Sahara Reporters Latest News Monday 29th July 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Monday 29th July 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 29/07/19

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Leadership Newspapers News Today Monday 29th July 2019

target=_blank>As President Buhari Joins PDP By Sonala Olumhense

Sonala Olumhense Syndicated

Sonala Olumhense Syndicated

 
In the mid-1980s, I became friends with a legendary Nigerian soldier known as “Black Scorpion.” His real name was Benjamin Adekunle, smallish stripe of a man who had acquired the reputation of a killer during the civil war. Tales abound about how he could reduce opposing military formations—and men twice his size—to dissolution and tears. 
When we met, I was the editor of ThisWeek magazine, and our offices were in Surulere where he lived. Encouraged by his endless supplies of adult beverages, we would discuss politics and books in his home for hours.
Books? I was stunned by the man’s love for books. He owned two large libraries, and you could borrow any you wished. On one condition: you had to sign for it and return it in no later than two weeks. Actually the way he saw it: if you read a book, that deserved a lavish supply of those beverages, to help with a full interrogation of the ideas in it.
That was a new school to me: that a military man known for brutality would be so dedicated to enriching himself intellectually and culturally. Black Scorpion’s eloquence spoke volumes. But it was his insights that impressed me the most. Such wealth can arise from interaction with the world through training and travel, of course, but it is in books—the land of the minds of others—that they are most powerful. That is probably because the agricultural processes in the mind of the reader continue to nurture that individual through time in ways others cannot see.
This is what occurred to me last week when I first read the list of the cabinet nominees President Muhammadu Buhari sent to the Senate.
I do not know the last time Buhari read a book. Or a newspaper. Or a magazine. Or whether he has ever read a book. Or a newspaper. Or a magazine.
And given his secretive medical history, I do not know the last time Buhari heard anything. I don’t mean hearing simply in what people are saying on the streets, on radio or on television, but in the basic terms of human hearing: sound waves vibrating through the ear canal into the inner ear. As in the interpretation of sound. Because if Buhari can either read or hear, or both, there is a major disconnect between his physical and intellectual abilities, and his mental output. Just as there has been a major disconnect between his words and his actions for four years.
Take his latest cabinet nominations, for instance. The list contains some people that most Nigerians didn’t know; some that are well-known; and a few that are described as excellent human beings. But mostly—and I cite contemporary history in evidence—it consists of established thieves, election riggers, failed and/or compromised former Ministers and former Governors, state looters, federal looters, and parallel state/federal looters. 
Yes, the same Buhari who swore to vanquish corruption, nominated or re-nominated them. The same Buhari who suggested that some of them had failed to perform in his first term only because they had been strangers to him when he appointed them, and who took five months to find new Ministers, re-nominated them. 
This is why, two and a half years ago, I said “Buhari’s much-heralded leadership has become a farce, and his ability to make a positive impact on Nigeria, a hoax.”
In the weeks before he named new nominees, the same Buhari who had sworn he would scour the world for Nigeria’s very best, was telling the world he would only appoint people known to him. Which, for a man who has become established for nepotism, was unnecessary: if you already enjoy global infamy, why seize the microphone to broadcast history as spoiler? 
Under Buhari’s nurturing, corruption has mutated from an Alsatian dog to a lion. Under Buhari, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has become the byword for corruption, incompetence and malice. It is a party where political godfathers own states and eat their people, as Bola Tinubu’s Lagos and Adams Oshiomhole’s Edo, demonstrate. 
The same Oshiomhole, now the APC chairman, explained the party’s real philosophy during a rally in Benin City last January: there is no Nigeria or justice, only politics: “Yes, once you join the APC, your sins are forgiven,” he announced. 
Under Buhari, petitions against people known to Buhari simply disappear, as in the case of two (former) Governors/Ministers who allegedly looted Lagos and Rivers States. Oshiomhole himself was dragged to court for fraud and interrogated by the police for taking massive bribes to influence party primaries.
Under Buhari, a governor can be caught on video stuffing millions of dollar bills into his agbada, as in the case of Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, and yet enjoy his confidence rather than suffer his anger or investigation. Or you can be a former governor, such as Danjuma Goje, who gets your long EFCC trial vacated by the president. Because there is only APC. 
Under Buhari, you don’t have to be qualified, or to have a valid certificate: should you need one, you can forge one, or explain that yours was eaten by termites or rats.
Under Buhari, you don’t have to achieve anything to receive a major appointment, or to achieve anything once you are appointed.
Under Buhari, funds in your care do not have to be used to serve the people or to accomplish set objectives. And funds, of course, can be eaten by snakes or gorillas. 
Under Buhari, no corruption case initiated by the administration has seen any convictions. Precedent is clear that members of Buhari’s cabinet and party under investigation or trial will either have their cases dropped, or benefit from what I call “Nollywood trials”: the kind that go on year after year after year. Rotimi Amaechi, a returnee-Minister, earlier this month provided a reflection.
“I know politicians who have suddenly become billionaires, and this is the money that should have been used to build roads and provide amenities that could have been used to improve the lives of citizens,” he told a group of young Nigerians.
Note that he specifically said “suddenly.” And “billionaires,” not millionaires. 
And consider that there have been only seven Ministers in that portfolio in the past 20 years, some of them serving but briefly. Which of them do you think became billionaires, unknown to Mr. Integrity?
Note also, that Amaechi made the statement just 24 hours after Buhari promised that APC will lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. 
Commented the former governor: “Our politicians have to be clear about how they intend to lift people out of poverty.”
The truth is that with Buhari’s intended cabinet, he has clearly given up every pretense of combating corruption or achieving anything. His nominations are a cynical and arrogant slap on the face of hope.
“If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria,” he used to say.
Well, he didn’t, or ever intended to try. And now, that the hiding is over, it is clear where the Nigeria story is going.Now we have that out of the way, all that is left is an apology to PDP, no literacy skills needed.
? sonala.olumhense@gmail.com? @SonalaOlumhense

Sonala Olumhense Syndicated

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target=_blank>Kwara Lawmakers Allegedly Attack Tenant, Remove Tooth Over Unpaid Rent

BarristerNG.com

Ganiyu Abolarin and Owolabi Razak, members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, have been accused of injuring one Ogundokun Saheed over his failure to pay rent.
The incident occurred at Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State on July 17, 2019.
BarristerNG reports that Ogundokun’s nightmare started at about 10 pm when someone knocked at the gate of the house and he came out to see who it was.
The stranger introduced himself to Mr. Ogundokun as a police officer from A’ Division, Ilorin and informed him that his attention was needed at their station in connection with a complaint lodged against him. Because it was already late, the said officer agreed with Ogundokun to be present at the station by 10 am the next day.
An hour later, there was another knock at the gate, but Mr Ogundokun refused to open the gate for security reasons. However, the men forced their way into the compound, broke the window and removed the burglary. Fortunately, Mr Ogundokun identified Ganiyu Abolarin, his landlord in the middle of the charade.
A source said, “Altercation ensued thereafter between the two of them over the former’s failure to pay rent. While this was going on, Owolabi Razaq, who was there with his colleague, came from the back and grievously assaulted Mr Ogundogun. 
Ganiyu also joined Owolabi in assaulting the tenant. They were accompanied by their political thugs who also joined in this act. They were about 8 all together with two policemen suspected to be their police orderly.”
Mr Ogundokun’s three friends who live in his apartment with him were not spared as they were also allegedly assaulted by men led by Ganiyu and Owolabi.
After the assault, Ogundokun was reportedly thrown out and led to F’ Division where he was detained on the allegation that they were ‘illegal occupants’.
Eyewitnesses say Ogundokun lost consciousness, sustained serious injuries and had one of his teeth removed. He was, thereafter, rushed to Anchor Hospital, Tanke Ilorin by the police.
When he regained consciousness, he was brought back to detention in the midnight by the police Men of F’ Division.
Ogundokun has since filed a petition before the Kwara State House of Assembly.

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E2%80%98confused-claiming-party%E2%80%99s-nec-forcefully-used-national-secretariat-0 target=_blank>AAC Calls Nzenwa ‘Confused’ For Claiming Party’s NEC Forcefully Used National Secretariat

The African Action Congress has replied its expelled member, Leonard Nzenwa, for claiming the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party forcefully used the party’s national secretariat for its meeting.
The party said Nzenwa had been sending messages to party members on various Whatsapp platforms alleging there was a break into the national secretariat of AAC by the party leadership for the national executive Committee meeting of the party which saw his expulsion from AAC.
AAC, in a statement signed by Nenye Kocha for AAC National Publicity Committee, Ina Okopi-Agu, said, the allegation by Nzenwa was hypocritical while adding that the pronouncement of the NEC, which is the highest decision-making body of the party, remained unchanged.
The party also urged the general public and its teeming members to “ignore the rant of a confused and ‘dismissed errant member’. The party will meet him in court if properly joined and served in his pecuniary induced pursuits.”
The statement further reads, “No narrative would have been more self-serving and disingenuous than alleging that a party’s duly constituted the highest decision making organ as the AAC NEC could be accused of breaking into its own bonafide offices.
“For the avoidance of any iota of doubt, the shenanigans perpetrated by Leonard Nzenwa, which saw him ‘institute a curious legal action’ against AAC National Chairman, Omoyele Sowore, neither had the party, AAC nor INEC as parties or respondents, meaning, whatever outcomes were alienated and expectedly unenforceable against same entities.
“Given that neither the letters nor provisions of AAC constitution regarding the summoning of the party’s NEC meetings were even followed by him (Leonard Nzenwa) who used the same odd basis to defend the incomprehensible legal shenanigans that resulted in the “ruling” his press release so unabashedly referenced today, what then could be his motive?”
AAC warns Nzenwa against parading himself as the national chairman of the party, adding that no portion of AAC constitution supports a lone-candidate as acting party chairman and all-in-one exco of himself alone without following laid down sequences. 

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E2%80%98confused-claiming-party%E2%80%99s-nec-forcefully-used-national-secretariat target=_blank>AAC Calls Nzenwa ‘Confused’ For Claiming Party’s NEC Forcefully Used National Secretariat

 
The African Action Congress has replied its expelled member, Leonard Nzenwa, for claiming the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party forcefully used the party’s national secretariat for its meeting.
The party said Nzenwa had been sending messages to party members on various Whatsapp platforms alleging there was a break into the national secretariat of AAC by the party leadership for the national executive Committee meeting of the party which saw his expulsion from AAC.
AAC, in a statement signed by Nenye Kocha for AAC National Publicity Committee, Ina Okopi-Agu, said, the allegation by Nzenwa was hypocritical while adding that the pronouncement of the NEC, which is the highest decision-making body of the party, remained unchanged.
The party also urged the general public and its teeming members to “ignore the rant of a confused and ‘dismissed errant member’. The party will meet him in court if properly joined and served in his pecuniary induced pursuits.”
The statement further reads, “No narrative would have been more self-serving and disingenuous than alleging that a party’s duly constituted the highest decision making organ as the AAC NEC could be accused of breaking into its own bonafide offices.
“For the avoidance of any iota of doubt, the shenanigans perpetrated by Leonard Nzenwa, which saw him ‘institute a curious legal action’ against AAC National Chairman, Omoyele Sowore, neither had the party, AAC nor INEC as parties or respondents, meaning, whatever outcomes were alienated and expectedly unenforceable against same entities.
“Given that neither the letters nor provisions of AAC constitution regarding the summoning of the party’s NEC meetings were even followed by him (Leonard Nzenwa) who used the same odd basis to defend the incomprehensible legal shenanigans that resulted in the “ruling” his press release so unabashedly referenced today, what then could be his motive?”
AAC warns Nzenwa against parading himself as the national chairman of the party, adding that no portion of AAC constitution supports a lone-candidate as acting party chairman and all-in-one exco of himself alone without following laid down sequences.
 

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target=_blank>Seven Semesters After, University Of Lagos Student Activist Remains Suspended, Access To Student Portal Blocked

Femi Adeyeye

Femi Adeyeye

 
The management of the University of Lagos has failed to reinstate Femi Adeyeye, a student union activist, after serving a suspension for seven academic semesters.
Adeyeye was suspended for four semesters by the disciplinary panel of the institution over his Facebook page exposing the unpleasant academic condition of the school to the public.
However, three semesters after the initial four-semester served, Adeyeye has yet to be accepted into the institution, with the school management blocking his access to his student portal
Adeyeye revealed that he had written several letters to the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Director of Academic Affairs and Centre for Information Technology and Systems (C.I.T.S) on the continuous deactivation of his student portal.
Adeyeye, in a statement, detailed the event that led to the revocation of his studentship by the UNILAG management.
He said, “It will be recalled that on April 6,7 and 8 of 2016,  students at the University of Lagos embarked on protests, placing on the table of the management demands as ”basic” as adequate power supply, water for bathing, drinking and cooking for survival. 
“This came after several appeals at the management led by Prof. Rahman Bello (who is now under questioning for misappropriation and gross abuse of office) for better welfarism. The welfare situation was as bad as students buying bags of sachet water to bathe and most females became regular customers at perfumes shops. 

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“Instead of addressing the issue, the Senate brought in armed-to-the-teeth police officers to chase students out of the campus. The violence meted on students by the poorly trained officers left many injured. 
“The campus was eventually shut down and the Students’ Union suspended illegally. It was at the heat of these events, I was invited to a panel and thereafter suspended unjustly for four semesters for writing an article on my Facebook timeline. 
“Till this moment, my student portal remains under lock and key and there has not been any hope towards activating it from those in charge due to reasons unknown to both me and members of the public who have been following the whole sage. The internet has almost all these events of repression and torture documented but I would, in this statement, highlight some in a chronological pattern.”
Adeyeye also lamented the repression of students’ rights and ban of students’ union of a tertiary institution in the country positing that the move was made to gag students against speaking and demanding for their rights from the institution.
He said, “Till this moment, students still live in fear and lack on their campuses- from issues of insecurity to poor welfare. The issues raised remain unattended to by the authorities.  
“What needs to be saved is the Nigerian educational system that has been led by characters who are bereft of ideas on administration, management, conflict resolution and even scholarship. These deficiencies, inadequacies and inabilities have had a lot of effects on the total build-up of young people of my generation. 
“It is also noteworthy that the attacks on freedom of association by the Management cannot be allowed to stand. 

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“The illegal suspension of the Students’ Union must be lifted immediately. Human beings are formed naturally to organize and associate. And it poses a serious security risk when students are not allowed to organize themselves in a Union that would champion their cause and pleas. In the absence of a Union, they take to other means of self-help and lean towards neo-fascism.”
 

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target=_blank>EXCLUSIVE: Ondo Lawmakers Lied About Snake Appearance During Plenary To Call Attention To Dilapidated Assembly Complex

 
Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly lied that a big snake appeared at the chamber of the parliament during their sitting last week, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Facts emerged over the weekend that there was no snake appearance at the Assembly complex despite the media about the falsehood.
Last week Wednesday, there were reports that a snake dropped from the ceiling and fell while the legislators were preparing for the plenary.
The lawmaker, through their aides, went as far as circulating a picture of a big python, climbing down the ceiling to boost their fiction.
But the picture was fake, according to an image reverse check done by Sahara Reporters.
The incident made the lawmakers to adjourn sitting indefinitely last week Thursday. 
Bamidele Oloyelogun, Speaker of the Ondo Assembly, lied that ‘a life snake’ dropped from the ceiling while members were planning to hold plenary.
He added that the incident forced lawmakers to abandon the sitting in the Assembly and called for an indefinite recess. 
“For a live snake to come down, we thank God that the snake did not bite any of our honourable colleagues,” he  had said. 
Mr Gbenga Omole, the Chairman House Committee on Information, claimed that the “snake chased the lawmakers away from the Assembly as plenary sittings could not hold”.
However, It was authoritatively gathered that the Ondo Assembly lawmakers cooked up the lies at a caucus meeting of some selected lawmakers.
Findings revealed that a principal officer and top lawmaker at theAssembly sold the idea (lies) to other members, who immediately bought it during their meeting.
The main reason for orchestrating the lies by the disgruntled lawmakers was to call the attention of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to the dilapidated structures of the Assembly complex.
One of the lawmakers, who confided in our correspondent, revealed that the story about the appearance of a snake in the Assembly was a complete falsehood cooked by the parliamentarians. 
The source said, “The main truth is that no big snake appeared from the ceiling at the chamber of the Assembly. It is just a cooked up story that we all planted for you journalists and interestingly the media fell for it. 

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“But why I am surprised is that we did not expect that the story could go viral immediately. We only called some selected reporters who are good friends of the Assembly to report this for us.
“And the main issue is that the Assembly complex is becoming an eyesore with many of the structures already dilapidated and ceilings caved in. The structure is becoming  embarrassing to us.
“Even at our plenary, we have called the attention of the governor to the decaying structure which is not befitting but no convincing reply has been sent to us.
“We have been asking for autonomy over our finance. If we have our own autonomy, we would have carried out the repair and renovations at the Assembly ourselves.  
“So, some of us met and concluded that we have to find a way to get out of this mess. It is a mess because we cannot continue to sit inside that dilapidated chamber and offices as lawmakers.
“When we met, some ideas were suggested but we all agreed to the particular lie about the snakes which we feel would attract the attention of the public.
“We agreed with the Speaker that in order to get the attention of Mr. governor, we would  call the press that a big snake appeared during our plenary as a result of the decaying structures and ceiling.”
SaharaReporters observed that some section of ceilings in the chamber are caving in.
The Assembly complex has been neglected for man years and left in deplorable condition with many of its buildings decaying and ceilings caved in.
Many of the wooden furniture in the chamber, which include the doors and tables, has been eaten up by termites as a result of lack of maintenance.
Sources at the Assembly confirmed to Sahara Reporters that both the past and successive governments had failed to intervene. 
Akeredolu on Saturday night visited the Assembly and expressed disappointment with the lies orchestrated by the lawmakers.
The governor said the lawmakers had only made the attempt to blackmail the state and  ridicule his government.
The angry governor, who was in the company of his Chief of Staff, Mr Olugbenga Ale, said his “government would not condone any act of blackmail”.
Meanwhile, Femi Emodamori, a lawyer, has lampooned the disgruntled lawmakers of the Assembly for peddling lies that a ‘mysterious snake’ appeared at the hallowed chamber of the parliament house.
Emodamori, in a statement obtained by SaharaReporters, said the Speaker (Oloyelogun) of the Ondo State Assembly should resign his position and tender an apology for bringing ridicule and shame on the state with the fabricated story.
He said, “The House of Assembly’s  snake invasion falsehood with the incalculable harm it has caused the reputation of Ondo State and entire Nigeria, is disgraceful, demeaning, dangerous and demonic.
“For those who called themselves honourable to have orchestrated the false mystery snake story as a basis to suspend the activities of an entire arm government indefinitely, depicts the tragedy of a nation in the hand of morally decadent supposed political leaders.”
 

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target=_blank>Beyond Ethnic Chauvinism And Ethnic Strife By Adebayo Raphael

Adebayo Raphael speaking at a public function.

Adebayo Raphael speaking at a public function.

 
Nigeria is dangerously dancing on the brink of complete collapse and unimaginable catastrophe. Ethnic chauvinism and ethnic strife are on the ascendancy. The cloud of doom is hovering over the present and future of this country; and the unending spiral of terror, scattered and organized instances of violence, and widespread insecurity continues to ruin whatever is left of our national fabric. 
Figures from the Nigeria Security Tracker indicate that about 25, 794 Nigerians have been violently killed between June 2015 and May 2019, due to the worsening insecurity crises in the country. More than half of the deaths were recorded in the Northern part of Nigeria. Boko haram, rampaging herders and state security agencies, in that order, are captured as the perpetrators of these killings.
Sadly, bland reactions to these figures have become commonplace in our polity. In a way, this is suggestive of the absolute hopelessness of Nigerians in the current government to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians. It is also possible that many Nigerians have become enervated by the incessant recurrence of these violent deaths, so much so that bland reactions have become their only reaction. Nonetheless, the bland reactions to these demoralizing figures are suggestive of citizen apathy – a very costly luxury for Nigerian citizens at this point in our national history.
It is, however, instructive to note that there seem to be two kinds of reactions to killings and atrocities in this country. And each of these two reactions seems to have its attending peculiarities. 
On the one hand, there is the active reaction which is usually defined by the assertive or emphatic reaction of citizens and political elite to a tragedy or killing of a member of the elite or a person who enjoys considerable popularity in the society. In cases like this, for instance, the recent killing of the popular Yoruba leader Pa Fasoranti’s daughter by suspected Fulani herdsmen, the reactions are always emphatic. The death of Pa Fasoranti’s daughter incited an unusual rage and avalanche of commiserations from the political elite and masses alike. Instructively, even the moribund log of wood that was rigged into office to oversee the affairs of 200 Million people wasted no time in calling Pa Fasoranti to commiserate with him – a gesture that is rooted in elitism and hypocrisy.
On the other hand, there is the passive reaction which is usually defined by the bland or mild reaction of citizens to a tragedy or killing of a common man or unpopular person. Excepting isolated instances like the Agatu killings which whipped up widespread outrage, and other atrocities of that kind (which in any case only whip up a transient reaction from Nigerians before it is forgotten in another twenty-four hours); the passive reaction of ordinary Nigerians to the killings of ordinary people in this country is simply unsettling. This passive reaction, I believe, protects the repugnant culture of complacency in Nigeria’s political leaders, and their wicked attempts at advancing divisive narratives and sentiments, instead of genuinely tackling and solving problems.
Nigeria’s leaders have proven time and time again, that they attach little value to human life. From the president, lawmakers at all levels, to the governors, local government chairmen and traditional leaders; their response to tragedies – whether passive or active – is often determined by the social class of the victim. Save the very few instances when the transient heat from the public made it hard to ignore the violent killing of an ordinary person or group; or instances when it was politically beneficial to put on an act. 
I will be the first to admit, however, that the ever-worsening spate of violent killings across the country, makes my faith in Nigeria shaky and weak; and in my moments of despair I am filled with doubts – that this union – this Nigeria, might not survive the current whirlwind of terror and violent killings, especially those which are evidently perpetrated by herders who share the same ethnic identity with the president. What’s worse, I think, is the complete absence of remorse and responsibility; from both the killers and the president, who, before he was elected into office in 2015, and rigged into office in 2019, did not publicly disclose that he was going to be president of murderous herdsmen only, and constantly absolve them of responsibility whenever they commit atrocities.  
And like me in my moments of doubts, so many Nigerians are losing faith in Nigeria. Most of the despondent citizens in Nigeria are calling for the break-up of Nigeria – and who can blame them? The incessancy of these killings and the attitude of the president are completely demoralizing. The assumption is that things would get better if every group enjoys a greater autonomy to cater to its people independently. 
Nonetheless a dispassionate view of the country’s epileptic security situation from left to right, firmly inspires a different perspective in me: the incompetence of the president and our present political leaders, should not merely incite an impetuous call for dissolution, rather it should cause us to profoundly interrogate the role of our political elite in the woes that have befallen our country. 
If you are thinking right now, that I am saying the descent to ethnic-chauvinism or ethnic-nationalism (as chiefly demonstrated by the incumbent president), and the allied fear of such agenda which fuels the calls for disintegration, is a faux pas that is far worse and costly to the people of this country, then you are most certainly right. 
It is incumbent on us as citizens of this country, drawn from different ethnic identities, desirous and truly deserving of better conditions of living, to understand that the problem of Nigeria is not an ethnic problem but a class problem. And this is the fundamental problem that all the people from different ethnic groups in this union called Nigeria must pay attention to.
As a matter of urgency, we must think deeply about the future of this country. More countries around the world are expanding the range of their national discourse; they are constantly debating taxation, healthcare, climate change, artificial intelligence, women in STEM, women in politics, big data, internet theft, the medical, economic and recreational use of marijuana, and so on; but we, on the other hand, are still trapped in the web of primitive problems like electricity, basic education, basic infrastructures, etc. The world is moving at supersonic speed, and we must either fall in line or be consumed by ethnic bile.
It is rather too advantageous to our oppressive political elite, for we the people from over 200 different ethnic groups in this geographical space called Nigeria, to call for the disintegration of Nigeria, when either the existence of Nigeria, or her dissolution, will only benefit the same set of monsters who have perennially subjected us to the chronic system of deprivation in this country.
Perhaps it is time for us to consider the fact that the significations of insecurity, poverty, terrorism, poor housing, poor medical care, low wages, poor education, and other societal ills, are the same in Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Borno, Bauchi and Adamawa, as they are in Imo, Rivers, Edo, Ogun, Osun and Lagos; that the number one enemy of Nigeria, is not the average Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik or Izon man or woman, but the present president of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, followed by the treacherous political elite, who condemn atrocities only when they are the victims, or when it suits their insidious motives and caprices.
Perhaps we need to ask ourselves why northern Nigeria still scores highest in the figures on poverty, diseases, out-of-school children, etc., even after northerners have ruled Nigeria for over 42years since the first republic (including the first four years of Buhari in the present fourth republic); and why southern Nigeria remains underdeveloped, and rife with nearly zero presence of quality life and amenable living conditions, despite being in power for over 16years since the first republic. Both the northern political elite who have enjoyed the most time in power and their counterpart from the south, have woefully failed we the people of Nigeria. 
And so we must ask ourselves whether the cost of disintegration is any different from the cost of a Nigerian revolution. We must ask ourselves whether the benefits of a disintegrated Nigeria will be any different from the benefits of a Nigeria that works. I say this because I believe that at the core of the calls for disintegration, is the affliction from decades of oppression and chronic deprivation. But why should we allow the same social issues which unite the political elite for their egocentric reasons, continue to divide we the oppressed people in this country?
And though I understand that the growing relapse into ethnic cocoons is a function of the foregoing, I must also mention that such a thing is merely troglodytic. For if we truly wish to live peacefully as a people, we must first destroy the elite conspiracy against we the people of this country, and eschew ethnic chauvinism and ethnic strife which have perennially divided us, and embrace what unites us which is our common desire for better living conditions. 
To be clear, General Buhari is not the solution to Nigeria’s problems – and will never be. Neither is the dissolution of Nigeria, nor the current political elite the solution to the ills of our society. We must focus on the only thing that can rescue this country – a revolution of the masses of the people – everyone wallowing in the miseries created by the chronic system of deprivation in this country. We have nothing to lose. We are already on the fringes. 
But I must admit, as I conclude, that when moving forward becomes too difficult, a return backwards might be the only choice. If salvaging Nigeria becomes too difficult – if the combination of all aggrieved forces of the masses fails to establish a paradigm shift through a genuine Nigerian revolution (which by the way is highly unlikely) – then the relapse into a cocoon of ethnic-nationalism would be inevitable. 
 
Adebayo Raphael is a Writer and Human Rights Activist. He writes from Abuja and can be reached on Twitter via @Asorosobioro.

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target=_blank>HEDA Seeks Probe Of Lagos, Zamfara Over Local Government Funds

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has petitioned the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, (NFIU) to investigate Lagos and Zamfara state governments over the violation of the new guidelines on the disbursement of funds belonging to local government.
HEDA stated that the two state governments had continued to violate the new NFIU guidelines by continuing to hijack and deduct from the council funds received from the federal government.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and NFIU had issued guidelines that all the 774 local government councils of Nigeria must get their statutory allocations as released by the Federal Ministry of Finance without the state governments tampering with them. 
Citing data from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), HEDA said state governments continued their “serial rape on LG funds”.
 Between 2010 and 2018 for instance, OAGF said state governments had unchecked access to about N14.71 trillion worth of funds meant for local councils between 2010 and 2018.
In the petition signed by Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA, the group said that barely a month after the NFIU issued the guidelines, the Lagos State Government deducted hundreds of millions from local governments’ allocation for June 2019.
HEDA listed Alimosho Local Government as one of those affected. It said, “the council divided into six Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) were anticipating splitting the sum of N750 million but that the Lagos government left them with a little over N320 million.
“The Lagos State Government has not refuted media reports that Abimbola Umar, the state’s Accountant-General, had told the Joint Account and Allocations Committee in the state that a waiver had been obtained from the Financial Intelligence body, to make deductions from funds apportioned to the LGA, for the payment of the salaries, gratuities and pensions of local government staff. In the report, controversies are surrounding the alleged clearance from the NFIU to touch local government funds.”
HEDA added that a similar case was also reported on July 9, this year, when the Zamfara State chapter of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) said the state government, through its Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, hijacked the federal statutory allocation due to the 14 councils for June. The council chairmen were quoted to have said the state government only gave N5million to each local government from the allocation. 
ALGON in Zamfara had equally called on the Federal Government, through the CBN and NFIU, to as a matter of urgency intervene in the matter so they could have access to their funds to enable them to meet the yearnings and aspirations of their people.
Justifying the urgent need for the probe, HEDA said, “The NFIU enforcement and guidelines to reduce crime vulnerability created by cash withdrawal from local government funds throughout Nigeria became effective on June 1, 2019, and these reports read July respectively. 
“The reports alleged that both Lagos and Zamfara states breached the above-stated provisions of the guidelines. However, we believe in due process and due diligence as well as the presumption of innocence which is why our demand, hinged on our mandate to promote accountability and transparency in governance, is requesting for an urgent investigation into these allegations to possibly enforce the sanctions enshrined in the NFIU guidelines.”  

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target=_blank>Shiites Proscription Order To Be Gazetted Monday

The Federal Government is set to commence the implementation of the Friday’s court order proscribing the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, popularly known as Shiites, by publishing the order in the Official Gazette by Monday, News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Top officials of the Federal Ministry of Justice, who pleaded not to be named because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed this over the weekend.
The publication of the order in the Official Gazette is part of the Friday’s ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, designating the Shiites movement as a terrorist group and proscribing it.
Justice Nkeonye Maha also ordered the government to publish the order in two national newspapers.
“The publication of the order in the newspaper will be done later in the week. But I can assure you that the publication in the Official Gazette will be done by Monday evening,” a source told one of our correspondents.
The Federal Government’s Printing Press, which publishes the Official Gazette, is based in Lagos.

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APC Holds Special Prayers For Peace In Zamfara

A group of All Progressive Congress (APC) members, tagged G8, on Sunday expressed support to current efforts by the administration of Gov. Bello Matawalle to restore peace in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The group, which also held special prayers in Gusau for the restoration of peace and security to the state, said it was in support of the dialogue with bandits initiated by the government.
Representative of Sen. Kabiru Marafa at the event and also the factional state APC Chairman, Alhaji Sirajo Maikatako, said they were in solidarity with the administration of Gov. Matawalle.
He said that the state needed a new lease of life and called on the government to prove the immediate administration on its handling of the security challenges and finances of the state.
“We are calling on the state governor, to as matter of urgency,  prove Abdulaziz Yari, the immediate past governor of the state.
“It is the duty of the state governor to investigate the past administration with a view to recover all the funds looted from the state treasury.”
Also, Rabiu Suleman, who represented former Deputy Governor Mallam Ibrahim Wakkala, called on all followers of the group to support Matawalle in order to move the state forward.
“Supporting of this government is very necessary considering its commitments toward bringing lasting peace to the state.”
According to him, the immediate past administration had shown little concern to the killing of innocent lives in the state.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various clergies offered prayers for the success of the peace initiative started by the government.
They urged people in the state to repent from all sinful acts and submit themselves to Allah, to avert tragedies such as the current security challenges in the state.

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