Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again lamented worsening insecurity in the country, particularly killings and kidnappings in the North, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari had no solutions to the nation’s security challenges.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, said the opposition party was grieving over the pain and anguish Nigerians had been subjected to following the failure of the Buhari administration to provide adequate security for citizens despite the huge resources at its disposal.

He said, “The Federal Government has failed to exert enough commitment to protecting lives of Nigerians and curb the bloodletting and kidnapping of compatriots in Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Bauchi and other states.

We have been proved right that Mr Buhari and APC do not believe in their campaign promises.

“PDP notes that by every indication, the Buhari-led Federal Government has no solution to the security challenge bedeviling our nation, which has festered under its incompetent watch.”

Punch

A very strange event on Monday last week, April 1, and it was no April Fool prank.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr Okechukwu Enelamah appeared before the Senate Committee on Industry, Trade and Investment to defend his ministry’s 2019 budget proposal.

The committee, chaired by Senator Sabo Mohammed [APC Jigawa], accused the minister of trying to appropriate N42 billion in federal funds to a private company.

Enelamah presented a booklet containing 2019 budget proposals for his ministry’s 17 agencies. When he finished, committee chairman Sabo Mohammed referred him to item 2 on page 7 of the booklet, where N42.091billion was allocated to Nigeria Special Economic Zone Company [NSEZC], an unknown agency under his ministry.

Enelamah then said the company was established through a presidential initiative and approval was given at a cabinet meeting in May last year. Asked to name the company’s owners, the minister mentioned “federal government and other shareholders.”

The committee chairman however produced a document from Corporate Affairs Commission [CAC] which showed that the company’s real name is Nigeria Sez Investment Company Limited and not Nigeria Special Economic Zone Company listed in the minister’s documents.

The CAC documents also showed that Dr Bakari Wadinga, Mr Olufemi Edun and Ms Oluwadara Owoyemi are its directors. Mohammed said, “The document clearly states that the company is a private company and that liabilities of the members are limited by share which as shown, gives the federal government 25 per cent and 75 per cent to the private individuals.”

Media investigation later revealed that two of the firm’s three directors are serving aides of Enelamah. While Femi Edun is his Special Assistant on Special Economic Zones, Ms Oluwadara Owoyemi is Enelamah’s Special Adviser on Investment. The third director, Dr Bakari Waringa, is a public servant, Director of Finance and Accounts at the Bureau of Public Service Reforms.

Enelamah’s adviser on strategy and communications Bisi Daniels later said Nigeria SEZ Investment Company Limited (NSEZCO) was incorporated as a special purpose vehicle to deliver Project MINE (Made in Nigeria for Exports), which is a presidential initiative.

“The FEC approval also provides that all current and future capital appropriations for Project MINE should be transferred to NSEZCO’s account, as soon as opening formalities are completed.”

He also said he requested the Budget Office to domicile the funds for the MINE Project in NEPZA’s 2017 and 2018 budgets because then, NSEZCO had not been created.

The Senate had written to the Accountant-General of the Federation in January this year insisting that on no account should the company be recognised “for the purpose of transferring the funds meant for NEPZA as requested by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (via a letter dated 22nd October, 2018).” The Senate urged the Accountant-General to release the funds “only” to NEPZA as they were “only budgeted for the NEPZA capital projects in the 2017 Appropriation and not an intervention fund.”

Following the detection of this illegal budgetary allocation to a private company masquerading as a government agency, the Senate Committee rejected the ministry’s entire N15.633 billion 2019 budget and threatened to reallocate the disputed funds to other agencies unless the minister forwards a written explanation on how the company got into the Budget, plus its management staff, staff strength and statement of account.

If money is to be appropriated for a project, why wouldn’t it be allocated to the relevant agency, and later paid out as contract fees to a company? Why should a company with 75% private ownership be smuggled into the budget as a so-called special purpose vehicle? And what are the minister’s aides doing there as the special vehicle’s owners? This is fishy, very fishy. Besides, the creation of NSEZC negates the Buhari administration’s objectives of pruning the number of existing MDAs.

The Senate and Presidency must get to the root of this matter. Unless the public gets a cogent explanation, the inescapable conclusion is that someone tried to play hanky panky with public funds.

Daily Trust

After taking oath of office on May 29, Nigeria’s newly elected governors, coming into office for the first time, will be confronted by an array of challenges, some of them big enough to make their seats too hot.

Here are some of the issues that will soon become headache for the new governors.

 

Imo

As the new Imo governor-elect, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, mounts the throne in two months time, his new administration will have economic, political and social problems to contend with.

Ihedioha will first of all contend with the problem of ensuring a harmonious relationship with the state House of Assembly, given that his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), does not have a majority in the Assembly.

Candidates for the leadership of the state legislature, as speaker and majority leader, are members of the opposition.

PDP, which will form the next government, was able to get only 13 members out of the 27 member legislature, falling short of five to make the required two-thirds majority in the House.

The two other dominant parties, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Action Alliance (AA) shared the remaining 14 seats in the proportion of six to eight.

Ihedioha is also inheriting comatose local governments.

For the past seven years, local government administration in the state has been run on ad hoc basis, with the outgoing governor appointing headship of local governments at his whims.

Elected local government councils were dissolved by the outgoing governor few months after assumption of office.

Local government election, though seriously disputed, was only held in June last year. It is also unimaginable what the new administration will do with the contraption called Community Development Councils (CDCs), which is almost taking over the role of the local government administrators.

The new governor will be inheriting a disoriented and disenchanted civil service. He will be inheriting huge salary arrears of workers and pensioners.

While workers, for about five years, are getting only 70 per cent of their salaries, pensioners in the state groan daily over non-payment of their monthly pension and gratuities.

The incoming administration will have to contend with dilapidated infrastructures and numerous abandoned projects strewn across the 27 local government areas of the state.

Worthy of note are the abandoned hospital and market development projects.

Also, roads in the state are poorly executed, with the results that they cave in at the slightest showers. Fixing them, especially with the onset of rains, may be a herculean task for the new administration.

 

Kwara

There are indications that the incoming administration of Mr Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in Kwara will be faced with a lot of challenges, as well as expectations from the people of the state.

The frustration over underdevelopment and suffering by the people of the state led to protest votes during the last general elections.

The economy of the state is the first challenge the incoming administration will face, as extra work would be needed to attract more investors to change the economic fortune of the state.

Payments of salary arrears and pensions will also top the list of the first challenges the incoming government may need to tackle to continue to enjoy the support of the people because non-payment of salary arrears and pensions, especially at the local government level, is one major problem the state has been grappling with for many years now.

Schools in Kwara State are in comatose; hence the governor-elect said during one of his visits to some schools in the state: “There is no gainsaying that we will repair our schools in Kwara; rather, we will build new schools.”

Providing befitting schools is one area that will put him to task. Ilorin, the state capital, still has challenges of bad roads.

There is no part of the capital that one can drive for five minutes without entering a pothole.

This is the same in other parts of the state. The new governor will be assessed based on how fast he will be able to address this problem.

He will also face the challenge of providing safe drinking water, upgrading and equipping hospitals, among others.

The expectations in Kwara are quite high.

 

Oyo

The governor-elect in Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, an engineer, will face a tough time as soon as he assumes office on May 29.

The first sensitive battle he will face is the leadership tussle between factional leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

The Olubadan chieftaincy review conundrum is also a challenge Makinde will be expected to resolve.

Those who think Ajimobi was wrong to have undertaken the review will expect him to reverse it, while those who support it or think that tampering with it would cause more trouble will expect the new governor to look away.

In his recent media chat, Makinde said he would rely on court judgement on the matter.

Either way, he needs enough wisdom and political sagacity to navigate through the challenges.

Another challenge Makinde would face is the inability of the Ajimobi-led administration to pay salaries and pensions regularly, especially in the state-owned tertiary institutions.The expectation of voters is that Makinde will address it.

There is also the need to rebuild infrastructure, fund education, health care and develop agriculture.

Makinde will face the huge challenge of diversifying the economy of the state and not relying on federal allocation.

Also, Makinde would need to complete many abandoned projects. He will decide either to continue with the payment of N1,000 school fees for primary and secondary schools in the state and levies imposed on religious organisations, which the outgoing administration considered to be a source of revenue for the state government.

The incoming governor would need to take his time to study the idea behind the establishment of the First Technical University, Ibadan, which people considered to be meant for the children of the rich.

The people will expect the sustenance of peace and security initiatives in the state, including the joint security outfit codenamed Operation Burst and STF, which is attracting funds for security activities.

 

Borno

Mr Babagana Zulum, an engineer, is set to take over reins of power in the most troubled state in the federation.

Borno State has been ravaged by activities of Boko Haram insurgents for many years; hence he is expected to bring peace to the area.

He is expected to address the root cause of Boko Haram insurgency.

Also before the governor-elect is the challenge of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of Boko Haram-ravaged communities to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons to their home communities.

These and other challenges are staring Zulum in the face as he prepares to assume duties in Borno Government House.

 

Yobe

As Mr Mai Mala Buni, governor-elect of Yobe State, prepares to take over the mantle of leadership on May 29, there are challenges that are likely to define his tenure.

Although he has promised to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor, Mr Ibrahim Gaidam, he is expected to invest more in security.

Security challenges in the state are enormous, considering that some areas like Gujba, Gaidam and Yunusari local government areas are still not accessible due to activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

Also, the incoming administration will be faced with the challenge of maintaining the huge investments made by the outgoing governor in primary and secondary health care facilities across the state.

Many hospitals were built, renovated and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that require a huge amount of money to maintain.

Recently, the state government employed 237 civil servants and added to the already overstretched system that is consuming over 60 per cent of the state’s allocation.

It is also believed that with the implementation of N30,000 minimum wage, the load would be too much on the new government.

 

Adamawa

The newly elected governor of Adamawa State, Mr Ahmadu Fintiri, will inherit a huge liability in form of bank loans, unpaid workers’ salaries and allowances, pension and gratuities of retirees and political office holders when he takes over the mantle of leadership on May 29.

Chairman, Adamawa State chapter of National Association of Pensioners, Samson Almuru, said the state government was owing retirees a total of N25 billion.

He added that more than 2,000 civil servants who retired in the last six years were yet to enjoy pension and gratuity.

According to Almuru, pensioners threatened to vote for the opposition candidate before government responded and paid January pension to few retirees.

Several civil servants who spoke to our correspondent said that the last time they received leave grant was in 2012 during the administration of Mr Murtala Nyako.

The present government also had the challenge of paying workers’ salaries despite bailout and Paris Club funds received from Federal Government.

A former governor of the state and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Boni Haruna, recently raised the alarm over excessive borrowing by the Jibrilla administration.

He put the debt profile of the state at N150 billion.

These are some of the challenges the new governor will face.

 

Zamfara

In Zamfara State, the newly elected governor, Mr Mukhtar Idris, will face enormous challenges when Governor AbdulAziz Yari hands over to him on May 29.

The first major challenge the incoming governor will face is armed banditry and cattle rustling.

Insecurity in the state has reached an alarming proportion as kidnapping for ransom has become the order of the day.

About 31,402 people were displaced following the unending deadly attacks on their communities by armed bandits and cattle rustlers.

From December 2018 till date, 408 people were killed, 126 injured and 227 kidnapped across the state, in addition to unreported cases.

Another problem before the governor-elect is youth unemployment.

Many believe that since Mr Yari came on board, he did little or nothing to provide jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.

The skills acquisition programme was scrapped owing to some challenges since the first tenure of his administration.

Since then, it has not been revisited. This will indeed pose a major challenge to his successor.

This, according to observers, has worsened the poverty rate in the state. Many school leavers are roaming the streets without jobs while farmers can no longer go to their farms because of activities of armed bandits and cattle rustlers.

Again, Zamfara is one of the states with poor internally generated revenue. The generation stood at N4.6billion in 2018 and over N3billion in 2017.

Another challenge is poor salary for workers. Workers in the state have been embarking on a series of industrial actions over poor salary structure.

Workers in local governments are collecting as low as N7,000 as salary. However, payment of salaries has been prompt. Idris will also prepare to face the issue of nonpayment of scholarship to students of tertiary institutions.

 

Ogun

As he prepares to take over the mantle of leadership in Ogun State, the governor-elect, Mr Dapo Abiodun, has some hurdles to cross if he must deliver on his campaign promises.

During the campaigns, Abiodun promised to strengthen the local government system, prioritise rural development, maximise natural resources, boost the state’s internally generated revenue and create an enabling environment for public-private partnership.

Having defeated Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s candidate, citizens in the state are expecting a lot from him as he assumes the Oke-Mosan seat of power on May 29.

Will the governor-elect deliver on his campaign promises?

How will he form the government, amid myriads of interests from the powers-that-be, on whose shoulders he emerged?These and more are the questions on the lips of residents and stakeholders in Ogun State.

It is believed that how he forms his cabinet would make or mar his administration.

Also, the new governor will inherit some liabilities, including incomplete projects. Some of the projects are ongoing multi-billion naira model schools across the 20 local government areas, international airport at Wasinmi in Ewekoro Local Government Area and a number of flyover bridges within and outside Abeokuta metropolis.

On road infrastructure, Abiodun would be inheriting a deplorable Agbara-Igbesa-Lusada road, where there is a large concentration of companies.

The state government draws a large percentage of its monthly revenue from the area, yet, the road is in a bad shape.

Another challenge the incoming governor may face would be 104 months of unpaid salary deductions and gratuity.

Worst hit by salary arrears are workers of Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, who are said to be owed N4billion.

Abiodun would be expected to cement the renewed relationship between labour leaders and the state government following the reinstatement of the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Akeem Ambali, after 28 months of dismissal.

In the education sector, Abiodun is expected to resolve the crisis rocking Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, over its upgrading to Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUSTECH) by the Amosun-led government.

In March 2017, Amosun signed a bill for the conversion of the polytechnic into a university and the establishment of Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia.

The development has pitched Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in MAPOLY against Amosun as lecturers accused him of insincerity.

More so, all eyes are on Abiodun to run an equitable government in view of the alleged concentration of infrastructural projects in Ogun Central, where the outgoing governor hails from.

 

Bauchi

Like other governors in Bauchi State, Mr Bala Mohammed, will face daunting challenges in the next four years. For example, the people of the state will expect him to solve the problem of pension and gratuity.

Although Governor Mohammed Abubakar has overcome the challenge of prompt payment of salaries and pension, gratuity remains a contentious issue.

Mr Abubakar stopped the payment of gratuity when the figure allegedly increased from a little over N15 billion to about 26 billion in just two years.

He argued that he would only begin the payment when he was given the exact figures.

Another issue is workers’ leave grant, which has not been paid for a long time.

Also, the new governor is expected to organise local government election, which has not been held for a long time. The last time local government election was held in Bauchi State was during the administration of Mr Adamu Mu’azu.

He is also expected to complete projects that may be left behind by his predecessor. Furthermore, Mohammed is expected to boost internally generated revenue of the state and attend to other financial commitments. Despite all the innovations and efforts to shore up its internal revenue, what the state is getting is still nothing to write home about. The state has over 100,000 civil servants on its payroll, with a monthly wage bill of N5.2 billion.

 

Lagos

Like his colleagues in other states, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor-elect, will face daunting challenges when he takes over power on May 29.

Among other challenges, the new governor is expected to effectively tackle the problem of indiscriminate spread of waste in different parts of the metropolis. Whereas the official figure has it that 13,000 tons of waste are generated in Lagos State daily, environmentalists have argued that it is more than that. While different administrations have actually devised a number of strategies to manage the situation, residents are saying the waste challenge of the mega-city took a nosedive when the new waste manager under the administration of the outgoing governor came on board early last year. From streets to highways, roundabouts, canals and drainages, the refuse keep piling on a daily basis. Lagos residents are also demanding attention on the traffic situation in the state. Indeed, in a 2016 survey conducted by a Lagos-based transport firm, Planet Projects, it was discovered that residents spend at least three of every 10 years in traffic jam. A further breakdown of the report showed that residents spend an average of seven hours, 20 minutes in traffic every day. Another major worry for residents is the continuity of a number of prominent projects across the state. They are afraid that the incoming governor may abandon some of the projects. It is, therefore a challenge before Sanwo-Olu. Checks revealed that contractors have deserted prominent project sites, such as Agege Pen Cinema overhead bridge, the new bus park at the old Iju Garage, Ifako/Ijaiye, the new Cinema outlets situated across the five regions, new Yaba bus park, New Lagos Mainland bus park, among others. The non-completion of these projects, residents say, also contributes to the growing menace of traffic jams and retarded beauty of the city-state. However, Abdulrasaq Muse, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos said the party had confidence in Sanwo-Olu to complete some of these projects. “People should not entertain any form of anxiety. We are of the same party and manifesto. The governor-elect is ready to carry on. There is no need to entertain fears about possible projects abandonment,” Muse said. The days ahead will determine whether those promises would be adhered to.

Daily Trust

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched an audacious move to win to its side 13 All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators-elect as part of a grand design to hijack leadership of the 9th Senate.

But the alleged plot has leaked to APC which has launched a counter move of its own to avoid a repeat of the 2015 infiltration of its ranks in National Assembly by PDP, highly placed party sources said last night.

APC is in talks with all its state governors and national leaders to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s choices for President of Senate, Mr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House who may be named this week.

The party is determined to ensure that none of its members contests against APC’s official candidates for leadership positions in Senate and House of Representatives in June.

Another option is a likely waive of the Standing Rules of the two chambers to allow open voting during the election of principal officers to monitor the loyalty of the party’s Senators-elect.

Besides, APC is discussing with some PDP Senators-elect with a view to giving them the chairmanship of juicy committees.

But some PDP leaders are targeting 13 ‘rebellious’ Senators-elect from APC to produce the next President of the Senate, Deputy President of the Senate and other principal officers.

If PDP’s plan sails through it will have on its side about 56 votes for a majority decision leaving APC with 53.

PDP targets are Senators-elect from Borno, Oyo, Gombe, Bayelsa, Bauchi and Ogun states.

The party is insisting that the Standing Rules do not expressly state that presiding officers must come from the ruling party.

The opposition party said the fact that it has been a convention for the majority party to produce presiding officers does not make it legal or the norm.

Following APC’s endorsement of Ahmed Lawan for the position of Senate President, the battle for Deputy President of the Senate is heating up between Mr Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central ) and outgoing Deputy Chief Whip of the Red Chamber, Mr Alimikhena Asekhame (Edo North).

Outgoing Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Ibikunle Amosun is believed to have joined the race for Deputy Senate President even though it was not zoned to Southwest.

Investigations revealed that APC and PDP have been trying to outwit each other on the election of the new Senate President, Speaker and other officers.

While APC leadership and Lawan have been engaging Senators-elect on one-on-one talks, PDP has been trying to mount pressure on most Senators-elect to resist what it has termed “imposition of principal officers” by the Executive.

Sources said PDP’s agenda is to share power with APC in the two chambers.

A top source in APC, who spoke in confidence, said: “The race is still open despite that APC has made its position known and released its zoning formula for Senate.

We are expecting the party’s idea of power sharing in the House this week.

What we are trying to do is to keep our caucus united in the two chambers.

“But not all Senators-elect and House members-elect have bought into the party’s zoning formula. This is why we have sought the assistance of APC governors and national leaders to engage the new National Assembly members to avoid a repeat of 2015 episode which was plotted and sealed by the opposition.

“Our main target is to assert our right as the party with the majority in National Assembly to produce the new set of leaders.

“We have already asked nominee for Senate Presidency, Lawan and some Senators-elect to meet with all Senators-elect on why APC must forge a common front. To us, delivering democratic dividends is more important than the sentiments being whipped up by the opposition.”

Asked if APC could regain the control of the two chambers, the source added: “We want to speak with one voice this time around; we plan to present common candidates for all offices due to APC without counter-nominations; and we are also negotiating with PDP Senators-elect and House members-elect.

“We will not underrate the opposition but we won’t let them have their way like the case in 2015. We are hopeful of getting the figures from APC and PDP members before the inauguration of the 9th Senate.

A ranking Senator in PDP said:“We are really opposed to any plot to foist leaders on the two chambers. Our fears border on a possible rubber-stamp legislature.

“Our position is that it is not mandatory for principal officers of the Senate and the House to come from the party with a simple majority in the two chambers. This has been successfully proven in the 7th and 8th National Assembly.

“And going by Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution, the two chambers can come up with rules and regulations to guide its proceedings.

The section says: ‘Subject to the provisions of this constitution. The Senate or the House of Representatives shall have power to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for summoning and recess of the House.

“The modes of voting can be by voice vote, signing of register in a division, electronic voting or even by secret ballot if it is the wish of the new members of the National Assembly.

“So, if a PDP lawmaker will lead the Senate or the House better, let us go for him or her.”

On the alleged plot by PDP to poach 13 APC Senators-elect in order to influence the election of new principal officers in the Senate, a party source said: “With 13 Senators-elect from APC teaming up with 43 PDP Senators-elect, we can comfortably elect independent-minded Senate President and other principal officers with 56-man strength.

“We are discussing with some Senators-elect from Borno, Oyo, Gombe, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Ogun states. This is our target which we believe is realizable. We will field candidates for all available offices in the two chambers.”

The race for the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate however took a new turn with the emergence of three contenders.

The zoning of the position to the South south has made it a close race for Omo-Agege (Delta) and outgoing Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Asekhame from the South south.

But outgoing Governor of Ogun State, Amosun was said to have joined the race for the Deputy Senate President even though it was not zoned to South west.

Outgoing Deputy President of Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, has been silent on whether he will vie for the office for a third term.

A source said: “So far, three candidates have emerged from APC but being a deft politician, Ekweremadu can spring a big surprise like he did in 2015.

The Nation