekiti State be explained?” the source queried.
The suspended DG was also alleged to have applied for and received N36 million in December 2014 as allowances for staff who worked overtime but failed to pay the affected staff.
Efforts to speaks with the PTAD spokesperson, Mrs Theodora Amaechi, on the allegations were unsuccessful as severe calls to her mobile phone number were not answered.

Leadership

12 top military officers in trouble over N5bn polls cash

•Others quizzed over N5billion ‘election operation’ fund  
The army segment of the $2.1billion arms slush funds    has landed 12 top army officers in trouble with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Three serving major generals, a retired major general, three brigadier generals, four colonels, and one lieutenant colonel are being interrogated by the anti-graft agency for their alleged involvement in the deal.
They were referred to the EFCC by the army authorities following an internal probe.
A security source familiar with the development branded it “a monumental fraud” last night.

The source said that from the evidence already gathered, what transpired in the air force with the arms procurement fund might turn out to be a child’s play.
“This is the most crucial aspect of the $2.1billion arms deals because the Nigerian Army was at the centre of the procurement. The case of the Nigerian Air Force might be a child’s play.”
Commodore Salisu Yushau, a retired finance director of the Air Force and prosecution witness in a case of corruption against former Chief of Defence Staff and one time Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh told a Federal High Court in Abuja last Wednesday of how air force money was used to buy choice properties for Badeh’s sons and how the former Air Force Chief routinely mopped up salaries in excess of N500m monthly.
Ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki is facing a separate trial for alleged diversion of the $2.1 billion arms procurement fund.
Sources said:”already, we have started interrogating the officers referred to the commission. At the appropriate time, we will release their names to the public.
“Certainly, we will interact with two former Chiefs of Army Staff on the procurement process and inventory of arms and military hardware.”
The Army had said those found guilty of fraud by the EFCC will be tried by a Military Court Martial.
The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman said in a terse statement that “However it should be noted that at the end of the commission’s investigations, those found culpable will be tried by a Military Court Martial.”
Some retired and former military officers are also under investigation for allegedly diverting a N5billion vote earmarked for election operation.
The fund was released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The illegal fund, which was drawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, was allegedly used for personal service.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the N5billion was illegally drawn for the Army from the CBN by ONSA.
It was learnt another vote was budgeted for the Army in the 2015 budget for operations leading to duplication of funds.
Some Army officers were said to have helped themselves to the N5billion cash since “operation funds” were regarded as “mere fluid budget.”
A reliable source said: “Some top Army officers are under probe over N5billion election operation funds from ONSA. The funds were illegally drawn under curious overhead from CBN.
“But preliminary findings have indicated that the cash was diverted to personal use. There is no record of disbursement and utilization.
“Some of the affected officers have been invited to Abuja. If found guilty of mismanagement of funds and political indulgence, they might face severe sanctions including dismissal or retirement.”
About N16.5billion was released to the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army and ONSA for “logistic requirement for 2015 elections.”
The breakdown is as follows: IGP General Election OPS Fund Account (N10billion); Nigerian Air Force OPS Account (N1billion); Nigerian Army Operations Account (N5billion) and ONSA (N500million).

TheNation.

Atiku, Tinubu in race for APC BoT chair

By Muideen Olaniyi

From right: Former Vice President and chieftain of APC Atiku Abubakar, Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (leader of delegation), Rep. Ahmed Yarima, Rep. Shehu Aliyu, Rep. Zakariya’u Galadima and Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, during a visit of a delegation of North East members of House of Representatives to brief the former vice president on the proposed North East Development Commission in Abuja on Thursday. PHOTO: Atiku’s Media Office

Members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) are already forming queues behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Daily Trust on Sunday learnt yesterday.
Sources said the BoT meeting, scheduled to hold at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, would be used to elect both the chairman and secretary of the Board, which is an advisory body of elders and leaders considered as the conscience of the party.

A leader of the APC in Abia State and former National Chairman of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Sam Nkire, had already declared his interest to become the secretary of the party’s BoT.
The latest development is an indication that the first interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, may no longer be in the APC BoT chairmanship contest.
The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, confirmed tomorrow’s meeting last Monday after resuming from a 10-day working break.
After the emergence of the BoT chairman, a meeting of the party’s national caucus will follow on Tuesday, March 22, 2016.
Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the meeting of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the party’s highest decision making organ, will hold on Thursday, March 24, 2016.
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the need to fill vacant positions in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) would be ratified at the NEC meeting.
The APC national chairman, who spoke with journalists at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, had said that all arrangements had been concluded to conduct congresses through which a substantive national publicity secretary to succeed Alhaji Lai Mohammed would emerge.
  DailyTrust

2 Super Nigerian food to treat Diabetes

Onion

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TheNation

‘Oshiomhole can’t impose candidate on Edo APC’

•Ogiemwonyi

Chris Ogiemwonyi, an engineer, is a former Minister of State for Works  and governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. He spoke with BEN OGBEMUDIA  on his ambition, conditions for credible programmes and preparations for next year’s poll.
What motivated you to join the governorship race in Edo State?
I am motivated to render service, and don’t forget, I did this successfyully for 34 years at the central government, 34 years. I worked for the NNPC and having done that to the satisfaction of my people, I think the remaining part, when I am still strong, I should equally come to render that same service to my people.
What do you have to offer differently?
Because of who I am, I have my characters. One thin g I market today is my name, which is a brand, in terms of integrity and accountability, good governance. These are things I cherish seriously and I market them as a brand then my experience, exposure for 34 years in a key sector of our economy, which oil and gas, my pedigree as a hard working person, everybody knows that; so if you look at these attributes, by the time you accumulate these things, you will see a fine gentleman coming out for this course.

There is this insinuation that you didn’t have the structure in the party to win the primaries. What will you say about this?
I hear that and I laugh when I hear it; structure, what is structure, these are human beings. What is going to play out now and tomorrow in Nigeria is not how deep you are in politics, but people are going to respect the character of the person. As things are evolving, it will get to a point where even the party is not going to be the determinant, but the person when you talk about this issue of structure, the delegates in their quite moments at home, they are human beings, they will keep on analysing who is the best among us, people will on their own make up their minds who to vote for based on the charcter of that person I promise you the parties we belong to now is not going to be too serious  about those considerations, people will be looking at the persons and whatever structure that is ground, because they are human beings, they will be very analytical in reaching their decision.
We have an outgoing governor, who will be leaving a big shoe behind. Do you think you have that character to step into those shoes?
I wish you will have time to ask about me when I was in the NNPC. If it is possible, you interrogate the people I worked with in my last three to four years in the NNPC, you will get a better judgment if you do that. Why was this man so highly respected by everybody in the oil companies, in the NNPC. Let me save time by not saying who I am but I expect you should go out and find who Chris Ogiemwonyi is, my name is synonymous with courage to do what is right, that is my name.
What are your plans for the state, in terms of job creation, considering the number of unemployed youths and graduates?
On the average today in Edo state just like in other states, in every house, we have a minimum of two to three unemployed graduates, the situation is like that in all homes, not only in Edo state so the issue of job creation is something every incoming government need to think through in Nigeria. My take on this is that I must commend Comrade Oshiomhole for what he has been able to do but I think it is an area we should look deeper to find out how we should address this. I must commend the state government for rebranding the Okpella Cement factory. I was in NNPC, I was part of those that worked in Obajana because the gas pipeline to Obajana was done when I was the CEO of NGC. The first day I went to Obajana, when I saw the number of people working in that Cement Company, we can re-create more of Obajana here. But why I will not talk too much on this is like me reeling out my manifesto but believe you me,  think the in-coming government should do a feasibility of all mineral resources in Edo state and me coming from the oil and gas, it is one thing that I will do, to put a strong team to quickly do the feasibility.  Do a feasibility of the whole and quickly identify these resources and then pursue foreign investors and I already have some. Some people have told me, Chris if you come in, we need some amount of land for car assembly, they want to come to Edo state for that, I have some friends from China they have told me already, that plant can employ about 3,000 youths, all they need from me is to provide the land. This state will be a place for industry destination i this part of the country. People believe me, they trust and that there will be sanctity of agreement, I will respect the content of that agreement and I will not go round to ask for favour in terms of equity interest, they know me already, I have established my name, my name as a brand.
What is your reaction to the allegation that the APC government is fithing a selective and corruption battle?
You see, every process when it is starting, people hold different opinion, I hate to generalise. He is selective, but I haven’t seen him do that. What I have seen is that this is a regime preaching change and so far, being led by somebody who is an apostle of change. With what we are seeing with mr president and because of who he is I am 100 per cent sure that this philosophy will come down gradually. Don’t forget there may be one or two Judases but it is the generality that we should look at in the various sectors that he is doing and don’t that some of the people who are in APC today came from the PDP so we will expect some of these things, but with time, I see perfection.
There are insinuations that the governor may anointed one or two aspirants and the issue of people actually voting may not arise. How do feel about this?
When you hear things like this, many people prepare to discuss things they don’t know. Oshiomhole preached one man one vote four five years ago and we saw what happened in this state, things have changed to that philosophy, as a person like to commend people; this guy destroyed godfatherism that in our state here before now, we have about  three people deciding how things are shared but today, godfatherism is buried and our prayer is that it will never rise again in Edo state so when I hear about that governor has anointed somebody, all APC is going to do is that we are going to the field, there will be an open primary. It is the people that decides. He has promised that there will be a free and fair primaries. How will anointing come into that? If he is anointing, it is the people you should blame because the only way you can exibit democracy is through open ballot and that is what the man is preaching. I have left my base in Abuja so that I can participate in the process and since I joined the APC last year, I have been following the process by process. I have not seen where this man has defaulted. I hate to join people to just condemn people, he has done well. But, don’t forget that I am an apostle of transparency and what you are saying, if I sense it, I will go to the streets, I will protest. I don’t want to join people to say that, who was there when he did the anointing? Let us try and destroy rumour mongering, that thing has destroyed so much in Nigeria.
What is your reaction to the controversial land use charge?
These people complaining, how many of them have seen the government gazette on the charge? People are just doing this bandwagon effect. My friends are crying and you want to join the cry. By my training, I prefer to go to the Ministry of Justice, get a copy and study it. Is not for the whole state, it is not for the whole city. It is for the low density area that they are talking about and the question you will ask yourself is it new, does it exist in other parts of the world. Byt the time you answer this questions, it is not new. Those that have flats in New York as compact as the city is, they still pay. I think we should commend him for being creative in the IGR and I think what people should ask is the usage of the money.
What is the way out of the perennial fuel crisis in Nigeria?  
I will advice Mr President to take a serious look at that price. My question is, what constitutes that landing price of the PMS?  I want a proper check on this.
During my period in the NNPC, we tried to look into the issue, the structure in the supply chain. I must tell you one thing. Until Nigerians are prepared to do things courageously, we may never see an end to this. Several governments have tried to see what the major problems were. One area they want to identify is that decision will be based on the landing cost of the product in Nigeria. What is the landing cost? We must check that thing seriously. Are there inefficiencies? Are there corruption practices. I will expect again, President Buhari should get those that knows the business to study the process line. The product arriving at Apapa, what is the actual landing cost? My take on that is that there are issues, some wastage. We have heard of demurrage being paid for some ships just at the Wharf and they will all account for this landing price.
They can do that. The NPA charges for example, we must do a serious review of these charges in order to arrive at the actual landing cost of the product.
On a global scale, my take on this is to deregulate. Let us pay for the proper price of this product. Open the market, let there be more participant, more players.
If we deregulate, the subsidy we are doing now for our neighbours, Ghana, Benin, Toko, Mali Chad and others will see us paying less price for the product. Because of the porous nature of the Nigeria borders, most of the product that have been heavily subsidized by the Nigeria government, find their ways into these countries.
Our borders are very porous. We are subsidising the products for our neighbouring countries. When I was Minister, go to our borders and you see trucks crossing over with products.

TheNation