Buhari opposed to restructuring because he represents those benefiting from the fraudulent arrangement—- Pogu, President, Middle Belt Forum by James Abraham

National President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Pogu, speaks on the opposition of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the core North to restructuring in this interview with JAMES ABRAHAM From the utterances of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), do you think he understands the full import of restructuring? Mr President has continually said that the people who are talking about restructuring don’t know what they are saying. Given that fact, it means that he understands what it means. Remember, he also said that those who are clamouring for restructuring are people who are either confused or whatever. So, before you can say somebody is confused, or somebody doesn’t know something, it means you know the issue they are talking about. Given those responses coming from him, it means Mr President must have known what he understands by restructuring, which he feels the others don’t know. However, given the fact again that he said if the National Assembly amends the constitution or brings the bill on amendment of the structure of governance they are working on that he is going to append his signature, it also means he is willing to do what the National Assembly believes is necessary to move Nigeria forward. So, let’s leave him with that benefit of the doubt. If we look at it differently, the issue of restructuring, which includes devolution of power and changing the way things are done to reflect true federalism, is the bottom line and the kind of restructuring that is being clamoured for. It is now left for the National Assembly, which has the blank cheque of Mr President to do the needful and restructure Nigeria and ensure that what is going to emerge from the constitutional review is what will tally with true federalism so that Mr President will append his signature for it to come into law. But why is he reluctant to embrace restructuring? Mr President by his actions, which many of us consider as nepotism, belongs to the group benefitting from the current structure. And this current structure is a fraud and doesn’t meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians. And you can see that the majority of those who are opposed to restructuring are people, who are from the far North that Mr President belongs to. Anybody, who is in a vantage position, will not want to lose the benefits he is enjoying. And for that reason, Mr President will not want to give in easily to change. Maybe with the way he is behaving now and accommodating a lot of pressures coming in is because these pressures are becoming unbearable may be to him or the groups he represents. If not, a person who truly loves and represents Nigerians will say to all the stakeholders: ‘Gentlemen, sit down and let’s discuss. We want Nigeria to work. What is the way forward for the electoral system and other issues bedevilling the country’? But a person, who benefits from the current fraudulent system, will not want it to change. The issue is that Mr President hasn’t done anything of such, because the people he represents are not all Nigerians and will not want the status quo to change. They are telling him that ‘If you try that, we are finished. As much as possible, refuse to do it so that all of us will depend on the oil, which is coming from the South’. And in doing so, Nigeria will not move forward. People will not think; governors will not think of how to develop resources within their domain and will all wait for next month when the federal allocation will be shared rather than generating revenue. That is what is happening in the country presently and it is very unfortunate. The umbrella body of the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum, is not comfortable with restructuring. Are you not bothered? We are concerned about their disposition towards the affairs of Nigeria. We in the Middle Belt are not opposed to dialogue. Our concern with regards to restructuring is more on security and our survival, because as of the time attacks by gunmen started, they were targeted at the Middle Belt and later spread to other parts of the country. Yes, some people lay emphasis on some items more than others, but all are encapsulated in restructuring. Some are concerned about restructuring the economic aspect, devolution of power and fiscal federalism. Though we are not opposed to any of these items, however, there should be a time frame so that everybody can develop their potential to be able to run the government themselves. We support restructuring and a system that will make every Nigerian to have some sort of equity and equality in the country and restructured Nigeria will allow for that one. So, if the Arewa Consultative Forum says they are opposed to it, they are saying it because they are the beneficiaries of the fraudulent system as we have it presently. Let me give you one example with regard to the creation of local governments. The military created states and these council areas arbitrarily based on their personal interests. If the leader is from a particular section, he will ensure that his area gets more local government areas and this has happened over time and this thing is affecting the structure of Nigeria, even at the National Assembly to the extent that Kano State alone has 44 local governments with a population said to be close to that of Lagos, which has only 20 local governments. That is an unfair arrangement. If you calculate the amount of money going to these 44 council areas in Kano, it is simply astronomical. Apart from the monetary benefits, the arrangement is also giving Kano undue advantage over others. Jigawa State, which was created out of Kano, has 28 local governments and the whole of Borno State has 27, while Katsina has 36 LGAs. Other states outside the North have fewer LGAs. You can see the glaring inequality, because this also translates to imbalance in representation at the National Assembly apart from the Senate, which has equal representation from the states. In the House of Representatives, such consideration shouldn’t have been given a priority, but for the fact that if today, you want to do something, they can veto it because they have a majority of representatives. So, what we are saying in restructuring is that there is the need to readdress some of these things so that there can be equity in our representation. Do you think the North will lose out if the country is restructured? The North will not lose out and nobody will lose out; I can assure you of that. But the problem with fear is fear itself and there is no basis whatsoever for the North to entertain any fear about restructuring Nigeria. But this fear will certainly happen if we don’t articulate issues properly. For instance, there is enough gold in Zamfara to move this country forward, but it is being smuggled out every day without even the proceeds being channelled into the Federation Account. Everybody is depending on oil. The majority of Nasarawa State and parts of Kogi State are sitting on coal and if we can tap the coal, it can do wonders for the country. We have a lot of things in the North that can be developed. We have a lot of fish and land for farming in Borno State. You will find these natural endowments in virtually every state in the North. All we are saying is that let us look at ways and means of developing every federating unit, which are the states, so that they can be viable. We can say we are going to restructure to engender true federalism and fiscal federalism, but let us have a time frame to develop all the resources of the federating units so that they can stand on their own. Is it possible to achieve true federalism with the current disposition of the North? I believe it can be achieved through dialogue. Dialogue is important so that they will get to understand the way forward for Nigeria and be able to renounce their fear about restructuring. What the North is seeing is that since everybody is depending on oil and because of that they think restructuring and fiscal federalism means that states with oil will keep their oil, leaving them with nothing to run their states. It will not happen that way. There are checks to lead to what we are talking about. For more understanding of the situation of things in the area of insecurity when the country is eventually restructured, I grew up to know two types of police when I was young. We had native authority police and then the Nigeria police. Now, the native authority is like the states as we have them now. If the states are the federating units, why can’t we have the state police? Why can’t we have the local government police? The same way it works in America can apply in Nigeria. It will solve the present problematic situation, where the people are helpless even when they are seeing those that came to attack them. If the people ask the police for help, they will be watching and waiting for orders from above. The same thing happens with the military. Meanwhile, people are being killed. That should not be allowed to continue. The truth is that the present arrangement is not working and for effective protection of the people, we also need restructuring even in the aspect of security. So, restructuring will go in different forms and ways, and we can achieve that through dialogue. Let’s sit down and discuss. By the time we discuss, the North that is opposed to it will understand the benefits of what we are talking about and we can collectively say that is the direction to go. Implementation of restructuring will take away every form of fear, which the North has, and Nigeria will be better for it. From its utterances, does it appear the regime understands the gravity of insecurity in Nigeria? I believe that Mr President and his administration understand. Everybody in Nigeria understands the gravity of the current insecurity. No President or government will say they are blind to what is happening in the country. There is no day you will wake up in this country where it will not be either in the newspapers or the social media that people have been killed in one area or the other. It is a daily account all over the country. Secondly, we were told recently that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, who seems to have many lives, had been killed, but the result of that development is a greater danger, because Boko Haram has united with ISWAP and other Fulani militia to form one global terror group against Nigeria. They have even posted videos that they will start dealing with people who don’t believe in what they are doing, thereby calling out Christians. So, the situation does not show any sign of de-escalation. And the government is aware of it. As to what the government is doing; that is where the problem lies, because people like us believe that our military has the capacity to crush the insurgents, because they have the intelligence, firepower and manpower, and also know where the enemies are. If Sheikh Gumi knows where the terrorists are, I believe that our security agents know better than the cleric. I think what is lacking in government is the political will to address the problem. Boko Haram does not have an air force base, but Nigeria has air surveillance facilities. We have seen Boko Haram moving in convoy of vehicles to areas where they wanted to attack and the Nigerian Air Force did nothing about it. They also move on motorbikes and even write to the communities they want to attack that they should expect them. After carrying out their attacks successfully, sometimes Nigeria airplanes will appear and fly over them, but not to bomb them. Does that show that Nigeria wants to end terrorism? So, there are things that are wrong and baffling, and Mr President has to sit up. He should forget about whether the terrorists are his relatives or not and bring their activities to a stop, because these people attacking Nigerians are destroying the country. If what they are doing leads to a kind of reprisal, it will be very bad for the country, because its military will be rubbished as Nigerians will stop believing in the military and the police and their ability to keep doing their jobs. And by the time these people are crushed, those who think they are the beneficiaries of the present unworkable situation will be the losers, because these situations will change. The people who are dominating today will be beggars. And that is why I will say to Mr President to listen to wise counsel and give the military the wherewithal to crush the insurgents before Nigeria collapses. PUNCH.

APC crisis: You didn’t fund our campaigns, Kwara lawmakers reply Lai Mohammed by Sodiq Oyeleke

Members of the Kwara State House of Assembly have described as baseless and unfounded a claim by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that he funded the election of members of the ninth legislature in the state. The members said the only Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq supported them during their campaigns. The Speaker of the House, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, spoke on behalf of the members at a press conference in Ilorin, the state capital. He clarified that reiterated that the Minister did not in any form support the then APC House of Assembly candidates during the campaigns and election. Danladi-Salihu, who spoke through the Deputy Speaker of the House, Raphael Olanrewaju Adetiba, a member representing Oke-Ero Constituency, explained that Mohammed’s claim is farther from the truth. “We ordinarily should have ignored the Minister and took it as another lie from Lai Mohammed but for the unsuspecting members of the public and posterity, the record needs to be set straight,” he said, flanked by several members of the Assembly. The speaker said the briefing is jointly held on behalf of 21 of the 24 members of the Assembly, whom he said were convinced that Kwara can no longer be brought under any godfather or slave driver. He said, “Lai Mohammed did not give any support in any form to members of the ninth legislature during the campaign and election; if he did, he should name who and what he gave out. “Lai Mohammed did not participate in any of our election campaigns and did not also contribute financially to it.” “Apart from the governorship candidate, the other support was the sum of N500,000 each that we received from the national headquarters of our party. Other than that, it was the governor who funded our expenses including logistics, souvenirs, posters and other campaign materials. Even so, at no time did the Governor go about telling anyone that he funded our campaign. “It is also laughable that Lai Mohammed could claim to have personally raised money to finance the 2019 general elections in Kwara State.” The lawmakers advised the minister not to drag them into any fuss he may be having with the Governor and leader of the part in the state.

No APC congress in Kwara until full registration, revalidation — Minister

The minister says he single handedly funded the run-off and 2019 elections in the state which the APC won landslide. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says he has been given an assurance that there will be no APC congress in Kwara until all members of the party are duly registered and have revalidated their membership. The minister said the APC Caretaker Chairman and governor of Yobe, Mai-Mala Buni, gave him the assurance when he led a team of party leaders from Kwara to him. Mr Mohammed disclosed this on Saturday in Ilorin at the inauguration of a new state secretariat of the party. While addressing APC members who thronged the new secretariat, the minister gave an assurance that those who were denied registration or revalidation of their membership during the last exercise would be captured before congress is held in the state. “Let me assure you that there will be no congress in Kwara State until and when we are all registered and that is when such congress will be free and fair. “About two weeks ago, myself, Prof. Oba Abdulraheem and Makama, went to the national chairman of the party and he assured us that Kwara State is a special state. “He assured us that there will be no congress until we are all registered. “I am therefore appealing to all of you to come out and register when they come,’’ he said. The minister decried what he called the non-inclusive administration being run by Governor AbdulRazaq AbduRahman, contending that it was tantamount to “biting the fingers that fed him.” He said he single handedly funded the run-off and 2019 elections in the state which the APC won landslide. “By the grace of God, I single-handedly, with the support of friends, politicians and families raised all the money for the five elections. “I challenge anybody here to say who gave the party one penny apart from what I gave them. “The money paid to party agents and leaders to mobilise voters was raised by me. “I challenge anybody here to say that he gave logistic support to the party, I did it by the grace of God. “I distributed 500 motorcycles, 20 vehicles and many of the beneficiaries are here,’’ he said. The minister also refuted the allegations that he diverted campaign funds to personal use. He said if he had not deployed the funds he raised judiciously, the party would not have been able to record the resounding success in the elections. Mr Mohammed alleged that Tunji Ajuloopin, representing Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Okeero Federal Constituency embezzled N70 million campaign fund. He alleged that during the re-run election in the constituency, the lawmaker could only account for N30 million out of the N100 million raised. “They should explain what happened to the balance of N70 million that Ajulo kept and refused to give us during the election. “I have to go to friends to raise another 150 million (N) to prosecute that election which we won,’’ he said. He stressed that it was unfortunate that after he laboured with other party leaders to win Kwara for APC, the governor and his cohorts were maligning him. The factional state chairman of APC in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa, said the minister led the campaigns that resulted in the overwhelming defeat of PDP in the last elections. Mr Bolarinwa also denied the allegation of diversion of party funds during the elections. Other party leaders, who spoke at the event, were AbdulGaniyu Olododo representing Ilorin East and South in the House of Representatives, Oba Abdulraheem, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and Iyiola Oyedepo. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the high point of the event was the inauguration of the new secretariat by the minister.(NAN)

When Adenuga, Dangote, Wigwe Converged on Paris as Macron Honoured Rabiu

Aimed at attracting foreign investments to France, the Choose France Summit held in Versailles, June 28, was of a different hue this time. It saw the inauguration of the French Nigeria Business Council to facilitate business cooperation between both countries as President Emmanuel Macron appointed BUA Group Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the inaugural president of the council. But that is not the story. There were other scenes at the summit generating talking points in the African business circuit. Chiefly, the attendance of Globacom chairman, Mike Adenuga Jnr, his obvious great stature and healthier look, and the reunion of otherwise sworn enemies, billionaires Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu, attracted people’s interests. Lanre Alfred writes The Bull in Paris It has been a while since the outside world saw him. Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr, the chairman of Globacom, is one of those patently reclusive billionaires that would rather be heard about than being seen, a cloak of mystery that has come to define his persona and accomplishments in business and philanthropy. In recent years, there had been conjectures and speculations as to why he has completely shunned public outings, not that he was ever a social butterfly even as a younger man with all the appurtenances of fame and fortune at his beck and call. Being unobtrusive and unseen had been his style since he worked his way to the acme of prosperity and prominence. Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, Adenuga had completely given the limelight a wide berth, thrusting his adorable daughter, Bella, to the forefront of his businesses and other activities that require posing or smiling for the cameras. Thus, his appearance in Versailles, Paris, for the Choose France Summit last Monday, June 28, occasioned gapes and gasps. Spotting a greying but well-trimmed beard, Dr. Adenuga looked the picture of health and well-being in his bespoke suit than many had known him to be. He wore his trademark toothy smile as he hobnobbed with other frontline Nigerian businessmen like Tony Elumelu of Heirs Holdings, Alhaji Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group and Abdul Samad Rabiu of BUA Group. For a lot of discerning Nigerians, they were not surprised to see Adenuga at the French summit. His relationship with France and its youthful president, Emmanuel Macron, was consecrated long ago. Adenuga and the French Connection According to the multi billionaire, “Our relationship with French business has been a long and extremely beneficial one,” he says. “The genesis and bedrock of that relationship was the energy team at the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) Paris office, led by Guillaume Leenhardt. A great deal of our early success can be attributed to the professionalism, customer orientation and creativity of that team,” says Adenuga. “We worked extremely hard and well together to meet some ridiculously tight deadlines – working through the night till 6am only to resume work again at 8am after a quick nap and shower! Those are days I remember with a lot of fondness.” “Soon after the award of our telecommunications license in 2003, our relationship with another prominent French company, Alcatel, led at the time by Serge Tchuruk, enabled us to fast-track the roll-out of our infrastructure and close the gap on the competition, which had had a 15-month head start,” says Adenuga. According to AfricaReport, another key relationship for Adenuga is with French oil major TotalEnergies. “We won the concession to an offshore block in which we then discovered substantial amounts of oil and gas resources, with certified gas resources in excess of eight trillion cubic feet. TotalEnergies subsequently farmed into that asset,” he says. “This is a strategic relationship; we intend to commence production with a floating liquefied natural gas facility soon.” Interestingly however, back in 2017, the French government, in homage to Adenuga’s humanity and relentless strides at rewriting the African business narrative, invested him with a Knight of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Legion d Honneur), the highest French decoration and one of the most famous in the world. Dr. Adenuga is the only and first-ever Nigerian to have received the award since inception. He was honoured for his “remarkable contribution to the development of the French-Nigerian relations and appreciation of the French culture.” Adenuga would later prove that the honour was not misplaced as he relocated and rebuilt the Alliance Française, located in Yaba, Lagos, for several decades. The Alliance Française, committed to promoting French culture and teaching French as a second language worldwide, was relocated to a new home in Ikoyi that has been aptly named the Mike Adenuga Centre. Since its opening to the public in 2019, the centre has commanded commendations from far and near. Unapologetically modern, the centre’s white exterior spews elegance without recourse to obscenity and has an interior ornamented with pristine decor. Everywhere is spick-and-span and has the halo of an improvised Eden on earth. Apart from a spacious car park, the venue offers facilities such as a world-class art gallery, a French restaurant with a bakery, a state-of-the-art cinema, artists’ studios, an outdoor amphitheatre, a library and e-library, nine fully-equipped French language classrooms, translation and interpretation service, Campus France branch, offices and much more. Every house has something of the owner’s personality in it, a hint of the people behind the design; no wonder the centre has the touch of a billionaire with a taste for all things exotic and exquisite. Its beauty has been inspiring gawks and double-takes, and odes and appreciation to Dr. Adenuga, whose love for the arts spurred him to create this hub of cross-cultural immersion to make an exciting and impactful contribution to the arts scene in Nigeria. While inaugurating the centre during a visit to Lagos, President Macron said the centre to foster friendship between Nigeria and France, saying, “Lagos is one of the challenges of, not only Nigeria but Africa. This huge city is a tremendous challenge about how to make people live together in peace and better society; I want France to be part of this story. I do want my country and citizens to be part of this experience, which means sharing the same values, cultures, languages, literature, music, movies and common economic projects, among others.” He added that the Alliance Française is a commitment aimed at making the friendship between both countries, which have different but vivid and vibrant cultures and lifting barriers that have existed between both cultures. “The common space we have is not linked to language or country. We are different people, but we share the same values, and it is precisely these common values we want to convey,” Macron said. Coincidentally, it was at the hallowed hall of the Alliance Française that Bella, one of Adenuga’s daughters and the executive vice-chairman of Globacom, was honoured with the ‘Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ (the Order of Arts and Letters). It is an award given by the French government to recognise eminent artists and writers and people who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world. The award is given at three levels: Commandeur (Commander), Officier (Officer), and Chevalier (Knight). Bella got the Chevalier (Knight), which comes with a medallion worn on ribbon on the left breast in 2019. According to the representative of the President of France, Bella was honoured for having shown an abiding commitment to important social issues and her “significant contribution to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance.” Bella thanked the French government, particularly President Macron, for bestowing her honour, saying it was the fulfilment of a dream. Aliko Dangote, Abdul Samad Rabiu Reunite? Beneath the plastic smiles and photo ops, there is a deep-seated animosity between Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu. Aside from their Kano kinship, BUA Group and Dangote group are leading players in the fast-moving consumer goods and cement sectors. And while Dangote is the richest African and black man in the world, Rabiu is the eighth richest African with an estimated $3.13 billion fortune. They are also two of Africa’s biggest philanthropists, donating significant chunks of their wealth to various humanitarian causes. But that is as far as the parallels go. As relationships go, however, the flames of mutual respect and kindred love have petered out. Early this year, Dangote and Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc chairman John Coumantaros petitioned the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo that the establishment of a new sugar refinery plant in the country posed a threat to the attainment of the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) and the sustainability of the country’s local sugar industry. They also argued that the country currently had enough refining capacity to meet national demand and protested the recent commissioning of a sugar refinery in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, owned by BUA International, a major operator in the sugar industry. They urged Adebayo to prevail on the Nigeria Customs Service and the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure that the provisions of the NSMP were enforced and that no additional allocation of quota should be given for raw or refined sugar for the sugar refinery in Port Harcourt for local market production. Among other recommendations, they said no allocations should be issued or applications considered for quota intended for re-exporting sugar as this would be difficult to monitor and may be open to abuse. Reacting, the BUA Group chairman said that his investment in Port Harcourt did not in any way pose a threat to the country’s sugar policy. Rather, he said that it would checkmate arbitrary price increase by the major players, among other benefits to Nigeria. Minister Adebayo then issued a directive prohibiting the importation of sugar. However, according to credible sources, Adebayo was instructed to respect the rule of law and play fair. Later, a penitent Adebayo wrote to the finance minister, rescinding his earlier directive while asking every agency of government concerned to maintain the status quo on the matter. Both Dangote and Rabiu had not been seen together since then until they surfaced in Paris. Are they back on good terms? Time will tell. About the Choose France Summit The Choose France Summit aims to showcase and promote France’s economic appeal while also encouraging foreign investments in French local areas. Over 120 global CEOS from Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Netflix, Microsoft, Ali Baba, and Google, among others, converged on the historic city of Versailles for the summit. There was, however, a special event that brought together leading Nigerian and French industrialists to underscore President Macron’s affinity for Nigeria. Nigeria was the only country to receive such preferential treatment at the summit: a sign of how important France’s economic diplomacy in Nigeria is to President Macron. For perspective, Macron spent some formative years in Nigeria, which signalled the beginning of his relationship with Africa. In 2002, he spent six months as an intern at the French embassy in Abuja and discovered. He would later say, a country with little in common with more familiar francophone countries like Abidjan, Dakar or Libreville. He said recently, “Nigerians have no inferiority complex about France because the country is not on their radar. I was very happy in Nigeria. There was so much to do, with extremely entrepreneurial people, very creative, with whom I was able to have a relationship of equals in a very spontaneous and natural way.” Before that time, President Macron told The Africa Report, “40 years ago, France occupied a prominent position in Nigeria. Major French companies occupied leading positions in the construction, manufacturing, and logistics industries. More than 10,000 French nationals used to live in Nigeria at that time.” By the early 2000s, however, French companies lost their way. The President’s mission, therefore, is to plug French companies back into Nigeria. The mission didn’t start today. After Macron’s 2018 presidential tour of Nigeria, which included a trip to the Afrika Shrine, owned by Femi Kuti, multiple-Grammy nominee and scion of the iconoclastic Fela Anikulapo Kuti, a Franco-Nigerian Business Dialogue was held in Lagos. But on the return leg to France, French business leaders were reluctant to meet visiting Nigerian CEOs. “Not one French CEO came,” Macron lamented. However, Abdul Samad signed a contract with Axens, a French company, to construct a refinery. BUA Group is also signing with French group St-Gobain to build a plasterboard factory. Similarly, Access Bank has been working on acquiring a French banking licence as part of the plan to become the ‘Citibank of Africa’, and help plug the gaps in the global financial architecture that have left African companies shut out of financial markets. President Rabiu of France Nigeria Business Council The French Nigeria Business Council, a private sector initiative to facilitate business cooperation between both countries, was launched on the margins of the Choose France summit at Versailles on June 28. Rabiu was fittingly appointed as the inaugural President of the Council by President Macron. Other Nigerian members of the council are Gilbert Chagoury (Chagoury Group), Mike Adenuga (Globacom/Conoil), Aliko Dangote (Dangote Industries), Tony Elumelu (Heirs Holdings/UBA/TEF), and Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank). Also on the council are more than a dozen CEOS from some of the biggest French companies, including TotalEnergies, Axens, Danone, and Dassault. Last April, Macron had also appointed Rabiu as chairman of the France Nigeria Investment Club, commending his commitment to the development of French and Nigerian businesses. The BUA Group chairman thanked President Macron for “his vision in creating the French Nigeria Business Council which has led to a reset in the business relationship between Nigeria and France and has created a viable platform for business from both countries to partner and improve business ties.” Rabiu said, “Nigeria is blessed with numerous potentials for French companies to do business across different areas, notably solid minerals, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, associated equipment, power, food processing, and even in the business of associated equipment or infrastructure for the value chains of these sectors. “Where French businesses have formerly been risk-averse or outrightly unable to do business with Africa’s largest economy, they can now be assured of a platform through which they can penetrate and mutually grow the market. Nigerian companies had not seen French companies or the French market as a viable destination due to a lack of information. They can now be sure of a platform to facilitate this. This is all thanks to President Macron’s foresight and vision.” According to AfricaReport, Axens is not the only French company Rabiu is working with. He is also partnering with St-Gobain to deliver a plasterboard factory in Ogun State, where there is a plentiful supply of silica (quartz). “Currently, we import all our plasterboard – around 350,000 tonnes, so this is a real opportunity,” says Rabiu. The new venture, which will cost in the tens of millions of dollars, will have a capacity of around 250,000 to 300,000tonnes.“I have to commend President [Emmanuel] Macron for the engagement he is paying to Nigeria,” says Rabiu. Herbert Wigwe… The Miracle Working Banker Who knew France could dazzle with Nigerian gems? Who knew the garden city of Versailles could pulse and list to the weight of Africa’s finest moguls and super bankers? Yes, Herbert Wigwe, the ebullient Managing Director of Access Bank, was also there. Indeed, Herbert has charted a radical path for one of Africa’s largest and most influential banks. His leadership is authentic and in the cutthroat terrain of Nigerian banking, he rides the tides of the industry thus dictating the pace of change and influencing the thought of his time. There is no gainsaying, therefore, that he would command the epochs that follow and impress his name on eternity by his dazzling strides. However, he was the centre of attraction that day as he bowled everyone over at the event with his infectious candor and charisma. People who know him well never got tired of purring odes about him on his account of his humility. His oratorical prowess and his well-groomed intelligence was overwhelming enough to elicit never-ending admiration from everyone. He talked so well about banking and finance. He cheered rapturously in victory. AfricaReport reports that Wigwe has been working on acquiring a French banking licence. It is all part of the plan to become the ‘Citibank of Africa’, and help plug the gaps in the global financial architecture that have left African companies shut out of financial markets. Access Bank has pan-­African ambitions. “We want to be the Citibank or the JPMorgan of Africa ” says Wigwe. Is there enough intra-African trade to justify that? Wigwe points to the gap left by international banking groups in recent years as Basel III and other regulations make compliance more costly for global banks. “There is no point in waiting for other banks from other continents to come and serve you. You must create your own,” says Wigwe. The African Continental Free Trade Area offers proof, he says, that intra-African trade is set to increase through formal channels. Intra-African payments are also on the rise – Nigerian parents paying school fees in Ghana, for example – while there are also investments and remittances worth billions of dollars. “And we want all of that to be coming through our franchise,” says Wigwe. To beef up its correspondent-banking links, Access Bank has an office in London that will soon be joined by a new banking operation in France.

2021 UTME: Why there was poor performance —JAMB registrar by Sodiq Oyeleke

The JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, has blamed the coronavirus pandemic for the poor performance of candidates in the just-concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. While appearing on a live programme on a Nigerian Television Authority’s tagged “Weekend File”, Oloyede confirmed that this year’s UTME results were poorer than those of three years ago. The registrar said the COVID-19 pandemic affected the smooth running of the academic calendar. He said 99.65 per cent scored 120 marks and above out of the possible 400 in 2021as against 99.80 per cent in 2020. Oloyede said, “In 2018, it was 99.99 per cent but in 2019 it dropped to 99.92. “Also, in 2020, 69.82 per cent of the total candidates who sat the UTME scored 160 and above but in 2021, it reduced to 65.62 per cent. “But this is expected. In Nigeria, we think we do not live in a global community. All informed education experts understand why it is so. They knew the point at which we were in the academic calendar before the examination was taken in 2020 and in 2021. “Last year, when they took the examination, they (the students) had gone far in their syllabus. But this year, they suffered incomplete academic sessions; they had to cope with emergency online lessons and even many other disturbances like insecurity.”

PANDEF rejects passed PIB, says it doesn’t meet expectations, insists on restructuring By Emma Amaize

*Warns FG on interim mgt at NDDC *Tells FG on Igboho Manhunt: Call security agencies to order *On Nnamdi Kanu: We want the truth on alleged abduction PAN-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, weekend, knocked the National Assembly over the newly passed Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, saying it did not meet the yearnings of the Niger-Delta people. The regional group also warned that conflicts may continue in the oil-rich region if host communities were denied their legitimate rights. PANDEF, at an extraordinary meeting in Abuja, restated its stand on restructuring and cautioned the Federal Government over the abandonment of its 16-point agenda presented to President Muhammadu Buhari, November 1, 2016, in view of recent threats by militants to resume fresh hostilities in the region over unfulfilled promises by government. It frowned at the continuous use of interim management to run the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The group asked the Federal Government to call security agents to order concerning the midnight invasion of the residence of Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, and tell Nigerians the home truth on the repatriation of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Nnamdi Kanu. National Leader of PANDEF, Senator Edwin Kiagbodo Clark; National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok- Essien; Deputy National Chairman, Chief Hon. T. K. Okorotie; former Minister of Housing, Lands and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Nduese Essien; former Chairman, NDDC, Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw; and former Secretary to the Government of Rivers State, Senator Inatimi Rufus-Spiff, attended the meeting. Others in attendance were PANDEF National Woman Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Betty Igbeyi; former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Edo State, Dr. Mrs. Rose Obuoforibo; former member, House of Representatives, Chief Mrs. Olivia Agbajoh; former Commissioner, DESOPADEC, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevwi and former National Secretary, Traditional Rulers of Oil Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, Prince Maikpbo Okareme. The group’s resolutions, contained in a communique by Clark and Ibok-Essien, read in part: “That the PIB falls short of the expectations of the Niger Delta people, who bear the brunt of the consequences of the oil and gas industry operations in their lands. “PANDEF recalls and reiterates that host communities of the Niger Delta region had demanded 10 per cent equity participation, as against the percentages just passed by the National Assembly. “And maintains its long-held logical demand that, unless stakeholders of the oil and gas host communities are given sufficient rights in the management and operation of the industry, conflicts in the oil-rich region may persist. “Cautions the Federal Government of Nigeria over the now likely deleterious consequences of ignoring, or treating with contempt, the 16-Point Agenda presented to President Muhammadu Buhari, on 1st November 2016. “Currently, the Youth in the Niger Delta have declared a ‘vote of no confidence’ on PANDEF because it was the leaders of the region that stayed their hand when, in frustration, they had decided to cripple the national economy in 2016. “Condemns the brutal and bloody midnight raid on the residence of a Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State, by agents of the Department of State Services, DSS, in a Gestapo manner, during which innocent citizens were killed and properties destroyed. “Stands in solidarity with Afenifere, and the South-West people, on this matter and calls on Mr. President to immediately call to order the security agencies and cease all forms of flagrant abuse of power. “Requests the Federal Government to tell Nigerians the truth of the process which led to the abduction of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and his clandestine, forceful repatriation to Nigeria, and hopes that he will be given a fair and open trial. “Cautions that the reported identification of sponsors of Nnamdi Kanu should not be an alibi to witch-hunt and persecute phantom enemies imagined by the government. “Stands, firmly, in solidarity with the people of the Middle Belt, in the face of brutal physical attacks and seeming plans to destroy their every means of livelihood, by suspected Fulani gunmen.” Vanguard News Nigeria

Prince Charles appoints Nigerian, Omaghomi, as royal director by Victoria Edeme

Prince Charles has appointed Eva Omaghomi as the director of community engagement, a newly created role aimed at improving diversity in royal households. The role became necessary after the senior Royals decided to improve efforts to champion the rights of minorities, DailyMail reported. Omaghomi is Prince Charles’ most senior black aid and with this position, she’ll help in boosting relations between the royal households and minority groups. The job also requires her to “help take forward Their Royal Highnesses’ work with minority groups in the UK, Commonwealth and globally, building on a legacy stretching back to the 1970s”. The 43-year-old Omaghomi is also a christian minister and one of the trustees of the Big Kid Foundation, a non-governmental organisation fighting against youth violence. A source said, “Eva is an excellent choice for the new role. She’s loyal and discreet and the Prince trusts her judgment.” Prior to this new appointment, the British-Nigerian appointee has been in the service of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall for 13 years. She had served at the Clarence House as the deputy communications secretary. She was recently a senior strategic adviser to the Prince’s Trust Group, a position which she held for two years.