Imo grounded as IPOB’s sit-at-home order continues by Chidiebube Okeoma

Owerri, the Imo State capital, was grounded on Monday despite the cancellation of the weekly sit-at-home order by Indigenous People of Biafra. Our correspondent who monitored the situation observed that the city was a shadow of itself. Banks, hotels, markets, schools, supermarkets and malls were under lock and key. Even state and federal government employees were absent from workplaces even as streets stalls were locked Read Also DSS flies actor Chiwetalu Agu to Abuja, bars family visitation Anambra polls: IPOB disowns Andy Uba, cautions politicians Sit-at-home: Gunshots rock Anambra, guard killed in Enugu, Imo grounded The development was a sequel to the last Monday’s stampede in Owerri, following the speculation that some hoodlums were enforcing a sit-at-home order in the state. As of 2pm, the government roundabout was deserted, even as youths were seen on major roads playing football. A trader who refused to disclose his name told our correspondent that he refused to take his children to school following the pandemonium which took place last Monday. ” My children didn’t go to school today because my experience last week was bad. I had run from shop to school to take them home when I heard that some bad people had invaded the school. They will go to school tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to be completed before 2023 —Buhari by Segun Adewole

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday, said the 11.9km Second Niger Bridge and the 120 km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will be completed before his regime ends in 2023. Buhari also assured that other key projects under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund will be completed in the same period. The President gave the assurance at the opening of a two-day Mid-Term Ministerial Performance Review Retreat organised to assess progress made towards the achievement of the nine key priorities of his regime. At the event, Buhari highlighted some of the notable achievements of the Federal Government in the last two years, mostly in areas of infrastructure, transportation, economy, electricity supply, the petroleum industry, among others. ‘‘On transportation, we are growing the stock and quality of our road, rail, air and water transport infrastructure. ‘‘The PIDF projects are also advancing remarkably. These include the 11.9km Second Niger Bridge, 120 km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, 375 km Abuja – Kaduna – Zaria – Kano Expressway and the East-West Road. Most of these projects are expected to be completed within this 2nd term of our Administration,’’ he was quoted by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

FG stopped residency payment after strike suspension – NARD by Olalekan Adetayo and Deborah Tolu-Kolawole

FRESH crisis may be brewing between the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors and the Federal Government as the association accused the government of already deviating from the understanding reached before it suspended its strike last week. This was as the association also accused the government of causing confusion among its members and suspending the payment of the Medical Residency Training Funds The National President of NARD, Dr Dare Ishaya, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja on Monday. But the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said there was no truth in the claim The PUNCH had reported last week that the association, after interventions by the Nigerian Medical Association, suspended its industrial action with the aim of holding a meeting of the National Executive Committee to review the activities of the Federal Government six weeks after. The NARD commenced its industrial action on August 2, 2021. Sources familiar with the matter told our correspondent on Monday that since the association suspended its industrial action, the Federal Government stopped the payment of the medical residency training fund which it commenced before the strike was suspended. “They paid 20 centres before we suspended the strike and they promised they would pay everything immediately we suspend the strike and the salary arrears. “But the moment we suspended the strike, till now, we have not heard anything from them. Thirty-four centres have not been paid (medical residency training fund) and salary arrears, even the one for August and September have not been paid,” one of the sources said. The National President of NARD, Ishaya, confirmed the development. However, Ngige confirmed the aspect of non-payment of salaries, saying the case was still in court while government was working towards an out-of-court settlement. He said the striking doctors would not be paid for the months they did not work. On the residency fund, the minister said the payment was suspended because some individuals who were not resident doctors were paid. The minister said, “Do you pay somebody who didn’t work in August, September? The truth of the matter is that the August and September salary is a matter that is still in court. So, when we go to court, we will try to see if we can do out-of-court settlement. But for now, nothing like payment. “The payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund is still going on, but what they can tell you is that some institutions were missed and this was because of mix-ups. The Ministry of Health and the Accountant-General are sorting it out. “The Ministry of Health and the AGF have received a new list today (Monday) and they will process it and that is why it seemed as if the payment process was stopped so that we will have to work with the verified list.” PUNCH.

Senate bows to pressure, says INEC can transmit elections electronically by Sunday Aborisade

The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill to rescind its decision which subjected the Independent National Electoral Commission to seek approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission before it could transmit elections results electronically. The upper chamber also voted in support of the conduct of party primaries only by direct method. The Bill is titled, “Recommittal of amended clauses of a bill for an Act to repeal the Electoral Bill 2021 and enact the Electoral Act 2021.” The Senate had in July, during consideration of a report on 2010 Electoral Act ( Amendment ) Bill 2021 submitted by its Committee on INEC, amended clause 52(3) as recommended. While the clause as presented by the committee in the report says INEC can transmit election results electronically where and when practicable, the Senate passed the amended version which says “INEC can transmit election results electronically subject to confirmation of the NCC based on adequacy and security of National Network. The House of Representatives at the time, adopted the clause as originally recommended by committees of both Chambers on INEC. Read Also Senate approves direct primaries for political parties INEC predicts registration of more parties, raises fear on 2023 polls Anambra Poll: INEC cancels 62,698 voters' card requests for double registration Consequently, the Senate has been in the eye of the storm which made it make the amendment. Clause 52: has to do with the conduct of poll by open secret ballot. Sub section (2) now reads, “Subject to section 63 of this Bill, voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission, (INEC) which may include electronic voting.” The Senate in approving direct primary for political parties amended clause 87 which allowed for either direct or indirect primaries. Clause 87 has to do with nomination of candidates by parties. It now reads, “Clause 87. (1) “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the Commission.”

Buhari’s minister stirs fresh controversy after FIIRO certificate forgery fiasco by Samson Folarin

After failed attempts by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, to install a demoted official of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Chima Igwe, as the agency’s Director-General, the minister has announced the reconstitution of the governing board of the agency. This was a sequel to his dissolution of the board contrary to the four-year term of their membership. Stakeholders claimed that the board dissolution did not follow due process and had no authority of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), who alone had such powers. Aside from FIIRO, Onu also dissolved the boards of 11 other parastatals under him, including the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis (NITR), National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), National Centre For Technology Management (NACETEM), National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria, Project Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, among others. Onu, in an internal memo obtained by PUNCH Metro, said the inauguration of the new governing boards would take place on Thursday, October 14, 2021. He also claimed in the document that he obtained approval from the President to reconstitute the boards. Our correspondent had reported that the agencies rejected the letters of dissolution sent to them by the minister dated August 5, 2021, insisting that Onu did not follow due process. The chairmen, while saying that they had four years to serve, which would elapse in 2022, noted that only Buhari had the powers to dissolve them. The PRODA chairman, Daniel Onjeh, in a letter to the minister, said, “The PRODA board expects your office to convey the approval of Mr President that the PRODA board is dissolved or its tenure elapsed. Till then, I and other members of the PRODA board will disregard your letter under reference.” On his part, the FIIRO Chairman, Ibrahim Gwarzo, stated, “The exercise carried out in the course of the inauguration of boards under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, was on behalf of Mr President and the same in the course of dissolution. Based on the foregoing, a minister cannot appoint or dissolve a board.” One of the affected chairmen, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, said the minister was creating confusion in the system. He noted that his team had spent three years and five months in office. “If he is saying we have three years in office, instead of four, does that mean the five months is an extra or a bonus? “The process of disengagement as we know are three: Mr President can appoint a board to replace a former one. Two, Mr President can ask the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to issue disengagement letters. Three, Mr President can announce through the SGF a board’s dissolution. “The chain of disengagement as per the processes is well spelt out. But none of this has happened,” he said. A source told our correspondent that most of the agencies under Onu’s supervision did not have substantive director generals. He noted that aside from FIIRO with a documented record of face-offs with the minister, a few agencies had reported him for interfering with their workings. The source said, “He exhibits high-handedness over governing boards in the ministry, faults processes and ensures that no substantive DG for any of the agencies, only acting overseeing directors in all the agencies under him. In fact, a Senate committee took this up some time ago. “Also, the minister bypasses the permanent secretary, who is the chief operating officer in the ministry; he is using an acting director and his own appointed special adviser to perpetrate this kangaroo board inauguration in a ministry where there are a number of full directors and a permanent secretary.” Our correspondent obtained a memo by the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, and addressed to Onu on the complaint of the NITR Governing Council. He was asked to stop interfering with the running of the agency. The letter, dated September 1, 2021, also directed the NITR Governing Board to commence the process of appointing a substantive director-general in line with extant rules and regulations. A similar letter was addressed by the Chief of Staff to the President to Onu on FIIRO. The letter, dated September 7, 2021, declined the minister’s request to confirm his candidate, Igwe, as the director-general of the institute. It also asked Onu to allow the governing board to operate freely, and directed the board to commence the process of appointing a substantive director-general. Stakeholders wondered how the President would in September 2021 direct the governing boards to appoint substantive heads if he (Buhari) dissolved them as insinuated by Onu in his letters of dissolutions dated August 2021. “The minister is bitter because of ‘Igwe-gate’. He is bent on disregarding the presidential directive and selecting new board members. He is arranging a Kangaroo selection and inauguration without the backing of the Federal Government. “The incumbent boards were appointed by the Federal Government and can only be dissolved by the same Federal Government. Deliberately, he is not using the ministry’s secretariat for the inauguration,” a source said. The Special Adviser to the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibiam Oguejiofo, and the acting Director, PRPA, Irene Ijoma, whose contacts were on the letter of inauguration of the new governing boards, did not take their calls which rang out 11 times in total. As of press time, they had yet to respond to text messages from our correspondent seeking clarification on the new governing boards. PUNCH.

Why Atiku, Saraki oppose Mark as PDP national chair by John Alechenu

DESPITE widespread support for former Senate President, David Mark, for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, are still opposed to his emergence, The PUNCH has learnt. It was gathered in Abuja, on Sunday, that although most stakeholders including the PDP-Governors Forum and the Board of Trustees, have endorsed Mark for the position, the two-party chieftains are said to prefer a candidate from the North West. A new twist was also added to the chairmanship race with news that the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, is soliciting support for another Benue son, former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu. A usually reliable party source who spoke to our correspondent, on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said “Politics is about interests either personal or collective. “It is public knowledge that both Atiku and Saraki, have Presidential ambitions. A David Mark emerging as National Chairman is likely to alter their calculations. “For Atiku, Mark is seen as too strong willed and will be uncompromising. For Saraki, a Mark coming from the same north central zone may not work in his favour because it will mean the remaining two zones, the North East and the North West will be the only ones in contention for the Presidential ticket. “They had both worked hard to make the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuayi-led zoning committee to throw open the chairmanship position in their recommendations; but it didn’t quite work out. “What Mark has going for him is apart from his personal attributes have led the Senate without any major rancour for eight straight years, he has remained with the party since inception.” When contacted, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, said, “Everybody knows the Waziri Adamawa is a committed democrat and will, as always, respect the sanctity of the ballot. “The position was zoned to the north and no individual can determine who becomes chairman, it will require a consensus among party members from the zone. “The former Vice President as an experienced democrat remains committed ensuring that the party gets the best person to lead the party to victory.” Also, the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor Nathaniel Ikyur, said, “His Excellency, the Governor of Benue State, is a team player, he is working with his colleague governors and other party stakeholders to ensure that the best man for the job gets it. “He, like all loyal party members wants a national chairman who can lead the party to victory. If Benue State gets the privilege to provide this leadership, our party and Nigeria will be the better for it.” Attempts to get a response from Saraki were futile. Calls to his Media Adviser, Yusuf Olaniyonu were neither picked nor returned. A response to a text message sent to him on the subject was still being awaited as at the time of filing this report. PUNCH.

CERTIFICATE SCANDAL: Buhari, Minister may clash over trial of ex-FIIRO DG BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE

President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, are on a collision course over the proposed prosecution of a former acting Director-General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Lagos State, Chima Igwe, for manipulating his educational status to exploit the system for personal gains. The President had, in a September 7, 2021 letter to Onu, ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, to commence prosecution of Igwe. Buhari said in the letter that Igwe was not qualified for the position of director-general and should not be considered as the substantive head of the agency. The presidential letter, signed by Ibrahim Dikko Adamu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operation, also urged Onu to stop interfering in the running of FIIRO and allow the board to do its job. Igwe had been caught in a web of dirty scams after submitting a Doctor of Philosophy certificate that was later discovered to be fake. The doctorate, which he claimed he completed at the Universite D’Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic, in 2001, is said to be non-existent. However, The Point gathered that although, the ICPC had concluded investigations and served Igwe court papers ahead of his prosecution in Lagos, the minister was said to be against the trial. Onu was alleged to be frustrating all legal means to ensure that Igwe is not brought to book. “The former acting director general of FIIRO has since been charged to court and served the process about three weeks ago in Lagos,” a source at the ICPC said. The board chairman of FIIRO, Ibrahim Gwarzo, who is said to be unhappy with the overbearing nature of the minister, is said to be contemplating quitting the position, if Igwe is not prosecuted as recommended by the President. A source at the presidency, however, told The Point that Igwe could not evade justice, saying, “The president has never lost any anti-corruption battle. I also know that the minister will not like to incur the wrath of our President.” “DESPITE THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE HOS CORROBORATING AN EARLIER INDICTMENT ISSUED AGAINST IGWE BY THE ICPC, ONU HAS CONTINUED TO FRUSTRATE MOVES BY THE FIIRO BOARD TO APPOINT A SUBSTANTIVE HEAD FOR THE AGENCY” “You should know by now that Mr. President does not append his signature on any sensitive issue like this without due consultations. He has set up several independent committees to look into this case at FIIRO, and he is convinced that the former acting director-general should face the music,” the source added. When The Point contacted the spokesperson of the ICPC, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, she said she could not tell the media what the agency was doing about Igwe. “You don’t expect me to tell you what the ICPC is doing on the former FIIRO DG. I don’t want to continue this discussion on that matter,” she said in a harsh tone. Efforts by The Point to get the reaction of the minister were unsuccessful. His Special Adviser, Ibiam Oguejiofo, was not also available for comments as at press time. An investigation by the ICPC had indicted Igwe and he was demoted to the position he held more than 18 years ago, but he refused to resume at the post. The minister, who was said to have had several face-offs with Gwarzo, had earlier ordered that he (Igwe) should be reinstated as the acting DG. The minister was alleged to have later accused the governing board of financial misappropriation, but panels set up by the Federal Government to investigate the matter found no evidence for such. The Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, on December 4, 2020, while responding to correspondence from Onu for Igwe to be confirmed as director-general, ordered the Head of Service of the Federation to look into his certificate issue. A committee was set up and several people were interviewed, including Igwe. PhD certificate scandal A recent report from the office of the HoS had ratified the demotion and removal of Igwe, who was indicted for certificate fraud in 2019. The report, which is the outcome of a presidency-sanctioned investigation, also endorsed the move by the governing board of FIIRO to commence the process of appointing a substantive director-general for the agency. It came after the ICPC also indicted Igwe and recommended that he should refund the remunerations he earned with the controversial certificate. Igwe has been under ICPC investigation for claiming to have secured a PhD at the Universite d’Abomey Calavi, Republic of Benin, with no certificate to show for it. He was said to have risen through the ranks in FIIRO based on a letter of attestation from the university for about 18 years, prompting some officials of the institute to petition the ICPC. The ICPC said in a statement in February 2020 that investigation showed that Igwe actually completed the three-year programme between 1999 and 2002, and wrote his thesis. However, the commission said he did not defend the thesis, and so could not be said to have been awarded a PhD. It added that the university said that much in a letter to the Nigerian Mission in Benin dated January 22, 2020. Based on the outcome of ICPC investigation, the FIIRO board suspended Igwe and demoted him to the level he was 18 years ago. Although many within and outside FIIRO called for the dismissal and prosecution of Igwe for certificate fraud, the board only demoted him to the level he was 18 years ago. The board also commenced the process for the appointment of a substantive director-general. But Onu, who has been accused of showing undue interest in keeping Igwe as the director-general of FIIRO, had opposed the fresh appointment process embarked upon by the board. In December 2020, the presidency, through Gambari, weighed in with a directive to the HoS, Folashade Yemi-Esan, to investigate the allegations against Igwe, as a follow-up to the ICPC investigation. He wrote in the memo sent to the HoS that the President had “directed that a detailed investigation be carried out by the Head of Service on the certification of Dr Chima Cartney Igwe as Director-General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) with necessary disciplinary actions, if required.” The memo also directed that “in the interim, Dr. (Mrs.) EA. Asagbara should take over as Overseeing Director-General of FIIRO, pending the appointment of a substantive Director-General.” The panel set up by the HoS to investigate the matter concluded and submitted its report to the presidency through the Chief of Staff, in February. The three-man investigative committee, headed by Babura Inuwa, in its report, dated February 8, 2021, noted that the demotion of Igwe should be upheld and that he should refund the illegal salaries obtained using the fake certificate. “Arising from the report of the committee, the following are recommended: “i. The placement of Dr Chima Cartney Igwe by the Governing Board of FIIRO as Chief Research Officer, CONRAISS 13, with effect from 18 July 2020 is in order and therefore it should be upheld; “ii. The directives of the Governing Board, as well as ICPC recommendations, that Dr Chima Cartney Igwe should refund all salaries he had illegally earned from 18th July 2004 is in order and therefore it should be upheld; “iii. Dr Igwe should submit a copy of his PhD thesis to the Institute in line with the extant regulations and practice; Dr Igwe should present his original PhD certificate No. 081 2020/UAC/EDSEA/D/SA dated 14th February 2020 to the Institute for sighting and submit a copy for record purposes in line with extant regulations and practice,” the executive summary of the report read in part. “WHILE MANY WORKERS AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS CALLED FOR HIS DISMISSAL AND PROSECUTION FOR THE FRAUDULENT ACTION AND PERJURY, THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE ONLY RECOMMENDED HIS DEMOTION TO THE LEVEL HE WAS 18 YEARS AGO” The committee emphatically stated that based on his current rank as Chief Research Officer, Igwe “is not qualified and should not be considered for the position of the substantive Director-General of FIIRO.” The committee also recommended that the Governing Board should commence disciplinary procedures against Igwe for absence from duty without leave or permission. The report also cited the refusal of the indicted FIIRO boss to carry out lawful instructions from superior authority by reverting to the Chief Research Officer with effect from July 18, 2020. The investigative committee also suggested in the report that the officials who approved the evaluation of Igwe’s controversial PhD certificate be sanctioned. “The Director (Education Support Services Department) who approved the evaluation, and the Assistant Director (Evaluation and Accreditation), who evaluated the PhD certificate in the Federal Ministry of Education, should be sanctioned for lack of diligence in the manner they handled the issue of Dr Igwe,” it stated. It then advised Onu to allow the Governing Board of FIIRO to operate freely within the ambit of the provisions of extant regulations. Minister’s interference Despite the recommendations by the HoS corroborating an earlier indictment issued against Igwe by the ICPC, Onu has continued to frustrate moves by the FIIRO board to appoint a substantive head for the agency. In a letter dated May 21, 2021, the minister had instructed the board to suspend the appointment of a substantive head for FIIRO. The letter, signed on behalf of the minister by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Edet Akpan, curiously cited the presidential directive for an investigation into Igwe’s certificate scandal, as the basis for the FIIRO board to suspend the appointment of a new DG for the agency. The investigation referred to by the minister had been concluded and its report submitted to the presidency in February. “I am directed by the honourable minister to acknowledge receipt of your letter on the above subject ref. no. FGB/6.01/43, dated April 28, 2021, and inform you that the Presidency has directed that a detailed investigation be carried out by the head of the civil service of the federation on the certification of Dr Chima Cartney Igwe as Director-General (FIIRO), with necessary disciplinary action if required. “In view of the above, you are further requested to suspend all actions and processes on the appointment of a substantive director-general/CEO for FIIRO; pending the outcome of the investigation and subsequent directives of Mr. President on the matter,” the letter read. Without a doctoral degree as required by law for major FIIRO positions, Igwe served in different capacities using an attestation letter from his supervisor in Universite d’Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic, dated 2002, to gain several promotions. He had claimed that he bagged a PhD from the university in 2001. Igwe, believed to be an ally of the minister, was appointed as acting director-general to succeed Gloria Elemo, the immediate past substantive director-general of the institute, on May 13, 2019. The authenticity of Igwe’s PhD certificate degenerated into a ruckus in 2018 after some workers petitioned the anti-graft agency for proper investigation. The ICPC later revealed that the degree was non-existent, which subsequently led to Igwe’s removal from the director-general’s position and demotion by the board last year. Instead of presenting an original certificate during the ICPC investigation, he chose to depose to an affidavit of attestation issued by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, swearing to have obtained the doctorate certificate. After the outcome of the ICPC investigation, the FIIRO’s governing board said, through the attestation, Igwe earned undeserved salaries for years. While many workers and civil society groups called for his dismissal and prosecution for the fraudulent action and perjury, the disciplinary committee only recommended his demotion to the level he was 18 years ago. He was also suspended by the board. After his suspension by the board, Igwe returned to the Benin Republic University in February 2020 to defend his thesis and was issued another attestation to indicate he completed the PhD. The new attestation showed the effective date of the award of the PhD as February 2020. But more than a year after Igwe’s indictment, the institute has yet to get a substantive director-general. Moves made by the board to appoint a new director-general has been blocked by the minister, who is said to have sympathy for Igwe. In line with the December 2020 presidential directive, Yemisi Asagbara has been the acting DG. The minister had reportedly averted every effort of the Ibrahim Gwarzo-led board of the institute to commence the process of appointing a substantive DG.