***Calls for Expanded Anti-Corruption efforts to involve other former governors, ministers

The efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has been applauded by former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank.

Speaking in Abuja, Frank urged the Commission to broaden its investigation to include other allegedly corrupt individuals, particularly former governors, ministers, and public officials associated with both the past administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and the current administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Frank reiterated the importance of extending the probe to avoid giving the impression that the EFCC’s actions against Bello were merely a witch hunt.

While commending the EFCC’s steps to hold Bello accountable, Frank highlighted the need for equal scrutiny of other individuals accused of corruption.

“We commend the EFCC for its efforts in pursuing Yahaya Bello’s prosecution. However, we urge the agency to also investigate other former governors, including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, whose alleged corrupt practices have been reported to the EFCC,” said Frank.

Otherwise, their efforts to apprehend Bello and bring him to trial would appear to be a deliberate and malicious witch hunt simply because he contested the Presidential primary election of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) against President Bola Tinubu.

Furthermore, we have yet to witness the arrest of several allegedly corrupt public officials who served under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, despite petitions against them before the EFCC.

These individuals include former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom; former Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, among others.

Additionally, there are those like former personal assistant to President Buhari, Tunde Sabiu; former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Jamoh; immediate past Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Nami; the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Dr. Mele Kyari; and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who remain unprosecuted.

Similarly, former Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Zainab Ahmed; former Director General of the Nigerian Ports Authority and current aide to President Tinubu, Hadiza Bala-Usman; former Governor of Ebonyi State and present Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; and former security chiefs who are the subject of petitions before the EFCC continue to evade prosecution.

Frank, representing the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in East Africa and the Middle East, emphasized that by bringing these individuals to court to face trial, the EFCC would demonstrate to Nigerians that their actions against Bello are not politically motivated.

He said: “Someone like Wike has a petition against him before the EFCC, but they have never invited him to defend allegations against him. Is it because some of these people supported and campaigned for Tinubu to emerge President in 2023 that makes them untouchable?”

He acknowledged that the EFCC’s action against Bello is a positive step in the fight against corruption. However, he emphasized the need for the EFCC to show the same level of commitment in addressing allegations against other corrupt individuals.

He added: “For instance, we have seen the recent revelation of the Governor of Abia State, Alex Oti, against the former governor of the State, Okezie Ikpeazu, concerning humongous money paid for the construction of a non-existent airport and other bogus projects by the immediate past administration in Abia state.

The activist, who hails from Bayelsa, asserted that the failure to prosecute former governors and ministers accused of corruption would undermine the credibility of the anti-corruption efforts.

He criticized the EFCC for appearing selective in its prosecutions, targeting only those who may not be in favour with the President.

He pointed out that individuals who support the current administration seem to evade prosecution while those critical of it are pursued. He warned that if the EFCC continues to neglect its duty to investigate allegations against individuals like Nyesom Wike, they will make the petitions public to shed light on their actions while in office and compel the EFCC to take action.

Hence, we urge the EFCC to demonstrate its commitment to combating corruption in Nigeria by actively pursuing all individuals accused of corrupt practices, not just a select few. If the EFCC truly aims to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption, it must extend its investigations to all relevant parties mentioned. Additionally, we demand swift prosecution of those implicated in corruption allegations to ensure accountability and fairness.

Furthermore, we call upon the EFCC to cease the harassment and intimidation of individuals like Yahaya Bello. Doing so will signal to the public that the EFCC is dedicated to upholding justice and integrity in Nigeria, thereby restoring faith in the anti-corruption efforts of the current administration.
END

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, has sent a message of congratulations to Nigeria’s Tunde Onakoya for the feay in setting a new world chess record and etching the country on the world map.
The Nigerian chess champion has broken the world record for the longest chess marathon after playing unbeaten for more than 58 hours in New York City’s Times Square to raise money for underprivileged children.
Akpabio’s congratulatory message ehich was signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh and made available on Sunday in Abuja described Onakoya’s achievement as typical of the audacity of Nigeria’s spirit of determination, hard work and resilience.
“My joy knows no bounds as I celebrate this young and adroit Nigerian, Tunde Onakoya, who is imbued with the Nigerian spirit of determination, hard work and resilience and has elevated our dear country in the comity of nations.
“On behalf of the Senate and the Nigerian National Assembly, my constituents in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and my family, I heartily congratulate and rejoice with Tunde Onakoya on this onerous achievement.
“I followed closely while the competition was on and I must commend the brand-new world champion, Tunde for remaining steadfast despite the challenges he had during the journey.
“I am happy that the dream behind this laudable project is to raise funds for indigent African children to also, explore the opportunities that abound in the game of chess. This is a good way of grooming other champions and taking many children off the streets.
“I wish to use this opportunity to advise Nigerians, especially the youth to borrow a leaf from our latest hero- never to give up when they embark on a legitimate enterprise, no matter the obstacles. With youth like Tunde, Nigeria has greater hope to attain her potential”.

***Says Nigeria cannot grow its economy in Darkness
***Expresses sadness that Nigeria is the lowest per capita wattage in the World.
***wants a Technical Task Force in Place.

The incessant power situation in the country with record of national grid collapse 141 times in 11 years is a case for urgent pragmatic solutions, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has indicated

He expressed deep concerns that Nigeria has only 13,000mw while the demands are about 200,000mw.

Obi pointed out that even with the 13,000mw, only about 3,500mw are available for homes and businesses noting that the situation puts Nigeria as the lowest per capita wattage in the World.

In an article, titled “The Collapsing Electricity Sector”, the LP standard’s bearer said “The Nigeria electricity supply industry faces real and present danger of collapse despite the efforts made in more than two decades to initiate a reform of the NESI.
“It is sad today that we suffer periodic and routinized system collapses that are attributed to such avoidable situations as fire outbreaks at critical transmission lines across our major cities.
“It is absolutely distressing and a story of a low level of managerial capability that the entire nation can be plunged into total darkness for a reasonable period because networks go out because of a lack of diligent attention.

“It should worry any Nigerian patriot that the total installed capacity for a country of more than 200 million people with an aspiration to become a global medium economy power is a mere 13,000.
“Worse still, only about 3,500mws are available for homes and businesses from the grid. Sometimes, it grinds to less than 2,500mws. This is unacceptable.
“We can contrast the available supply of electricity with competitor countries in Africa like Egypt and South Africa with respective populations of approximately 112m and 59.6m people supplying about 60,000mw and 58,000 respectively.
“This difference in energy wattage has massive implications for human development and economic growth.
“Nigeria today has the world’s lowest per capita wattage in the world, interesting lower than those of most of our West African neighbours.
“It is really sad that whereas our energy demand is above 200,000mws, we have only 13,000mw installed capacity and can only deliver regularly less than 4,000mw.
“After speaking with experts in the sector I have realized that the crisis of power supply in Nigeria relates to two major sectors: (1) generation, and (2) transmission and distribution.
“The major challenges of the generation sector are the lack of a regular supply of gas arising from the failure of the government in the last 8 years to provide adequate gas infrastructure facilities, weak commerciality of gas to power and failure to control the restiveness of angry youths leading to vandalism.
“It is shameful that for more than 8 years we cannot resolve the infrastructural bottlenecks that constrain the supply of gas to power plants despite billions from CBN for legacy gas debts.
“On the transmission and distribution side, the last 8 years have witnessed terrible failure to overcome the deterioration of networks and transmission and distribution networks and invest in modern technologies like SCADA leading to poor coverage, lack of effective coordination between TCN and discos leading to load rejection and inability to generate public trust for policy reform on tariff and leading to low private sector investments.
“If we had a good project manager, we would have massively increased generation, transmission and distribution capacity and enhanced policy coherence that would have crowded private sector investment in the degree to sustained rapid growth of the grid. The problem is that the government have exercised the required political will to appoint the right kind of leadership that understands the problems of the sector and has the singular dedication and competence to create quick wins in the short term and transformation in the medium to long term.
“I suggest that the Federal Government immediately constitute a technical task force of real professionals without political consideration to present a diagnosis of the crisis of the sector and to get to work to correct such simple slippage like incessant fire outbreaks that lead to perennial system collapse, drastically improve coordination and coherence between TCN and discos so there will be no load rejection, and breath down on all operators to deliver on their technical responsibilities. This will rapidly improve power availability in the short term while the government develop clarity to articulate an integrated national electricity policy and a practical implementation roadmap that harmonizes national and sub-national electricity reform efforts to ensure rapid and expansive delivery of reliable, adequate, and affordable electricity.
“We are too endowed to be a nation of generators and to be trapped in darkness. We cannot grow our economy in darkness.