Obaseki kicks off campaigns, promises to industrialize Edo

Igbinedion. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Chairman, National Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (left); Mr. Godwin Obaseki, APC Gubernatorial candidate in Edo State and Governor Adams Oshiomhole during Governor Ambode's visit to Edo State, Tuesday. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Chairman, National Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (left); Mr. Godwin Obaseki, APC Gubernatorial candidate in Edo State and Governor Adams Oshiomhole during Governor Ambode’s visit to Edo State

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/obaseki-kicks-off-campaigns-promises-industrialize-edo/

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM
 GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state, Mr Godwin Obaseki, flagged off his campaigns in Edo South senatorial district yesterday, with Governor Adams Oshiomhole calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the award of road contracts in Ovia North East and Ovia South west estimated at several billions of naira whenPastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was Secretary to the state Government under Governor Lucky Igbinedion. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Chairman, National Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (left); Mr. Godwin Obaseki, APC Gubernatorial candidate in Edo State and Governor Adams Oshiomhole during Governor Ambode's visit to Edo State, Tuesday. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos and Chairman, National Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (left); Mr. Godwin Obaseki, APC Gubernatorial candidate in Edo State and Governor Adams Oshiomhole during Governor Ambode’s visit to Edo State, Tuesday. Oshiomhole who urged the people of the state not to vote a self-confessed cultist into power, also called on the EFCC to commence prosecution of Ize-Iyamu, who agreed to the EFCC that he collected N700m presidential money, asserting that he lacks the credibility to run for the governorship of this state. Ize-Iyamu had in an online video interview disclosed how he was suspended from the University of Benin for being a member of the pirate Confraternity just as he denied being involved in the acid attack against one of the students of the university then. However, Obaseki who addressed the mammoth crowd at the APC rally in Benin City, said unlike the PDP who acquired lands for themselves, his government will give land to farmers to cultivate, saying that with or without crude oil, Edo state will survive like a nation not a state. Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, who urged the Benins to embrace their son Obaseki, declared that “APC victory is non negotiable because the Comrade Governor has worked in the nook and cranny of Edo state therefore this is the time of punish PDP and vote Obaseki into power”. Other leaders who spoke includes Chief Samson Esemuede who recently dumped the PDP for the APC, Charles Idahosa and state party chairman, Anslem Ojezua. Vowing tor create jobs for the people of the state, Obaseki said “We will make sure we have a government that will use the money of the people for the people. So we will make sure that we will continue to run an open, efficient and responsible government. Edo people in the Diaspora send more money to Edo than we spend in our budget, it tells you how well our people are doing all over the world. “We have more interests in ensuring that the people of Edo state is one in which the people come first. We want to take sure that our people are economically strong and the way to do it is to attract investment, industries. We will create jobs and the minimum we will do in the first four years is 200, 000 jobs”. “My priority will be women empowerment. Two months ago we gave micro loans to 15, 000 women, during my tenure that number will increase significantly. I want to assure you that along with our wives, we will not disappoint you” he stated. Oshiomhole who insisted that Ize-Iyamu will lose woefully in this election, narrated that “In the books of the Edo state government, Pastor Ize-Iyamu as SSG, he signed the minutes where they claimed billions of contracts to dualize the road from Okada junction to Okada town, they even claim to have graded internal roads in Okada town. Today, they collected that money in full but the job was never done and the EFCC has not investigated that job. “It will have to be investigated. Now that the new IG is investigating the death of Harry Marshal, and Bola Ige, EFCC must come back and investigate all the jobs which Ize-Iyamu and co claimed to have done which they did not do, I will show them the records, the location and they will see for themselves how much was taken and nothing was done. I have the signature and minutes where they claimed to have awarded the Siluko road and Teachers House. Any time they were broke they will say further amendment to the contract. “Altogether, Ize-Iyamu and co took billions of naira in the name of solving the flood problem at teachers house but the job was never done. Inspite of their monumental crime against the people of the state, they privatize the resources of the state. I will challenge them whether they carry the genuine Bible or not. with Ize-Iyamu as Chief of Staff to Lucky Igbinedion, the very first executive action that took in 1999-2000, was to dismiss all the serving Permanent Secretaries in Edo state, whether they were in Edo Central, North or South.”





Vanguard

Nigeria’s kleptocracy has been stealing public funds forever. Here’s how to stop it.

By Matthew Page

In Nigeria, billions of dollars each year flow illegally from public coffers into private hands. Nigeria’s kleptocracy undermines the regime’s ability to combat Boko Haram, a deadly terrorist movement that has displaced two million people in the country’s war-ravaged northeast.

In a new Council on Foreign Relations corruption brief, “Improving U.S. Anticorruption Policy in Nigeria,” I argue that the United States could help deter corruption in Africa’s largest economy and most populous country. Following Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 presidential election victory, senior U.S. policymakers saw an opportunity to support his aggressive anti-corruption efforts. Thus far, U.S. efforts have consisted mostly of modest assistance programs for police investigators and civil-society watchdogs.

Here’s the problem, from a policy perspective: Corruption is treated as a secondary, stand-alone issue. In fact, corruption is a potent threat to Washington’s efforts to support socioeconomic development, tackle security issues and improve governance in Nigeria.

Corruption isn’t new in Nigeria.

Systemic corruption threatens democracy and good governance in Nigeria. In “This Present Darkness: A History of Nigerian Organized Crime,” the late Stephen Ellis quotes Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in 1950 decrying “the twin curses of bribery and corruption which pervade every rank and department” of government. The Nigerian League of Bribe Scorners, a civil-society organization at the time, likewise complained that “bribery with its allied corruption is deeply planted in this country.” Tafawa Balewa, who became Nigeria’s first post-independence prime minister in 1960, was later assassinated in a coup planned by five officers who claimed Nigeria’s civilian government was too corrupt.

Over the next six decades, corruption thrived under both civilian and military-led governments, implicating leaders of all ethnic and religious affiliations. Yet official corruption rose to new heights under Buhari’s predecessor, President Goodluck Jonathan. Corruption in the security, petroleum and power sectors was particularly prolific. Jonathan’s national security adviser, for example, is on trial for his role in diverting more than $2 billion in security funds while poorly armed government troops battled against Boko Haram terrorists.


For comparison, U.S. military and police aid to Nigeria totaled $45.4 million from 2010 to 2014, according to Security Assistance Monitor.

Graft is prevalent throughout the economy — and government.

Corruption is endemic in the petroleum and power sectors, the two chief drivers of the Nigerian economy. The state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has long been corrupt and mismanaged, according to the Natural Resource Governance Institute. Though the government has spent $14 billion since 1999 to develop a modern power sector to serve all of Nigeria’s 183 million people, growth in the national electricity supply has been sporadic. Nigeria can generate enough power to meet the needs of a population of just half a million — similar to that of the city of Edinburgh.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria’s main anti-corruption body, is actively investigating dozens of sitting and former officials. The country’s senate president is currently standing trial for false asset declaration and other corruption-related charges. At least five former governors are facing trial for graft. And several senior election officials allegedly accepted millions of dollars in bribes, posing a threat to the integrity and credibility of Nigeria’s elections.

Stronger anti-corruption tools are needed.

Given the scope and scale of Nigeria’s corruption and the threat it poses to specific areas where Washington devotes considerable time and resources — security, development and governance — stronger anti-corruption policies could be a force multiplier, amplifying the impact of U.S. assistance to Nigeria. I argue that three quite feasible policy actions could achieve this: establishing an inter-agency working group on Nigerian kleptocracy, stationing an FBI investigator in the capital, Abuja, and promulgating an executive order restricting financial transactions by corrupt Nigerian officials and freezing, or even seizing, their assets.

These steps could significantly reduce illicit financial outflows from Nigeria, estimated at more than $178 billion from 2004 to 2013, according to Global Financial Integrity. Without a dedicated FBI investigator at the U.S. Embassy, for example, deepening bilateral cooperation on corruption cases will be difficult. But tougher scrutiny of Nigerian transactions into U.S. accounts will help discourage kleptocratic behavior from Nigerian officials.


Source: The Washington Post

Photo: The Teen Gunman Who Shot 9 At The German Shopping Centre

The gunman who slaughtered nine people and injured several others at the Munich shopping centre has been identified as Ali David Sonboly – a depressed 18-year-old receiving psychiatric care who fired at helpless children in McDonalds in a killing spree, before turning the gun on himself and ending his life.
The baby-faced killer was obsessed with school shootings and claimed he was ‘bullied for seven years’.
The gunman’s victims were 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 45, and 18, with the rest of the ages yet to be released. Reports suggest three of them were women and six were men.

Bishop Kukah on "true federalism".

Bishop Matthew Kukah's contribution to the "true federalism" debate, which is a reaction to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's call for restructuring, is a stimulating read. In a recent interview with the Punch newspaper, he weighed into the debate, thus:

"There you go. Typical of Nigerians, boarding any bus irrespective of which direction it is heading. If someone just looks at you and says you need surgery, will you just rush to the hospital?

"Did the former Vice President define what he meant by restructuring? Did he say what parts of the country need restructuring? Did he tell you who would do the restructuring and what their credentials are? Is the restructuring economic, political, psychological, or just another sound bite? The answers he offered are not new. But can we solve our problems by merely changing songs on the dance floor?

"We have been on these dark alleys of half-truths and inuendos before and we never learn. At the end of military rule, did we not clamour for power shift? Power shift came with former President Olusegun Obasanjo being President along with Atiku. Where did that leave us? Next, we wanted rotation and power went to the South-South. Where has that left us?

"We believed we needed true federalism as a cure. But the word itself is empty because there is nothing like true federalism anywhere in the world or in the vocabulary. What we have are stories of nations and their toil and sacrifices to build a better society.

"The north shouted, wailed and cried over the perceived injustice. Then, Change came. Now, it took us less than six months to sink into depression about Change. Now, we can’t seem to spell the word. PDP now says, it wants to Change the Change!

"We like single words, single stories. I detest our intellectual shallowness, laziness, ineptitude and the lack of analytical discipline. This is why we shall continue to turn in circles with no difference between the quality of ideas from the glass houses of Victoria Island, the ivory towers and those of Ojuelegba bus stop. Atiku flew a political kite which is fine, but it does not scratch the surface of our problems"

Budget padding allegation: Jibrin writes IGP, DSS

By: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi

Dogara

The immediate past Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmunin Jibrin, is accusing  Speaker Yakubu Dogara and three other principal officers of the  House of harassing, monitoring  and intimidating him following his allegation that they sought to pad this year’s budget to the tune of N40 billion.

His lawyers dispatched a petition to the Police  and the Department of State Security (DSS)  yesterday, protesting  “subterranean and clandestine efforts” by Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun,  House Whip Hon. Alhassan  Ado Doguwa and House Minority Leader Hon. Leo Ogor to “obstruct justice.”

Ogor, responding to Jibrin’s claim about involvement in budget padding, dismissed it as cheap blackmail.

Members of the House were divided yesterday on what position to take on the issue.

Some asked the four principal officers to step aside while the matter is investigated while others called for proof from Jibrin, failing which he should be sanctioned.

Jibrin said he stood firmly by  his allegations and will prove same at the appropriate time.

Messrs Hammart & Co, Law Bond Solicitors and Doka Chambers, in a petition on behalf of Jibrin to the IGP, said Dogara,Lasun, Doguwa and Ogor “ have resorted to blackmail our client into silence and to further harass his person and family using the instrument of the obstructive coercion and perversion of due process by deploying, albeit illegally some elements of the Nigeria Police.

“We now have it on good authority that these quartet acting in concert are at the moment using some elements within the police to monitor, harass, intimidate and hound our client into an unwarranted detention with the purpose of inhibiting his right to move freely and to express himself as contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“The purpose of their antics is to upturn the narrative and paint our client as the black sheep in the flock, and cleverly presenting themselves as transparent angels.”

They advised  the police and other security agencies “not to allow themselves (security agencies) to be used to execute the personal objectives of these quartet; more so appropriate legal action has been taken by our client, as a law abiding citizen, to protect his fundamental rights as guaranteed by our laws.”

They also warned the quartet  ”not to descend to the narrow aim of dragging the institution of the House of Representatives into their personal fight and to note that by virtue of  the institution he leads and as a lawyer, he should act within the confines of the Rule of Law and allow the House of Representatives to institute a special investigation into this matter where our client will have the opportunity earlier denied him by the quartet to testify and provide evidence against them because he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”

Some Representatives who spoke on the condition that their names would not be mentioned  branded Jibrin an angry man who wants to pull the establishment down because he was removed as chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, while  others said  the allegation was too heavy to be left uninvestigated.

“There is a need to investigate the allegation because it is a very serious one. We are talking about fighting corruption in line with the policy of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the House has always touted this,” one Representative said.

“This is the time to show the world that we are serious about it. If Jibrin has proof as he said, he should not hesitate to bring it forward.

“In the interim, I think the Speaker should also allow the issue be investigated. He should step aside and allow the Ethics and Privileges Committee, or an adhoc committee investigate.

“It will do him and the other accused principal officers a lot of good to be proven innocent. It should not be waved aside or swept under the carpet,” the member from the South- west said.

Another member  from the South- South likened Jibrin’s allegation to that made by  the former Ambassador of the United States, Mr.James Entwistle, about sexual misconduct against three members of the House.

He said: ”Because of the seriousness of the allegation and the manner it affects the reputation of the House and Nigeria as a whole, the Speaker constituted a joint committee to investigate. The same thing is expected here.

“The situation is already bad enough as Nigerians believe lawmakers are corrupt. This would make matters worse. It might come to a time when  our constituents begin to stone us believing the N40 billion was in cash and shared amongst members. This must be sorted out.

“But if the former Chairman of Appropriations Committee  is found to be lying, or does not have proof, then a commensurate punishment in the House Rules should be brought to bear on him accordingly.”

The Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, in his response to the allegation, called Jibrin’s allegation cheap blackmail.

He said: “Those are fabricated stories and the facts are in the budget.

“I think this is coming from somebody who is a little bit upset, who doesn’t know his left from his right. It is unfortunate, but I don’t want to go into altercation with him.

“At the appropriate time, when we resume on the floor, we will speak, but I can assure you that they are all a bunch of lies and there is nothing in it.

 “You can read the lines, he has actually lost his committee.

“Why didn’t he make available  this allegation all along? Those are the questions you need to answer.

“He was the one that addressed the issue of this budget on Channels and he accused the Presidency and the executive in respect of issues that bother on the budget.

“Today, he is singing a different tune, and I think he is good at singing different tunes anyway. So like I said I am not going to go into any altercation with somebody I consider not a serious person.

“I am not going to waste my time over that issue and what he has said are all lies and this kind of blackmail doesn’t work with the likes of Leo Ogor, so you see he is just wasting his time.”

 TheNation

Met President Obama At Last - TFaj

Be Inspired, Ganiyah Speaks, Ganiyah Writes

July 22, 2016

“The Champ taught us that the most important thing in life is to be ourselves.” —@POTUS on Muhammad Ali https://t.co/UvQhVfxD61

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 21, 2016
Yep! Thats me in the White House video (link above) in the second row cheering loudly for #MuhammedAli while trying  to control my excitement about meeting the President at last. For some people, it isn’t a big deal, but for me, it was and still is a huge deal that I met President Obama up close and personal, and he spoke with me. You see, this life is full of struggles and hustles, and a little high here and there is always helpful to help refuel our tank so we can keep going.
I was privileged to attend the President’s inaugural ball in January 2013, but there were almost 15,000 other guests at the convention center that day, so meeting him was not even a possibility. My next attempt was in 2014, when I was invited to be a part of the planning meeting for the US-Africa Leaders summit. I was excited about being in the White House for the first time, but a little heart broken that we could only enter the Eisenhower executive office building and their was no POTUS. So you can imagine my excitement when I got an invitation to the first ever White House Eid party (the White House always hosted an annual iftar dinner during Ramadan, but this year an Eid party was hosted for the first time.) Not only was this a dream come true because I had bought my dress with the intention of wearing it to a party at the White House since 2014 even though I didn’t know how I would get invited to one, it was huge because I knew the president would attend and the party was being held inside the East Wing of the White House. I mean, we were going inside the first family’s house!
It was an exciting time yesterday, proof that God listens to every prayer, and a chance to meet so many amazing Muslim-Americans doing wonderful work across the country. The gathering shattered the myth that Muslim Americans don’t contribute positively to the USA. I saw and spoke with people blazing trails, saw Thomas Jefferson’s Quran, and heard from the President how African slaves were mostly Muslims. Most importantly, it was what I needed to see so I can organize folks even harder so that the evil hater of all things that define me: a Black Immigrant Muslim American Woman doesn’t set foot in the beautiful White House ever! More photos on my Facebook Page.

Niger Delta: Northern group takes over battle against militants

By Emma Amaize,

                       TOMPOLO & BUHARI            

Tompolo and Buhari

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/niger-delta-northern-group-takes-battle-militants/

South-South Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief when the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA and other militant groups suspended hostilities in the Niger Delta region following a two-week ceasefire announced by the Federal Government, June 6. Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu who also doubled as Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, who led a Federal Government Pro-Dialogue and Contact team with President Muhammadu Buhari’s imprimatur, disclosed that the two-week ceasefire was to create a window for dialouge with the militants. Kachikwu hinted then: “The President is interested in dialogue and has mandated the military to halt actions for about two weeks to ensure a team that will be led by the National Security Adviser, NSA, dialogues with the militants to ensure peace in the region.” The team adopted behind closed door and open door approaches and was able to interface with some notable stakeholders and notable militant leaders. Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, the main militant group bleeding the economy of the country tactically suspended destruction of oil installations to see if government was sincere with the peace process. Curiously, the NSA who was supposed to lead the team did not participate and though, government ordered the military to withdraw from the creeks within the period, it was observably a cat and mouse relationship with the militants. Tompolo and Buhari Tompolo and Buhari Demobilization of a winning team The President also went on a two-week holiday in London at the time but many expected him to put on the table government’s outline for the planned dialogue after his return, June 19. Indeed, the footwork by Dr Kachikwu and his team was already yielding result with oil production recording a slight increase. A source familiar with the happenings said that while in London, some chieftains of All Progressives Congress, APC, and sectional leaders visited the President and mounted pressure on him not to accept Kachikwu’s model for the resolution of the Niger Delta crisis. Saturday Vanguard learned that Kachikwu submitted a template to the President to stem the crisis. A Presidency source, who confirmed this development to our reporter, said the blueprint was a typical Kachikwu out-of-the box idea. However, we gathered that Kachikwu, who cried inside the helicopter while returning from the creeks over the misery he saw in the riverside communities he visited, gave the oil companies a hard knock and his outline rankled feathers that were not happy with his growing influence and acceptability by stakeholders in the region. Avengers Discoveries about Tompolo Unconfirmed reports said the Kachikwu team found that Tompolo was a key figure to the resolution of the impasse, though he continued to refute relationship and sponsorship of the Avengers. We also gathered that Tompolo, whose the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC froze his bank accounts and seized his on court’s order was willing to relinquish the money and properties, acquired by him for the sake of peace in the region. However, he was not ready to allow the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, go extinct as planned by “detractors” of Gbaramatu Kingdom and Ijaw ethnic nationality. A source familiar with the unwritten pact with Tompolo, said he was ready to work with the federal government to end the bombing of oil pipelines and secure the region, a position he personally conveyed to President Buhari during his meeting with him before the present imbroglio, and in his several open letters published in the newspapers. However, the consensus was that he (Tompolo) could not play such role if government did not drop the allegedly politically motivated charges against him, but the question is how to get Buhari give in to the option, a sticky situation, which the northern group saw and took advantage of to work on the psyche of the president. Power play On the surface, things seemed to be well, but inside, there were dangerous power play and intrigues over how to handle the Niger Delta situation. The power play had been on, but just that it was undermined, but one of the militant leaders Kachikwu interfaced with raised the suspicion when he asked him pointedly why the NSA was not participating in the discussions with him. Our source did not immediately recall the retort Kachikwu gave him, but Niger Delta Avengers smelt a rat with President Buhari’s apparent failure to come out with a clear-cut pronouncement on the proposed dialogue and his body language more than a week after he returned from his London vacation. It returned to further blowing of pipelines and on Tuesday when the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, briefed the Senate, he said that the nation’s economy was in bad shape owing partly to the activities of Niger Delta Avengers among others. He was specific that the renewed bombings by the militant group have taken a very bad toll and at present, there was no hope of arresting the downward turn. The militant group in an exclusive Vanguard interview, published July 11, said: “In the first instance, we suspended hostilities in good faith to see if the government of the day was sincerely speaking when it announced its dialogue initiative. That was why, for strategic reasons, we did not make open declaration of our cessation of hostilities. We wanted to watch and to show Nigerians and the world the insincerity of the government’s dialogue plans.” It blamed Buhari for the resumption of hostilities, saying: “Until we resumed operations, nobody reached out to us and government did not establish any genuine platform to address our grievances.” Its words: “Until President Buhari takes our demands seriously and sets up a genuine framework to address the Niger Delta question, we will continue to obstruct all avenues to export our crude oil to develop his 97 per cent (95 per cent).” “In fact, whenever we have any contact to establish a genuine negotiation and dialogue, we will not hesitate to let the world know that we are in dialogue with the government and her representatives. “This is another phase of the Niger Delta struggle to reclaim our resources for prosperity. Some mischief-makers can tag it Ijaw struggle, but our short, medium and long-term plans are for us, the people of the Niger Delta, to control our resources and develop our land and pay tax to the central government,” it asserted. Buhari’s real dilemma Unknown to Nigerians, President Buhari actually found himself in a catch-22 between the forces that want him to go ahead with dialogue with militants to avoid winning the battle and losing the war and those that believe that he should not give any quota to the rampaging militants. Close watchers of the President said that as a retired military officer, he was more comfortable with handling the insurgents militarily, and much as he admired Kachikwu’s tenacity and sincerity of purpose, the advice of those who did not want him to dialogue with militants sank better with him. In fact, those against Kachikwu’s development model for Niger Delta region argued that following his “intellectual submission” would amount to succumbing to the blackmail and threat of Niger Delta Avengers, which they submitted no government worth its onion would accept. Spanner in the work A source told Saturday Vanguard: “This was how spanner was put in the work and all the efforts Kachikwu put in to sway the militants to ceasefire and wait for President Buhari to come out with government’s position on dialogue with militants and other stakeholders in the region were circumscribed.” The new group, comprising mainly of retired and serving Northern military officers had, in actuality, taken over the battle against the Avengers and other militants with an entirely different modus operandi and structure. The group maintains that the sponsor of Avengers is ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo. They were said to have recruited some former ex-militant leaders and few leaders from the South-South zone to track Tompolo and his lieutenants down. It was in realization that government was more disposed to resolving the matter through methods other than dialogue that made the Avengers to resume fresh hostilities. Manhunt for Tompolo, associates “So far, the new undertakers have launched a manhunt for Tompolo, his associates and friends in Delta state and other parts of the region, the hunt is being carried out by the Navy, Army and Department of State Services, DSS. Angst with Kachikwu “The group believes that it can do better than whatever Kachikwu could do to resolve the Niger Delta quagmire. They think that the project is a source of income and will not allow a technocrat to spoil their business,” a source told Saturday Vanguard. His words: “Their opinion is that Kachikwu was becoming too powerful and with their influence around the president, they got him to remove him as the GMD of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to clip his wings.” Buhari, who resisted the lobby over the months to remove Kachikwu as GMD, saying that he had brought good reforms to the organization suddenly caved in during the last Ramadan when the group was said to have mounted suffocating pressure on him. Group moves into action Investigations by Saturday Vanguard revealed that the group has recruited a coalition of ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region to fight the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups still blowing up pipelines in the region, but actual details of the deal have not been ascertained. However, a reliable source hinted that the group was determined to rout the Avengers not only to ensure smooth oil production for Nigeria but also to prove its point to Buhari that they could do without Kachikwu’s blueprint. “The group enjoys the support of some ex-agitators from Niger Delta that are opposed to Tompolo, and who also share the opinion that he is behind the Avengers,” the source added. In fact, many were unhappy that Tompolo reportedly ‘cornered’ all the goodies from NIMASA, saying since he shielded them away from the agency; they were not ready to act as shield for him in his hour of need. The group spanning the various security agencies in the country with a powerful federal government official as its coordinator has reportedly received dossiers on Tompolo , which it is understudying with a view to locating his hideout and going straight for him. Our source added: “That is the reason you see that strong efforts have been devoted in arresting people they believe are close to him.” “They convinced the President that they have a better option and they have to perform to prove it. They are poised to arrest the militants bombing pipelines. If they do not succeed in using Tompolo’s boys to get him, they will attack his suspected hideouts in the creeks,” the source said. No inroad yet In all, the group has not made appreciable headway in resolving the crisis. The problem is deepening by the day and it is not clear how it is going to play out at the end of the day. Observers also believe that if government did not abort Kachikwu’s trouble-shooting moves, it would have rolled out the outline for dialogue with militants by now and at least, have the militants in check while discussions are on. Buhari comes to judgment! Our findings indicate that the group, however, was not satisfied as rather than diminish his fame; Kachikwu’s removal increased his reputation in Niger Delta region. Therefore, it hatched a plot to discredit him. Nevertheless, an ingenious attempt to smear the Minister of State for Petroleum by purporting that he was under probe over his dealings, as NNPC GMD did not go down well with Buhari, who rebuffed the players by giving him a clean bill. A source said that despite the circumstance that made him remove Kachikwu as NNPC GMD, President Buhari strongly believes in his competence. He, therefore, would not close his eyes to any attempt to ridicule and bully him. MEND soft landing approach However, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, the militant group that once championed the blowing of crude oil pipelines in the region, but had retreated from violence, is spearheading a fresh move to get Niger Delta Avengers to the dialogue table with government. This is in spite of the statement from the Vice President; Prof Yemi Osinbajo that government would not dialogue with militants. With the gritty determination of MEND suspected to be working in collaboration with the group to continue with peace talks, it was ambiguous at the weekend if the group was employing a diversionary tactic or is now amenable to dialogue, the same “offence” they accused Kachikwu of committing. Nevertheless, MEND has proposed among other things that Niger Delta Avengers and indeed other militant groups should denounce violence, recognize President Buhari as Commander-in-Chief and vote that any agreement reached at the planned dialogue between the Aaron Team 2 established by government would be binding on it. So far, MEND had made audacious claims indicating its working agreement with government. The spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, in a recent statement, said: Accordingly, after receiving firm assurances from the highest level of government about its readiness to dialogue with the Aaron Team, MEND has decided to expand the representational capacity of the Aaron Team to accommodate the Niger Delta Avenger (NDA) upon the following terms and conditions.” Tompolo crucial to N-Delta peace – MEND From the proclamation of MEND, it has also become obvious that for peace in the region, nobody can wish away the influence of Tompolo. MEND asserted in a memo to President Buhari: “High Chief Government Ekpemupolo’s inclusion in the final list was principally because of the key role he continues to play in the Niger Delta as a notable ex-militant leader; philanthropist; traditional title holder and mobilizer of amazing capacity.” “It will therefore be counter-productive if the Federal Government ignored such an individual who may be capable of talking to the militants in the creeks to ceasefire. “We are very much aware of the pending criminal charges filed against Government Ekpemupolo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). However, we strongly advise the charges be suspended until after the conclusion of the Aaron Team assignment. “This is to ensure that Mr. Ekpemupolo devotes his time, energy and resources towards the resolution of the current Niger Delta crisis without any fear of arrest, intimidation or harassment,” MEND stated. Why Okah brothers should also be free It is unclear if the avowal of MEND has the blessing of the northern group, which is to a degree the same reason they condemned Kachikwu. But MEND in the letter to Buhari added: “Your Excellency, the MEND Aaron Team 2 dialogue and peace initiative would not have materialized if not for the tireless work and support of the Okah brothers – Henry and Charles, who are currently in prisons in South Africa and Nigeria, respectively.” “It is our humble submission that the release of the Okah brothers is a crucial factor in the peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta crisis. If Senator Ali Ndume, who is still facing a terror charge of sponsoring Boko Haram can be granted bail by the Judiciary and thereby permitted to participate in nation building at one of the highest levels as Majority Leader of the Senate then we see no reason the Okah brothers who have enormous capacity to help Government bring the Niger Delta crisis to an end are still held in prison. “Sir, cases abound in history where prisoners were released from prison to help save the nation in times of crises. Examples include the likes of the Hebrew slave, Joseph, who was released from prison to help save ancient Egypt from famine. “Nelson Mandela was also released from prison in 1990 to help restore multi- racial democracy in South Africa in 1994. We, therefore, urge the release of Messrs Henry and Charles Okah similarly as former President Olusegun Obasanjo was released from prison to become President and help to nurture the then nascent democracy in 1999,” MEND asserted.

Vanguard