In Kaduna State, there are insinuations that Governor Senator Uba Sani is experiencing a slower start than expected, which many people attribute to the substantial debt burden on the state. Before leaving office, former Governor Nasir El-Rufai acknowledged the collection of loans by his administration; however, he asserted that the tangible projects and programmes implemented by his administration demonstrate the value of acquiring those loans, with many projects generating revenue and repaying the loans. It’s essential to acknowledge that no government operates effectively without resorting to loans or borrowing. Globally, it’s widely believed that only a government with sound policies,…
Author: Muhammed Zayyad
For 24 years, most Nigerians were only familiar with one style of operation by their National Security Advisers (NSA)—a kind of regimental style—because of the complete military background of the previous NSAs. Having NSAs with a military background is an excellent idea, but some critical situations require looking at things from different angles, including using outside-the-book approaches. The coming of Nuhu Ribadu as Nigeria’s National Security Adviser is not only a paradigm shift but a systemic and systematic approach by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Tinubu brought not only a person that he understood but also a person that understood his…
Zamfara State has a sweet-bitter story: massive reserves of mineral resources including gold, iron ore, granite, limestone, chromate, etc., but illegal mining of gold and other minerals has led to making the state and its neighbours one of the hotspots of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria. Zamfara occupies a very important spot in the history of northern Nigeria, being one of the regions in the old Hausa Kingdoms and one of the roots of the Usman Danfodio Jihad of 1804, but its current story is mostly associated with senseless insecurity and bad news. Zamfara has produced some prominent people who…
Before and during his 2023 presidential campaign in the North, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a household name among the ordinary citizens in the North. Now, President Tinubu’s public relations (PR) image in the north is fast dwindling; the Christian community is still bitter with the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 2023 presidential elections, and the Muslim majority is feeling sidelined in the Tinubu government despite their massive vote for the APC during the 2023 presidential elections. The Tinubu government has some of the best minds in public relations (PR) and the media space in its media team,…
The Adamawa state government, under the leadership of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has commenced the construction of a 20.8 kilometre superhighway in Yola, the Adamawa state capital. The Superhighway, starting from the Yola City Gate and ending at AA Lawan Junction inside the city of Yola, will open up a new corridor in the Jimeta-Yola metropolitan area as the superhighway is passing through virgin land, though there is massive building activity along the way—new housing estates, including the 2000 housing units constructed by the Governor Fintiri Government for civil servants and other citizens of the state. Other activities along the…
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s ‘Fresh Air Metro Buses’ have commenced operation in the Jimeta-Yola metropolis, shuttling between Jimeta and Yola town, Jimeta Modern Market to Sangere. Modibbo Adamawa University to the Market, Sangere, and Welcome to Yola City-Gate to the Market axis, etc. The government also said it planned to take more buses to other local government areas. The metro buses have a great impact on the lives of the citizens, as the fare fee is a mere 100 naira to any destination. Students, market women and men, farmers, and civil servants have expressed not only their joys but delight…
At its 8th meeting held in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on September 9, 2023, the Northeast Governor’s Forum expressed its concern about the new dimension of growing banditry in Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba states as a result of the concerted efforts of the military bandits from other parts of the country. The governors called on the federal government to intervene. With this new development, it’s obvious to say that Adamawa State is doing well among the six states in the northeast sub-region in the area of internal security. How did the Governor Fintiri-led government achieve that? Through planning and…
The importation of petroleum products was initially a temporary measure to tackle the inadequate supply of petroleum products from Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries. However, inefficiency and corruption have turned this temporary measure into a permanent thing; thus, the ‘monster’ subsidy found its way into the system. The prices of refined petroleum products in Nigeria are solely dependent on import factors. To mitigate the high prices of petroleum products due to subsidy removal, there are two ways: a temporary one and a permanent one. The temporary way concerns looking at the over 10 components that make up the landing cost of…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assigned portfolios to his Ministers-designate, bringing an end to weeks-long speculation, but also bringing to the fore, new discussions and analyses on the ministers’ portfolios and the new ministries created. A journalist and an editor, Jaafar Jaafar, said, ‘The Northwest has many ministers but no weight’. While a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adamu Garba, said, “It is one of the most balanced ministerial portfolio allocations of recent history. Adamu also pointed out that, “President Tinubu – dedicated Infrastructure and Finance to the South. While Agriculture and security are to the North. Soft infrastructure…
On October 17, 2022, at Arewa House, Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented to the north, his blueprint for the region. He said he would fight bandits and terrorists with the technology the Buhari administration began to use in 2022. Tinubu pledged to turn the North’s fertile land into grain fields- the North will become the hub of agriculture. The dairy economy and agro-allied industries would be promoted as he accelerates the Mambila Project and rejuvenates existing power stations. He vowed to exploit the gold in Zamfara, and iron ore in Kogi State. Tinubu also promised to bring back to school the…
One entity that will benefit most from the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA ) is Aliko Dangote with his 650,000 barrels per day integrated refinery, which is Africa’s biggest and the world’s biggest single-train facility. The refinery has 1,100 kilometers of pipeline to handle three billion Standard Cubic feet of gas per day. It has power plants with a combined capacity of about 400MW. Section 317 (8) of the Senate version of the PIA noted that petrol importation license will be restricted “only to companies with active local refining licenses”. This clause and the unmatched prowess occasioned by the refinery is…
Now that the storm in the drama-filled Adamawa gubernatorial election has subdued, the two big contenders- Aishatu Dahiru Binani and Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri will have the opportunity to strategize for their next steps. On Binani’s path, there are two junctions- first, stick to the moment. Second, make a U-turn to a new path. The fact is, the actions of the now-suspended Adamawa state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Yunusa have ‘dented’ Binani’s public sympathy, especially outside Adamawa. The REC’s actions have put the APC on the edge. So, Binani needs both ‘on-the-shelves’ and ‘off-the-shelves strategies, as her next moves…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, April 15th, 2023 as the day for the Adamawa state governorship supplementary election in 69 polling units across the state. Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is going into the supplementary election with a margin lead of 31,249 votes. Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani needs a miraculous miracle to dilute this margin from the 37,706 expected votes in the 69 polling units where the supplementary election will be conducted. Though, miracles, they say, do happen! Despite the open anti-party activities she faced from some members and executives of her party, her disregard for…
Outspoken northern politician and a former Presidential Campaign Council Director for the Civil Society Organization of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Naja’atu Bala Muhammad has said that the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not have a blueprint for the North’s development. Naja’atu was quoted to have said “I met with Tinubu in London and he told me he doesn’t have a blueprint for the North”. In short, Naja’atu implied Tinubu doesn’t know what to offer to the north. In its response to Naja’atu, APC Presidential Campaign Council, through a statement by Mahmud Jega, its adviser in public…
Taxes and royalties collection is a fundamental avenue for a government to generate revenues to fund development in infrastructure and human capital. Adamawa state is in need of other sources of revenues apart from the free Petro-Dollar from the center, but the state is poor, with a fragile economy including thousands of unemployed youths and people engaged in unproductive jobs. The World Bank says – most developing countries with fragile economies “often face the steepest challenges in collecting taxes” There is a correlation between the timing of the introduction of new taxes; peoples’ economic strength and politics. No government can…
All eyes are on the legal tussle surrounding the May 25th, 2022, Gubernatorial Primary Election of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, which produced Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as the winner — unopposed. Political pundits are observing how the PDP will come out of this thorny issue, while legal experts are watching how the judiciary will steer itself from controversy in handling the case. The latest of intra-party legal skirmishes in Nigeria, the case is similar to many legal tussles that led to the nullification of countless secondary and primary elections in Nigeria, because the political parties wrongfully…
The 2023 presidential elections present the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with a golden opportunity to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). However, the PDP faces a daunting challenge in how to utilize this opportunity. To do this, the PDP needs to present a common interest from the party’s wide, and sometimes, varying interests so as to secure for the party, sufficient internal and external support during the elections. PDP got its calculations right. The All Progressives Congress (APC) picked its presidential candidate from the South, especially the Southwest- Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, is APC’s presidential candidate The…
The May 27 2022, Adamawa state All Progressive Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary election was hotly contested, very transparent, free, and fair . Six contestants participated in the election — Former Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu, Member House of Representatives representing Ganye, Jada, Toungo and Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency, Abdul Razak Namdas, Former Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Wafari Theman and Umar Mustapha Otumba, a business tycoon. Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani won the primaries with 430 votes, while Nuhu Ribadu came…
Justice, fairness, and the entrenchment of internal democracy are the oils that lubricate the survival of any political party- no matter how big and strong is the party. There are strong rumors and insinuations that some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) at the instance of some governors are hell-ben on disqualifying some aspirants in favor of some incumbent and unpopular governors, in spites of the fact the party constituted 12-man Appeal Panel have their report submitted to the NWC, cleared the aspirants. This is not only unjust but a clear disregard for the party’s…
Godwin Emefiele, 60-year-old Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is one of the presidential hopefuls whose ‘aspiration’ has become a surprise to some people, and admiration to some other people. Some people were surprised when Emefiele’s name popped up among the presidential hopefuls. This class of people thought that as an experienced economist heading Nigeria’s apex bank, Emefiele should concentrate on his job of formulating monetary policies, controlling inflation, and managing other economic fluctuations, while championing innovation to ensure the nation’s economic and financial stability. On the other hand, the people who see Emefiele as a strong candidate believe…
The 2023 presidential elections will present to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a golden opportunity to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). However, the greatest challenge facing the PDP is how to utilize this opportunity seamlessly by presenting a candidate that can secure for the party, sufficient votes throughout the country. As at today, all indices indicate that the APC’s presidential candidate may come from the southwest. Since 2015, APC’s trump cards have been the north and the southwest. However, the north may be APC’s biggest dilemma in 2023- the party has to appease the north while…
On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa will officially declare his intention to contest for the Presidency of Nigeria comes 2023. This is Atiku’s 6th attempt at the presidency: 1992, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. The 2019 presidential election was Atiku’s best outing in his over 27-year quest to be president of Nigeria. Atiku fought the 2019 battle with everything at his disposal. From the onset, Atiku had been on the offensive knowing fully well that it was his best moment to shoot at the presidency. Luckily for Atiku, current events and situations in…
When common Nigerians are faced with epileptic power supply; their first grumble is on Discos and the Minister of Power. They don’t bother where the problem is coming from, because Discos and the Minister of Power are the two ‘entities’ who the common-man rely on electricity matters- Discos charge them for electricity bills, while they view the Minister as the overall head of power sector in Nigeria- which is true. This is the dilemma every Nigerian minister of power and Disco are faced with. Discos often blame poor supply from the transmission end. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says the poor…
As 2023 approaches, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is getting more confused, politically. Two factors are responsible for this – greed and miscalculation. Fintiri wants the Adamawa political field to be all for himself. He has centered the Adamawa socio-political-economy around himself and himself only. Furthermore, the governor is also mixing-up many things, or he has failed to differentiate between party politics, being state governor in a political party like the PDP, and the intricacies of Nigerian politics. Failure to understand these three things is a good sign of poor politics. As the governor of Adamawa state, Fintiri has failed to…
The debate on the legitimacy of Dr. Isah Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s professorship is back. The National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) (NEC), said that the conferment of professor on Dr. Pantami’s didn’t follow the laid-down procedures of the Nigerian university system. The union directed all its members and branches throughout the country not to recognize, accord, or treat Dr. Isah All Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of Cybersecurity under any guise. On the other hand, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Nnenna Oti, has said that the management of FUTO will litigate…
The February 12th, 2022 FCT council polls was a kind of disaster to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) so to speak- the party won three out of the six area councils. In the 2016 elections, the APC was in control of five area councils – AMAC, Abaji, Bwari, Kuje, and Kwali. While the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was not in control of any of the six area councils. APGA was controlling Gwagwalada. In the 2019 elections, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada, and AMAC while the PDP won in Kuje and Bwari. In 2022, the…
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) is facing two big hurdles that may mar or make the party- the 26th February 2022 National Convention and the presidential primaries for the 2023 elections. These two events are not new to the APC, but are unique because of the ongoing scheming, intense horse-trading, ploys, and scrabble for ‘who gets what’ by all the interest groups in the party. This is normal in political parties and most common in Nigeria. The 26th February 2022 National Convention is critical because of the nature of the APC– a conglomerate made up of diverse interests and…
Firstly, the military has been stretched doing other ‘peoples’ jobs’. The military is also tackling the terrorizing bandits at the ‘surface’- see and kill, while the root causes still remain. The military is not a policing institution. The Nigerian Army is under intense pressure to fill security gaps even as security experts say that globally, military involvement in crime-fighting is problematic because they are not trained to do so. Secondly, the police which are trained to uproot the causes of this kind of criminality, deal with it at the surface & seal the seals, are handicapped beyond tolerance level- the…
The Federal University of Technology, Owerri chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) inaugurated a five-man probe panel on September 22, 2021, to assess the procedures used to appoint the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, as a Professor of Cybersecurity. The panel has concluded that due process was followed by the governing council and the management of the university in the appointment. The report by the panel is an interesting one considering the heated public debates generated by the appointment of Pantami as a professor. Most of the people who criticized the appointment…
On October 25 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari officially launched the much-awaited Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) digital currency- the eNaira. The launch of the eNaira is a good and commendable initiative by the CBN. The CBN said “As technology evolves and advances, it is critical that Central Banks also evolve to continue to play their roles as Nigeria’s Central Bank Money adapts to take advantage of these opportunities provided by new technologies. Today is one of those moments where new technology offers the Central Bank an enormous opportunity to play its role even better, thereby improving the society and economy…
