Buhari’s Ally Mustapha Replaces Saraki As Turaki Of Ilorin

Saliu Mustapha, a long-standing friend and supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, has been named the new Turaki of Ilorin. Naija News reports that the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, conferred Mustapha with the title on Thursday. The new Turaki is the founder of Saliu Mustapha Foundation and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), The late Olusola Saraki once held the title before he was elevated to the position of a Waziri. His son, and a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, stepped into the father’s shoes between 2006 and 2018. The Younger Saraki was later turbaned as the Waziri, succeeding his father for the second time. Speaking at the event on Thursday, Sulu-Gambari said: “If someone is contributing to the development of the Emirates, we have to reciprocate it by honoring him with a traditional title. In Ilorin Emirates, only someone deserving of a title is conferred with one. It is our way of appreciating their efforts.” “One person we all know that expends all his resources to the growth and development of the Ilorin emirate and its affairs is Saliu Mustapha. I therefore confer him with the traditional title of the Turaki of Ilorin.” The 48-year-old Mustapha is reportedly eyeing the national Chairmanship position of the ruling APC. Others honoured at the event include Ilorin-born Islamic scholars; Sheikh Farouq Suleiman Onikijipa, Professor Yakubu Aliaganm, the state Governor’s elder brother, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq and Sheikh AbdulRahman Sholagberu.

No country can demarket Nigeria as Dubai’s loss is our gains —Akporiaye

AT the end of the ongoing breakdown in communication created by the United Arab Emirates authorities following its COVID-19 protocols which singled out Nigerian travelers for discriminatory treatment, the Arab nation may be the greatest loser as indications have emerged that the huge passengers traffic hitherto enjoyed by the Dubai authorities from the Nigerian travelers with billions going to its coffers, has now been diverted to Egypt, an African country also known as a tourist destination like Dubai. The communication breakdown between the two countries started early this year when UAE in its determination to prevent a spike in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in its country announced the ban of airlines except Emirates from carrying Nigerian passengers into the United Arab Emirates’ country. A circular which emanated from the Dubai Airport Operations Control Center in January this year titled ‘Dubai Travel Protocol Update-Travel from Nigeria’ and dated, Friday, January, 2021, the Dubai authorities had declared: that from February 1, 2021 that all passengers departing from Nigeria to Dubai are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 certificate. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) should be conducted within 72 hours of the date of departure. According to the new UAE policy, all Nigerian passengers were required to conduct a rapid COVID-19 test and obtain a negative result within four hours of their departure time even while the Dubai government insisted that passengers from Nigeria must travel directly from Nigeria to Dubai while adding that; “No passengers may enter Dubai from any other country /station if they have visited or transited via Nigeria in the last 14 days.” Even after stopping other airlines from flying Nigerian passengers into Dubai coupled with the forceful prevention of the only Nigerian carrier, Air Peace from operating into the Arab country, it was discovered that Emirates airlines still continued to violate the two options discussed with the UAE authorities. Reacting on behalf of the Nigerian government then, the director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu declared: “This is a violation of paragraph five of NCAA letter with Re: NCAA/DG/AIR11/16/281 of 02, February2021 addressed to your good self. The paragraphs clearly states: Based on the foregoing and to enable the Nigerian government to put in place the needed infrastructure and logistics for COVID-19 RTD testing for departing passengers, the PTF has directed that Emirates airlines should either accept passengers without RTD pending when the infrastructure and logistics are put in place or suspend its flights to and from Nigeria until such a time when the required infrastructure and logistics are fully implemented.” The NCAA Director-General had accused Emirates Airlines of not been in compliance with the two options given by the Nigeria’s Presidential Task Force committee on COVID-19 as records obtained from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (BAMA) indicated that Emirates Airlines operated the following flights from both the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos dated February 3, 2021 with flight UAE784 with aircraft type B777-300 marked A6EEQA and another flight on February 04, 2021 with aircraft type B777-300, flight UAE 784 and marked A6EQC. The airline in violation of the agreement also operated two flights through the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, dated February 3, 2021 with flight UAE786 and flight: UAE786 with aircraft type B777W marked A6ECV respectively. “This is in addition to an advert by Emirates Airlines (attached) for PTF to conduct RTD that are not approved by the appropriate regulatory bodies and PTF to conduct RTD for departing passengers. Last blow Following the violations of the agreement, the obvious facts that the UAE new policy has mainly targeted Nigerian travellers and coupled with the refusal of the Dubai authorities to come down from their ‘high horse’, Nigeria government retaliated the hostility by also banning Emirates airlines from operating into Nigeria. While the crisis seemed to have been resolved with the Emirates airlines recently announcing plans to resume operations into the country by June 23, 2021, the airline within few hours rescinded its decision saying flight resumption between the two countries had been suspended till further notice. The latest sudden reversal of the UAE airlines earlier decision has sparked anger and hopelessness amongst the Nigerian travelling public including the business class, tour operators, students and leisure travellers. Dubai’s loss is the gain of Egypt As there seems to be no end in sight to the crisis, Nigerians according to investigations may soon call the bluff of the UAE authorities as they have now discovered other countries that may offer them the same interests that had hitherto attracted them to Dubai. The efforts of the Nigerian tour operators to think out of the box as the crisis lingers on with the stubbornness of the UAE authorities to withdraw its unpopular COVID-19 policy targeted at Nigerians has started yielding positive dividends. From the latest information, the Nigerians traveling to Dubai for pleasures and other business interests have now found an alternative in Egypt. Attesting to this fact, President of the National Association Nigerian Travels Agents (NANTA), Mrs Susan Akporiaye in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Tribune cited how the association has been able to use the African Continental Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) agenda of government to railroad into Egypt. “Am a tour operator, am I losing business to Dubai, yes, but you know interestingly, it’s a case of when one door closes another one opens. I don’t know if you have seen my publication on Egypt Air, its not all bad for us because we have channelled our Dubai passengers to Egypt. What is it that people are looking for in Dubai, we have been able to prove to our members and the traveling public that they can get it in Egypt also? The AfCFTA agenda that NANTA is pushing from the aspect of tourism, promoting traveling within Africa is working because we needed to let our members know that the closure of Dubai is not the end of our business except that particular tour operator or agency does not really want to think outside the box. Ghana is not an alternative route for Nigerians Presently, Nigerians caught up in the crisis have taken their destiny in their hands as they now fulfill their desire to travel to Dubai by going through Accra, Ghana. Reacting, the NANTA President said that the alternative route to Dubai through Ghana is not really an alternative because the cost implication is high as you need to observe the two weeks quarantine in Ghana before you start proceeding to Dubai. “Even if you are not staying in a hotel, you will be staying with friends, may be a sister and you are going to go out and there is a cost on that. Time they say is money and then you will now proceed to Dubai on a five-day, one week or two weeks maximum trip. And for a two weeks trip in Dubai you spend one month away from home, no serious business person is going to do that. What business people do right now is so interesting, with the advent of technology, they are now meeting their clients via zoom to discuss their business, those that want to buy things they discuss it, check out what they want to buy, they pick up their choice, conclude their price and their partners in Dubai ship it for them. No business person will spend one month for a five day trip, it is not economical at all, it’s a lot of time wasting and the percentage of people using this route because of the cost implications is very small, it is not even up to one per cent of the travelling public to Dubai. No country can demarket Nigeria Akporiaye while reacting to the notion that the decision of the UAE to prevent Nigerian travellers from travelling directly to Dubai may be a ploy to divert market from Nigeria to other places like Ghana among others, rejected the school of thought saying “on the ploy to demarket Nigeria, that’s a big laugh because Nigeria can never be demarketed not by Ghana, not by any West African country and not even by any foreign country either. Our strength is our population, we are definitely not where we want to be and a lot of things are still not in place as we wish them to be. But if there is one thing I know about Nigerians is that our strength is in our population, so we can never be demarketed. Fine, Accra has an advantage, it’s making money now but once the face off is over, they will be back to status quo, they are making more money now as every Nigerian passing through there now will run the COVID-19 test on arrival there, they will do the same while going out from Accra to Dubai. Accra is making more money and may be seeing a little more traffic but mind you it’s not only through Accra, Nigerians go through Cotonou and other West African countries, so the few people that are doing this has made the market splitted between the West African countries that have flights to Dubai. And the ploy of demarketing Nigeria is not possible, Nigeria can never be demarketed because there was a recent publication that said for the first time in 33 years that Emirates recorded a loss so if the Accra business was working for them, they won’t record a loss. We stand by FG The tour operator expressed full support for the action of the Nigerian government to ensure Nigerians are treated with respect. “The Federal Government should stand its ground. Honestly, I’m supporting them, you know this is the time to raise our head very high and stand tall. We may have our issues but we shouldn’t be taken advantage of, nobody should treat us anyhow they want; nobody should come up with any policy and dump it on Nigerians. We have issues like every other country, our own issues might be more, o yes, but we still have our pride as citizens of Nigeria. So to our government, I will say kudos to them, let them not back down until they come to a place to ensure whatever decisions the UAE is giving is what is acceptable by Nigerians, they should not accept anything less than Nigerians being treated with respect. We need to be treated with respect. So we need to continue to stand with our head tall until we win this battle. I’m a tour operator, am I losing business to Dubai, yes but you know interestingly, it’s a case of when one door closes another one opens. I don’t know if you have seen my publication on Egypt air, it’s not all bad for us because we have channelled our Dubai passengers to Egypt. What is it that people are looking for in Dubai, we have been able to prove to our members and the travelling public that they can get it in Egypt also.

Experts blame Govs, NDDC for oil-producing communities’ underdevelopment By Obas Esiedesa

As the controversy surrounding the provision of just three percent of operator’s expenditure as funding for oil-producing communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill rages, energy experts have blamed state governors in the region and the Niger Delta Development, NDDC, for the lack of development in the communities. They also blamed poor performance by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the challenges in the region. Speaking to the Vanguard on Tuesday in Abuja at the sidelines of the ongoing 14th annual conference of the Nigerian Association of Energy Economics, NAEE, immediate past President NAEE, Prof. Wumi Iledare urged oil-producing communities to hold their state governors responsible for the underdevelopment in the area. Prof. Iledare who is the current GNPC Petroleum Commerce Chair in Oil and Gas Studies, University of Cape Coast, Ghana, said the 13 percent derivation, NDDC, and Ministry of Niger Delta Affair revenue allocations were all meant for the development of oil host communities. He explained: “I think the host communities are not being fair to themselves. If they are fair to themselves, they will hold their state governors responsible for not developing the host communities. The NDDC is meant for the host communities, the derivation fund is meant for the host communities, the Ministry of Niger Delta is meant for the host communities. Hold the governors responsible. “You are leaving the people that are stopping the development of host communities alone and you are blaming somebody else. The money for the development of host communities is given to the oil-producing region on annual basis significantly, including the state budget. That is what should be surrendered to them and it begins with the state assembly”. On the agitation by some sections of the host communities for 10 percent equity, Prof. Iledare stated: “It is stochastic because if you have equity in a business the only thing you get is dividend. And dividend depends on retained earnings. No profit, no dividend, and what determines profit is the cost. “And at the end of the year, the companies can decide to retain a significant portion of their earnings. If you are a shareholder, and they carry you because you have equity and you don’t put money down, that means the cost they incur for carrying you must be developed. “Three percent is better than nothing”, he added. On her part, the President of NAEE, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe noted that three percent provisions remained a good deal, observing that controversial sections could be amended in the future. According to her, not having the PIB or further delay in its passage and assent was not an option given the dynamics of the oil and gas industry. She said: “My opinion is premised on the fact that there is no alternative to a total reform of the Nigerian oil industry if Nigeria is ever to realise its full potentials. There has never been. Every draft of the PIB has been controversial. “In fact, controversies surrounding it are the reasons that the process has dragged on for so long, and in the meantime, the nation has suffered, with dwindling investments in Nigeria, particularly in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. However, the world is not waiting for Nigeria and can actually do without Nigerian crude”. Mrs. Omorogbe observed that “as the nation debates the Bill, it is necessary to focus on its actual contents and not on interpretations that are not always supported by fact. “It is important for those who can, to come out with actual numbers and eschew the present discussions on percentages, based on the perception that they refer to the same thing when in fact they do not. Daily we hear about 3% as against 30%”. She stressed that the funding process for new frontier basins and for host communities was significantly different with the host communities funding almost equating what is currently obtainable. Vanguard News Nigeria

Inadequate funding impacts negatively on education – Agbonlahor

December 8, 2010 Air Commodore Augustine Agbonlahor (RTD) is the president of Immaculate Conception College Benin Old Boys Association (ICCOBA), Lagos Branch; he spoke recently to Vanguard on the education system of the country and other national issues. Excerpts. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your childhood I joined the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) as a potential pilot in 1973 and was commissioned as a Regular Combatant officer with the rank of Pilot Officer on 20 December 1975. I had flying and administrative training in the NAF. As a pilot and a flying instructor I flew over 4000 flying hours. I participated in ECOMOG operations in the Liberia war and as well held a number of command appointments, which include; Military Airport Commandant Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Commander military airlift group and various Nigerian Air Force Units. I retired from military Service in 2007 as an air commodore. I also bagged a master degree in business administration. Air Commodore Augustine Agbonlahor (RTD) I have been the President of Immaculate Conception College Benin City Old Boys Association for 8 years and counting. I am married to Mrs Christy Agbonlahor and we are blessed with 5 children What is your view about Secondary School Education today in comparison to your time. I can say in my time it was of better standard as there were quality and devoted teachers, good teacher to students’ ratio, well equipped laboratories, absence of strikes and good students’ discipline and performance. Today, political pressure, younger intakes, exposure to various vices and inadequate funding impacting negatively on SSE. Notwithstanding, advancement in ICT, state of the art facilities and rapid growth of private secondary schools have added quality to today’s SSE. With good governance and a well articulated and stable National Education policy SSE today should equal if not surpass that of my time. What distinguish Immaculate Conception College from others. Immaculate Conception College was a premier, prestigious and well rounded institution. As a Catholic mission school moral education was at its best which engender high discipline, honesty and hard work. The students never lost focus on the School’s motto: “ Semper et ubique fidelis” meaning Always and everywhere be faithful. The results of these enviable character traits enhanced intellectual development. The staff composed the best teachers around who spared no time in molding the students for higher leadership and professional responsibilities for their future careers. Of course the school result for many years was 100% with high grades in the core subjects. It also excelled in sports both the football and athletics. How did the values at ICC impact on your military career. The values imbibed at ICC had a profound impact on my military career. The hallmark of the military profession is discipline and having been well grounded on the attribute of discipline, honesty, hard work at ICC, I blended seamlessly into the job. Don’t forget that respect for our seniors in ICC was sacrosanct just as it is in the military. All the values helped me to be loyal, respect constituted authority and to remain focused on my task as an air force officer. Sports in Nigeria is a Unifying factor, what was Sports like in ICC. Sports was great in ICC as I said earlier. It was played with passion. The authority of the School encouraged it and provided first class infrastructure and facilities. Even sport like Rugby which was not popular then and now in Nigeria was introduced and played by the students. The school excelled in football and athletics and won many prize trophies. What memorable incident can you recall about ICC. Hmm…. what I recall right now is when I won the best prize for mathematics in class 3. I had missed it the year before to my friend and competitor in the subject and he boasted he was going to do it again and we placed a bet. I devoted extra hours to the subject and leapt for joy when I was at the end called as the recipient of the prize and of course I won the bet. How does the Lagos Branch effectively harmonize Developmental effort with the National Body. The National Body which has its headquarters in Benin orchestrates the outstanding projects of the School and then decides on which project to undertake or assign to its branches to execute. Where it undertakes a project it calls for contribution of funds from its branches. Also the Branch can select and execute from the list of projects in consultation with the National body and the School. What has ICCOBA Lagos Branch achieved this year that the students will remember. We have continued to support our alma mater and this year we contributed to the renovation and equipping of the Biology Laboratory which has been completed and put into use by the students. Air Commodore Augustine Uyinmwen Agbonlahor passed on to glory on July 20th, 2021. May his gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen.

Private sector aids 60% illicit financial flows out of Africa — ICPC Chairman By Fortune Eromosele.

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, has disclosed that the private sector was responsible for over 60 percent illegal movement of funds from Africa to foreign countries. He made this known during the visit of council members of the African Bar Association, AFBA, led by its President, Mr. Hanniba Uwaifo to the corporate headquarters of the ICPC in Abuja. According to a statement by the Commission’s spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, the ICPC boss explained that the perpetrators of illicit financial flows (IFFs) channeled the funds through commercial activities enabled by the private sector. He said, “A bulk of corruption going on in the country is caused or perpetuated by the private sector. About 60 percent of funds taken or stolen away from Africa through illicit financial flows are being done by the private sector, basically, through commercial transactions, seemingly harmless transactions that are put together by accountants, auditors, and bankers.” Owasanoye, who commented on attacks on staff of the Commission and other anti-corruption agencies by suspects under investigations, said that it was fuelled by impunity and weak laws. He stressed that corruption was debilitating the country, maintaining that the ICPC is focusing on public sector corruption because of its impact on the country and the private sector. Meanwhile, he charged the African Bar Association (AFBA) to play a positive role in regulating lawyers’ effectiveness in the fight against corruption and pledged the Commission’s commitment to support the upcoming Anti-Corruption Conference of the AFBA scheduled to hold in Niamey, Republic of Niger. To this end, he listed some of the progress made by the Commission to include: de-emphasizing confession-based investigation, a world-class forensic lab, staff auditing, and capacity building. Earlier in his remarks, the AFBA President, Mr. Hanniba Uwaifo traced the problem in Africa to corruption which, according to him, has led to the underdevelopment of the continent. He stressed that the continent cannot grow unless corruption was uprooted, adding that the world is worried about the level of corruption in Africa. Uwaifo lamented that the public sector corruption by government officials has held the country back from achieving its great potentials. He also highlighted some of the corrupt practices perpetrated by government officials to include: election malpractices, banditry, and influencing the employment of lackeys into anti-corruption agencies in order to aid their corrupt practices. Speaking on the profitable solutions, Uwaifo noted that issues of preventing corruption from taking place in the anti-graft agencies can be enhanced through constant audits of staff and materials. He commended the ICPC for its due diligence and rule of law in the prosecution of accused persons. “I want to commend the ICPC for performing creditably and not engaging in media trial and abuse of the rights of accused persons. I hope the Commission will continue to perform its duties as constitutionally required,” he said. Vanguard News Nigeria

ICYMI: Igboho seeks asylum in Benin Republic by Kayode Oyero and Lesi Nwisagbo

FG delegation in court, wants agitator in custody until extradition Desperately wanted by the Department of State Services in Nigeria, with an international arrest warrant hanging around his neck, and facing immigration-related offences in Cotonou, the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, is seeking asylum in the Republic of Benin, Saturday PUNCH has learnt. It was gathered that the 48-year-old activist resorted to the option after he was arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin. Igboho was arrested with his Germany-based wife, Ropo, at the airport while they reportedly tried to catch a flight to Germany around 8 pm on Monday. Although the Cour De’appal De Cotonou ruled on Thursday that Ropo should be released unconditionally as there were no charges against her, Igboho is spending his first weekend in a police cell in Cotonou. He is being tried for migration-related issues after he was allegedly caught with a fake Beninese passport at the point of his departure to Germany through an Air France flight. “He (Igboho) was already at the airport with a passport. The immigration officers suspected his passport to be fake and so they stopped him. A passport was allegedly forged for Igboho in the Benin Republic for the purpose of the Germany trip. At the airport, they discovered he was the one,” a source familiar with the matter told Saturday PUNCH. The source, who craved anonymity, however, said although an application had been filed for Igboho as a political refugee in Germany, processes had also been completed to file another application for asylum for him in Benin Republic. “Igboho has already applied for asylum in Germany and he hopes to file a similar application in Benin Republic in the coming days,” the source said. The source also said that there was the possibility that the Beninese Government would drop the migration-related offences brought against Igboho over alleged forgery of passport. The leader of Igboho’s legal team, Yomi Alliyu (SAN), had also in a statement noted that his client could not be extradited because the 1984 Extradition Treaty between Nigeria, Benin and two other countries excluded political refugees like Igboho. Meanwhile, upon their arrest, Igboho and his wife were detained in police custody in Cotonou but the Cour De’appal De Cotonou ruled on Thursday that Ropo should be released unconditionally as there were no charges against her. The court session lasted for about six hours with intermittent breaks. The court, however, ruled that Igboho be remanded in police custody till the next date of adjournment which is likely to be next week. Igboho spends weekend in Beninese cell, court resumes sitting next week Although the Cour De’appal De Cotonou, adjourned the hearing of the case against Igboho, till Friday (yesterday), the hearing didn’t hold. The implication of this is that Igboho would spend the weekend in the Beninese cell. Saturday PUNCH gathered that the hearing would hold next week while the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, said it would hold on Monday. The group, led by ex-Senator Banji Akintoye, was in court to monitor Thursday’s hearing. The group disclosed this in a statement signed by its Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye, and titled, ‘Update on Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho’s Case in the Republic of Benin by Ilana Omo Oodua.’ The statement, which was released on Friday, partly read, “Yesterday (Thursday), the court set Mrs Adeyemo, lgboho’s wife, free since it has been found that she has committed no offence and there’s no complaint whatsoever against her. Consequently, her German passport was returned to her. “The case has been adjourned till Monday, July 26, to allow the Nigerian Government to bring up whatever evidence they may have, and Mr lgboho has been taken back to the police custody.” Igboho is a gunrunner, Nigeria tells court Meanwhile, Saturday PUNCH learnt that the Nigerian Government, which has been mum on the issue, sent representatives to court on, Thursday and accused Igboho of importing firearms. The source told Saturday PUNCH, “The Nigerian Government has made attempts to get him (Igboho) but Benin Republic didn’t release him. The Nigerian Government has requested him but the Beninese Government has not released him because the latter has not even identified him as a Nigerian. “The only instrument they can use to identify him as a Nigerian is the passport, but that is not what was found on him.” The source added, “The Nigerian Government was in court on Thursday through its legal representatives. They demanded that Igboho be remanded pending the time the government would file proper documents for his extradition. The Nigerian government told the court that Igboho is a gunrunner and appealed to the court to remand Igboho until further notice. “Nothing is happening on extradition for now because the priority case for the Benin Republic is that he is alleged to have committed an offence against their law. So, they can’t hold any extradition hearing until they get to the root of the matter on how he got the Benin Republic passport. “I am suspecting that even if the court orders his release, he will be rearrested because of the Nigerian Government’s accusation that he is a gunrunner.” Also, the Akintoye-led group in its statement said, “What Nigerian Government came up with were mere allegations against Ighoho such as trafficking in arms and inciting violence that could result in social disturbance without evidence, which the Government of Benin Republic considered spurious and untenable, and insufficient to warrant extradition.” When contacted, a member of Igboho’s legal team, Pelumi Olajengbesi, declined comments on the case of his client and the details of the court hearing on Thursday. The lawyer, however, told Saturday PUNCH that the team was hopeful that the court would grant Igboho bail and won’t extradite the activist illegally to Nigeria. When asked whether Igboho would get bail in court, the lawyer simply told our correspondent, “We are hopeful.” Olajengbesi restated his conviction that Benin Republic had shown itself to be a country that respects the rule of law and due process. “The disposition of Benin Republic is that it is a country that respects the rule of law. We are making efforts that he is not repatriated wrongly to Nigeria. We are ensuring that everything is done in accordance with the law and we are very hopeful that we would succeed,” he stressed. Reacting to the forgery allegation against his client, Olajengbesi said, “Igboho is in the spotlight now and people can come up with allegations. There can be issues of facts, or mis-facts anywhere but no charge has been officially brought against Igboho by the court. Until there is charge against him and investigation to prove that he is found guilty or innocent, every other thing anyone is saying is baseless.” Meanwhile, Ibrahim Salami, a counsel for Igboho, has said that the rights activist was arrested with Nigerian and German passports. This is contrary to claims that Igboho was tried for possessing a Beninese passport despite not being a citizen of the country. Salami told BBC Yoruba, “It is not true that the Benin Republic passport was found on Sunday Igboho when he was arrested. “What was found on him were Nigerian and German passports. His wife had only her German passport on her at the point of arrest.” Meanwhile, reports have indicated that Igboho may face 21 years’ imprisonment over the Beninese passport he allegedly tendered before his aborted trip. Although it officially denied it, the Nigeria Immigration Service had reportedly on July 9 placed Igboho on a stop-list. NIS alerted the Nigeria Police, the DSS and the National Intelligence Agency that he was making efforts to acquire a new Nigerian passport as part of plans to flee the country. As the authorities uncovered his strategy, Igboho, it was gathered, allegedly made arrangements for a Beninese passport. Expressing fear over the fate of Igboho, a lawmaker in Benin, identified as Tolulase, in an interview with the BBC Yoruba, said the situation was not looking good for the agitator. The legislator explained that although Benin is a small country, laws are strictly enforced there. He said, “On this passport issue, take me for instance, I’m from Benin but married to an Ijebu woman from Nigeria. We have five kids. She gave birth to two in Nigeria, three in Benin. “Only the three have Beninese passports, the two others and my wife do not have. She can only apply if we married legally in Benin. “Even after the court wedding, the passport is not issued immediately. She will wait for some years and must go through the processes. “The first thing you must have is the National Identity Card. Now, if you’re not a citizen, the only way you can get a passport is if you legally marry a Beninoise. “You can see it’s not easy. So, if you procure a fake one, you’ll be uncovered because you don’t have a National Identity Card. The details are linked. “The card must have a family name. About three to five of your relatives must confirm to the government that they know you and your early years. “It is after they testify that the court will issue the card, which can then be used to apply for a passport. If such is doctored, the punishment is 21 years’ imprisonment. It’s a serious offence. “And it’s not just the owner of the fake passport that will be prosecuted; all those who know about it will be charged to court. “On Chief Sunday Igboho, the Beninese Government will carry out a detailed investigation that will expose everyone involved in his passport obtainment.” Fighting against extradition Meanwhile, Igboho’s lawyers are fighting against his extradition to Nigeria, where he may face treason charges. The Federal Government, its agencies and South-West governors remain silent on his ordeal, but his supporters within and outside Nigeria are calling for his unconditional release, insisting self-determination is not a crime. The President, Women Arise and Centre for Change, Joe Okei-Odumakin, has appealed to the Beninese Government not to repatriate Igboho. She said Igboho could not be assured of safety or justice in Nigeria and “will come to grief if he is extradited under the prevailing circumstances.” Nigeria’s best interest’ll top our extradition approach -AGF’s aide Meanwhile, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has explained that the Minister was considering Nigeria’s best interest while exercising his discretion in filing extradition charges against the Yoruba activist, Igboho. Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations to the AGF, Dr. Jibrilu Gwandu, said this in response to enquiries from Saturday PUNCH, on Friday. He was responding to a question on why the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, was yet to file extradition charges against the activist. Gwandu said, the “Attorney General is considering and I believe is not bound by time limitations in exercising that discretion and considering the beneficial approach.” He explained that Malami, who was conscious about public interest and the interest of justice at all times, would, at the appropriate time, do the needful. There have been concerns over the seeming delay by the Federal Government to file extradition charges against Igboho who was earlier declared wanted by the DSS after its operatives raided his Soka residence, killing two people and arresting 12 others in the process. Court gives DSS six days to produce Igboho’s aides Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday gave the Department of State Services six days within which to produce Igboho’s aides in court. It also ordered the DSS to show cause why the 12 applicants should not be admitted to bail on July 29, which is the next adjourned date. Earlier, the counsel for the 12 detained aides of the activist, Pelumi Olajengbesi, while arguing his ex parte motion before the court, said his clients who were applicants in the case, were arrested by agents of the state and had not been heard from since their detention. He stated that the exhibit which formed part of his motion was a letter written to the DSS to enable the applicants to gain access to their lawyers and family members. The lawyer lamented that in spite of the letter, the DSS did not oblige them access to the applicants who had been in their custody for over 20 days. Olajengbesi craved the indulgence of the court in the interest of justice to grant the reliefs sought. In his ex parte motion, Olajengbesi prayed the court on behalf of the applicants for an order “mandating and compelling the respondents to produce the applicants to enable the court to inquire into the circumstances constituting the grounds of their arrest and detention since July 1, 2021.” The lawyer also sought the order of the court mandating and compelling the respondents to produce the applicants before the court and “show cause as to why the applicants should not be granted bail in accordance with the provision of Section 32 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and other extant laws in Nigeria.” Olajengbesi argued that the applicants are citizens of Nigeria with inherent rights. The ex-parte motion was supported with an eight-paragraph affidavit, exhibit, eleven-paragraph affidavit of extreme urgency, affidavit of non-complicity of action, and a written address. The detained aides had instituted a suit against the DSS and its Director-General, Yusuf Bichi, following their arrest and detention on July 1, 2021 after the DSS’ raid on Igboho’s residence in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State. The applicants are Abdulateef Ofeyagbe, Amoda Babatunde, Tajudeen Erinoyen, Diekola Ademola, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Noah, and Ayobami Donald. Others are Adelabe Usman, Oluwapelimi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, Taiwo Opeyemi, and Bamidele Sunday. PUNCH.

Controversial Electoral bill exposes Nigerian lawmakers by Sunday Aborisade

SUNDAY ABORISADE highlights the views of experts and stakeholders on the implications of two bills recently passed by the National Assembly aimed at guaranteeing free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria Last week, the two chambers of the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act (Amendment ) Bill 2021 and the Electoral Offences Establishment Bill as part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians’ votes count during polls. While the bill seeking to establish a commission that would be saddled with the responsibilities of prosecuting electoral offenders was passed without much ado, that of amendment to the Electoral Act generated serious controversies both in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Electoral Offences bill, among other provisions, okayed a 20-year jail term for anybody caught snatching ballot materials. The Joint Senate and House Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission in Clause 52(3) provides for electronic transmission of election results by INEC where and when practicable but the All Progressives Congress senators rejected it and voted for an amendment made by Senator Aliyu Abdullahi ( APC Niger North) . Abdullahi had added a proviso that “INEC may consider electronic transmission of results provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the Nigerian Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly.” However, the Peoples Democratic Party Senators stuck to the recommendation of the joint panel which states that, “The Commission (INEC) may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable.” The voice vote adopted by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, to determine the winner in favour of the APC, was rejected by the Senate Minority Leader , Enyinnaya Abaribe, and he called for a division after a stalemate which could not be resolved behind closed doors. The Clerk of the Senate, Ibrahim El–Ladan, conducted the headcount and a total of 80 Senators voted; while 50 APC senators and two from the PDP voted for the amendment made by Abdullahi, 28 PDP lawmakers voted for the original provision of the clause. The clerk said 28 senators were absent during the division and voting session. In the House of Representatives, however, the original provision recommended by the joint panel was retained but members of the opposition PDP staged a walk-out, following an unsuccessful attempt to make it mandatory for INEC to transmit election results, electronically. Stakeholders and experts who expressed their views on the developments, however, expressed divergent opinions. For instance, the Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, kicked against the version passed by the Senate which according to him, would erode the independence of INEC. He also said the attempt to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria would be a mirage if such a provision was retained. Itodo said, “it is important to underscore the fact that the bill as passed by both chambers of the National Assembly is not a law yet until the President assents his signature to the bill. “Given all the controversies and how both the Senate and the House of Representatives voted, it is clear that there is a consensus among lawmakers from the ruling APC to maintain the status quo as it relates to results collation and transmission and not to adopt an electronic transmission of results for subsequent elections. “This is a testament to the fact that the beneficiaries of a jaundice, very porous, vulnerable results collation process do not want to end these level of vulnerability and compromise that has plagued results collation over the years and it is disturbing. This is because over the years, it has encouraged election rigging and results falsification and they don’t want to introduce technology that would curb that fraud. That is why Nigerians should resist it with their attempt to exclude INEC from electronic transmission of results.” He further explained, “The electronic transmission of results as contemplated within our electoral process is to serve as a check on the manual process and not necessarily replace or supplant the manual process of collating election results with the electronic transmission. “Results collation happens at different levels depending on the elections. It can happen at the ward, local, state and national levels. The decentralised stages of results collation to a large extent, also serve as a check. We need to note that the integrity of the 2023 elections is going to be hinged on how results are collated, transmitted and how declarations are made. If there is an attempt to stop or preclude INEC from transmitting results electronically, we are simply saying goodbye to election integrity in 2023.” On the 20-year jail term prescribed for ballot box snatchers, in the new bill, Itodo said, “I don’t think it will end electoral violence. On one hand, it is not about having a legislation, it is about holding defaulters to account. Politicians are the main culprit.” He added, “They are the ones who made the law, and they are the ones who also compromise the judiciary. At the end of the day, I doubt if it will end electoral violence. I just feel that it shouldn’t be limited to those who snatch ballot boxes, the sponsors should also be captured in the law because they are the real beneficiaries of ballot box snitching. We should look for a way to sanction conspirators, their sponsors, and not just the perpetrators of the act.” The National General Secretary, Campaign for Democracy, Ifeanyi Odili, said the electronic transmission of results was rejected by the retrogressive members of the National Assembly while the real progressives among then embraced it. Odili said, “The end result of the electronic transmission of results will be very productive, un-hazardous, helpful and would not be counter-productive. “This is because it will prevent candidates heading to challenge election results in the election petition tribunal, since everybody would have been in possession of the results as they keep coming in before the official announcement. “The staggered elections we have today in Nigeria is a consequence of election rigging and the attended legal battles. If we imbibe this culture, snatching of ballot boxes will become history. Rejecting the bill can only come from retrogressive minds. “I want to draw an inference here that if we take a critical look at the foundation of the lawmakers who are opposed to it, it would be readily concluded that they are the ones who got elected through the back door, I mean those who subverted the wishes of the electorate to get to position. “I have a strong feeling that any lawmaker that is opposed to it has a retrogressive mind who found his or her way to the hallowed chambers though the back door. I mean they are the real products of election fraud.” He further pointed, “It is appalling and absurd to hear that in this computer age and the global spread of the ICT, a federal lawmaker, very popular on social media, could oppose electronic transmission of results. Such affected lawmakers should have their brains examined by medical experts. Also, asking INEC to seek approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission and the National Assembly cannot work because it will compromise the independence of INEC. “That will strip the commission of its independence. That opinion can only come from the pit of hell.” Odili said the establishment of a commission to try electoral offenders would curb rigging and violence during polls. He said, “Our people are stone-hearted, very difficult to predict. However, it is good tactics to stop snatching of ballot boxes. “With this bill, I can see that we are heading somewhere. It is abnormal and insane for any person to snatch ballot boxes because it is subversive. It takes the entire process backward. “However, a 20-year jail term is not enough punishment for someone who subverts our collective wishes, it is treasonable, it is mutiny and should be treated as such.” A human rights activist, who represented the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, said there could be chaos and anarchy if the National Assembly passed the Senate version of the Electoral Act (Amendment ) Bill. Sani said, “There are three implications of the clause passed by the Senate on the 2023 general elections. “First, the independence of INEC has been compromised. We now have three electoral bodies-the real INEC, the NCC and the National Assembly. “The second implication is that the ruling party with dominance in the National Assembly, would now be determining whether the results of an election conducted by the INEC should be released or not. “The third aspect is that announcements of results can be stalled by an appointee of Mr President who is the chairman of the NCC. “Another implication is the fact that the National Assembly is not usually functional during elections because legislative activities are usually suspended two weeks before the elections and resume two weeks after the polls. “The National Assembly members are politicians who are members of political parties. If the ruling party is losing the election for instance, there is no way the National Assembly will allow the release of that result. “There is a tendency that the President of the Senate could be compelled not to convene the Senate that would approve the release of the election results. “The President can compel the Ahmad Lawan-led leadership of the Senate not to convene the Parliament.” On the Electoral Offences Bill, Sani said, “It depends on who is going to do the arrest.” He said, “In Kogi State, the police shielded thugs of the ruling party until there was pressure. So, it all depend on who the police want to prosecute. “They have the sole power to make arrest. They may decide to arrest thugs of the opposition and shield those of the ruling party. “The election offences commission is , however, a good idea but it will unfortunately be subjected to the whims and caprices of the police.” However, a professor of Political Science at the University of Ilorin, Gbade Ojo, has a different view. He said the raging controversy over the decision of the Senate was unnecessary, adding that the parliament reserved the powers to make laws for any agency of government, including INEC. Rather, Ojo asked Nigerians to mount pressure on the Federal Government to boost network coverage across the country instead of blaming the Senate for its action. He said, “The independence nature or character of INEC does not in any way makes it a law onto itself. INEC as an independent body must still operate within the ambit of the law; it is the primary responsibility of the National Assembly to enact laws. “It is the law made by the National Assembly that INEC must work with. Globally, electoral bodies make use of electoral laws. The electoral body is as good as the laws that guide it. “In that wise, electoral laws are made by the National Assembly. So, the raging controversy is unnecessary. “If the National Assembly should legislate that whatever INEC wants to do, they must seek the consent of the NCC; if it is necessary for them to do so, so be it. “This is because INEC and the National Assembly are not the authority when it comes to information technology. “I do not expect members of the National Assembly, as many as they are, to be making laws blindly. They have to seek experts’ opinion. That is what they did with the NCC. “If the NCC should say that it cannot guarantee election result’s transmission in more than 50 per cent of the areas in Nigeria, then, why can we not wait until we mount pressure on the executive arm to pump money into technology? “The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is there doing nothing. It is unfortunate if we cannot invest money in space technology. “Since 1960 that Nigeria got independence, the country has never been serious when it comes to research. A country with a high level of cleptocracy, serious corruption, cannot be forced to put an arrangement that would guarantee election result’s transmission in place immediately unless they will disrupt the whole process and there will be crisis. “The card readers are not functional in virtually all polling units in rural areas without network. I am not sure three quarter of the 774 local government areas are connected to electricity in their council secretariat. “We need to be serious with technology first before we can be talking of results transmission. Of what use would it be, if you vote at a polling unit and the results cannot be transmitted until 24 hours after? “If we don’t get it right, hackers could infiltrate the INEC facilities and send fake results to its servers; after all people get fake bank alerts from hackers. “Russia was accused of assisting Donald Trump in transmitting incorrect election results. If developed countries could be having such problems, how much less, a third world like Nigeria, deeply involved in corruption? “Anybody can tamper with INEC server and mess us up. We are producing professors of Science and Technology and those of Computer but without implements for them to work with. No funding to do research. That’s the problem.” On the electoral offences commission, Ojo said the National Assembly was unnecessarily increasing the numbers of bureaucracy by coming up with the bill. He said, “It is a sheer waste of resources. It is the primary responsibility of the police to make arrest and charge whoever with whatever offence. “If since 1960 till date that we have been having elections in this country, nobody is in prison over election offences; that means with the establishment of that commission, policemen with mere batons at polling units who cannot face miscreants wielding guns, would just be watching and expect members of the commission to go and make arrest and take offenders to court. “I think the fundamental problem of those in the National Assembly is the fact that they do not carry experts along in their process of law-making. “It is not just about public hearing, it is about the National Assembly commissioning experts to review their proposed legislation and offer informed opinions and suggestions especially on the implications of such laws. “We don’t need another commission presently. INEC should work with the police to ensure that electoral offenders are arrested and prosecuted. “Instead of recruiting more people to the proposed commission, more personnel should be recruited to the Nigeria Police Force and empower the NPF with equipment to work with.” In the meantime, Nigerians would have to wait till the National Assembly resumes in September to set up a joint panel to harmonise the different positions of the Senate and House of Representatives on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021, before knowing the final verdict on the controversial electoral bill. t PUNCH.