GEJ, SAMBO AND DEZIANI: THE BIGGEST COWS ARE SACRED

We already knew it would be hard to recoup every penny stolen from us.Asides the fact that some no longer have it, others went the extra mile to cover their tracks well.Proving a case against them would be next-to-impossible and a plea bargain deal via shrewd interrogation techniques is as good as a victory in court in such instances.However, it would also be next-to-impossible for the EFCC and other relevant agencies to convince me that there are no  sacred cows in the war against corruption.
What is particularly alarming is the calibre of these 'cows'.They are the biggest of the lot with too much of our 'grass' in their systems for anyone not to notice.I am talking about people like ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, his vice; Namadi Sambo and Deziani Allison Madueke, the former petroleum minister.
While Sambo seems to be holidaying some where, Jonathan seems to be enjoying his hobbies of mediating, speaking and observing elections very much; the attendant benefits of his new status as elder statesman of world repute.The only thing we know about Deziani as at this moment is that she is battling cancer.A cancer that chose a most convenient time to deteriorate.There is no way a just war would get fully underway without these 'untouchables' having at least three cases each to answer.President Buhari himself told us he wasn't going to spare anyone irrespective of the amounts they returned.When he declared the late Gen.Sani Abacha innocent of all looting allegations, he put his honor up for debate.Not a few people started to lower their expectations then. Abacha's loots are still being returned to Nigeria today by good samaritan countries and that was even after Ngozi Okonjo Iweala had revealed that Sambo Dasuki, the embattled former NSA got $322 million to tackle insecurity from part of the returned Abacha loot.Buhari has not proved a man of his word so far.Jonathan has been mentioned twice by at least 2 suspects in the alleged Dasuki arms deal scam.First by the former NSA himself who said GEJ authorized all withdrawals and also by his SSA on media, Chief Doyin Okupe who named him as well during the course of investigations.The EFCC did not as much as invite him for questioning on any of the aforementioned occasions.Like I said while stating my concerns over Buhari's seeming ethnic bias before the general elections when I mentioned his detention of ousted Vice-President Alex Ekwueme in kirikiri prisons while placing President Shehu Shagari under house arrest-the subordinate cannot be guiltier than the principal.
There is no way Jonathan can be exonerated of any wrongdoing in the midst of colossal stealing by his subordinates.He came out on a number of occasions to publicly defend them.He feigned ignorance of the fact that Deziani Allison Madueke had gone to court to invalidate an invitation to the National Assembly to defend the waste of taxpayers money on private jets and of course, he took us to school on how stealing wasn't corruption.
Even if Jonathan didn't loot as much as those around him, there are bound to be withdrawals and transfers that required his authorization or at the very least, ones that wouldn't escape his eye.Watching him elevate his post-election status from hero to a world acknowledged super one that meets with the President in the villa any time he chooses to intimate him of his latest strides is killing.
No one can say for sure if Namadi Sambo is reaping off PMB's excess love for his northern brothers or is part of a plea bargain arrangement but what is not in question is the fact that allegations have been made against him that the authorities seem to be shying away from.
The most annoying of the pack has to be the lukewarm attitude of the authorities towards nabbing and prosecuting Madueke; allegedly the most corrupt minister this country has ever had.
Fine, she got Dele Momodu to show us pictures of her cancer-stricken body and there was initial movement towards liasing with Interpol and the british authorities but that was where it ended.Reports of her arrest proved unsubstantiated.The most rational conclusion would be she has struck a deal to return part of the loot and walk free.Without an iota of doubt, the money stolen from the petroleum industry is much more than any agency of government and i don't see much enthusiasm on the part of our authorities to probe previous activities there extensively.A lot of people were too alarmed by that to rejoice over news that a number of people including Madueke and a close ally of hers, Jide Omokoro (who is reportedly the real target) were charged to court for money laundering and procurement fraud.Justice Nyako of the Federal High Court has since ordered that she be struck off the charge since she is not present.That cleared my doubts as to whether or not this government was serious about bringing her to book.It doesn't seem like there would be any spirited effort to get the expert analysis of an independent medical practitioner to verify claims that she is incapacitated and if she really is, when she will be fit enough to come down here to answer our questions.i have always thought the timing too convenient.Even though it was no secret she was battling cancer as a minister under GEJ,  it never stopped her from overseeing a monumental looting scheme and even going ahead to become OPEC president in the twilight of the administration.
If it was a strategy, then it worked.She has successfully boxed PMB and his anti-corruption troops into a corner of pessimism and pity which might have necessitated a lenient plea bargain deal. No matter how much she returns,anything other than jail time for this lady is the deal of a lifetime. The $115 Million election bribery scandal which she is a pivotal part of will end up at the cemetery if her presence isn't secured.Not only that but every allegation of wrongdoing that has Deziani Allison Madueke attached to it as well.
For all his tough talk on corruption, I must say I won't deem Buhari's war a victory if it doesn't consume any of GEJ, Sambo and Madueke.History will forever remember it as one where the biggest looters had enough to tempt the authorities into entering deals with them while the lesser ones bore the brunt.Instead of passing a strong message of deterrence, we are telling the world it is okay to loot but just have enough to earn you a seat at the plea bargain table.God help us.

MELAYE/TINUBU:THE REGRETTABLE CONDUCT OF A FEMALE TRADITIONALIST

For a lady that reportedly once berated someone publicly for calling her 'Distinguished Senator' instead of her traditional title of 'Yeye', it wouldn't be out of place to assume she knows a thing or two about african tradition by virtue of her high reverence for the institution.In practically every part of this country, the man is accorded a second-to-none status.He doesn't have to be the husband of any lady to demand the respect he deserves.
'Yeye' Tinubu more recently in a closed door session of the Senate, called Senator Dino Melaye, a 'dog' and a 'thug' for expressing his thoughts on the floor of the Senate; a Chieftancy title holder like her or more appropriately, her husband.He reacted by heading towards her and threatening to beat her up before he was restrained by some colleagues.It baffles me that most of the blame is being placed at the doorstep of Sen. Melaye. Only a few people seem to understand what it feels like to be labelled such before their colleagues only because they said what they felt.I have heard only a few question the immoral conduct of Sen. Remi Tinubu, a lady who is not only an african mother and wife but also the 'Yeye' of her party leader.
While I am not defending Dino's conduct in any way, I think it is pertinent we note that only a handful of people would take such insults with a cool head.The many women groups calling for his head should devote their energy into discouraging other women from acting in such a despicable manner.It is amazing the extent to which the 'female victim' card has been exploited in this case.The key lines people are being programmed to focus on are-'i will beat you up, impregnate you on this floor and nothing will happen'.In a nutshell, those in support of Remi Tinubu are blaming Dino Melaye for not smiling and begging her to calm down while she was insulting him.Just as it is nothing out of the ordinary for Dino ( the 2nd in command of Saraki's troops) to call for President Buhari's impeachment, so is Sen.Tinubu's opposition to such a move.Both were acting in the best interests of their camp; Dino being totally against the criminal prosecution of his master for alleged wrongdoings and Tinubu, for a President her and her husband helped install.In the words of A.V Dicey: "The right to swing your fist ends where another person's nose begins".
So what is in issue here is who crossed that line?.Sen.Tinubu from the facts available to us.In perfect portrayal of the victim role, she has gone on to write to the IGP to report a threat to her life and request extra security while also writing the APC and requesting they sanction Melaye.He has refused to apologize to her and I totally agree with his decision because it would be accepting he was in the wrong, thereby creating illusions as to Yeye Tinubu's duties as an african woman.Until there is a miracle and perhaps both genders become truly equal, Chief Melaye deserves respect from a lady he is well capable of paying her bride price and catering for.If the gender activists don't succeed in getting ladies to pay 'groom prices' as well, then nothing will change traditionally speaking.
While I don't in anyway condone violence towards women and in as much as I agree Melaye's reaction was improper, Mrs Tinubu's conduct is more reprehensible being not just a mother and wife but also an African woman.Let us call a spade by its name.

PHYNO:FROM RAP LEGEND TO POP KING

I remember getting set to leave home one fateful evening in 2012 to hang out with friends in my neighbourhood.I had never been one to turn off the Tv till I was practically heading out and being that way payed off for me that day because just as I finished getting dressed, this guy popped up on Soundcity with a song that held me spell bound.That guy was Phyno and the song-SHUT DOWN.It was something like I had never heard before.It just oozed a genuine understanding of the art of rap.
Dude wasn't just about his ibo lines, he had some propane english bars as well.He spat punchlines tighter than those of any of our local 'foreign' rappers and he made it all sync with the dominant ibo lines without pissin off any of the audiences.It wasn't a hardcore rapper trying to go commercial nor was it an indigenous rapper trying to broaden his fan base.It was just Phyno.
You just knew right there and then that he had carved out his lane and anyone coming afterwards was going to be a subject.To use his words, he "flowed spiritual" and i add: with the right incantations.He struck me as a guy who wouldn't just be content with bullying every rapper in the East and one who will write his own chapter in the history of Nigerian music.That was long before I found out he had produced for some stars and even had an all star remix to his MULTIPLY song.
I called a good friend of mine I went to Law school with in Enugu, Hillary Asiegbu and asked if he knew Phyno.He replied in the negative and I told him to go check the song out, this guy was going to rule the airwaves soon.A King was born in his neck of the woods.
You find yourself rooting hard for guys like Phyno at the jump that have the potential to redefine Nigerian music and hope they don't get overcome by the challenges in the industry so it was nice to see him yet again on Tv much later with GHOST MODE and this time he was featuring Olamide.I guess a lot more people than I thought had felt SHUT DOWN because word then was Illbliss had dragged him into his Goretti/Capital crew and that came with the luxury of having super director Clarence Peters shoot his videos.The video for the song was top notch and it promoted the song in no small measure.
The whole world stood up to salute GHOST MODE and from then on, there was no turning back.Indigenous rap music no longer meant only yoruba rap as the East had staked a solid claim.Just about everyone wanted to have Phyno on their song coz he could pretty much adapt naturally to whatever thing it was you were cooking.He became a bonafide star and an instant industry darling.
Then came MAN OF THE YEAR and it was more or less making an entrance via the same route but only this time, with the respect he deserved.He was King of the East and had earned a legitimate bragging right which he showcased in elegant style.What were those lines again-'East coast N*^#@ now am banging in the West.....Y'all should be afraid of what am gon do next!!'.
Lynxxx said the song was going to be huge because Phyno made Ibo sound like Spanish but it was way more than that.What that song actually did was cop him a ticket to legendary status.I'll walk you through.Last rapper from the East to gain our attention was Mr Raw and you could safely pin down his success on the pop elements more than anything else.His hits had catchy choruses that appealed to a market that just wanted to sing along, dance or do both.

Phyno is a rapper that pays attention to every detail from the beat down to the most important; lyrics.To dare to hit the mainstream on those terms and prove he wasn't a flash in the pan or someone every body ran to just because he added something different meant he was already a legend on some scorecards.History will never forget the guy who re-invented ibo rap and paved the way for cats like Tidinz and Zoro who didn't have to struggle too hard to have us look their way.
The NO GUTS NO GLORY album dropped much to everyone's anticipation and he didn't disappoint.Survival was no longer a question as he had proved he had what it took to last in the game.That was the dopest album by an Ibo Mc and it cemented his status as the most 'hip hop' indigenous rapper in the land.
A lot of guys doze off at the top and work less on their art.You start to feel taken for granted by their verses because they feel they can just shove anything down your throat.They have 'grown' past that stage where they worry too much about keeping the fans happy and with much less hunger, drive and motivation, no real effort goes into improving themselves.
With Azubuike Nelson aka 'Phyno tha playmaker, it was much different.He stayed him like he always had but never seemed close to boring anyone.He didn't have to think about making slow songs or getting foreign features, he was still blowing minds with the same style from complementing a rapping Banky W in a most impressive manner on Dj Jimmy Jatt's E TO BEH to spitting the tightest verses alongside Vector on Black Magic's AFRICA (Remix).
To kill boredom at the top, he pulled a most audacious stunt; one we won't ever forget.Phyno decided to go pop and No, he wasn't biting the game to do that, he was going full scale pop and he did that to devastating effect.Every single has been a huge hit so far; From CONNECT to E SURE FOR ME.
It amazes how he doesn't have to struggle with his new self, it just seems like he always had it in him.It was pulling a Drake but only better because while a lot of people question Dreezy's singing abilities, Phyno's skills are not up for debate.
CONNECT was basically a street boy that never lost touch with his roots.Its a turn up song that kicks in the right mood with a great 'We here now' vibe and just the right type of message the average nigerian music lover loves to relate to: beating the odds.

The sing along element is at its very best and the power of delivery was at its mightiest because half the people I know love the song just as much even without understanding the lyrics.The pace of the rendition could almost pass for a sorrowful pitch sometimes before he hits you with just the right dose of adrenaline to join the 'Wo teh Collat' chant and not stop there.
CONNECT was one of the biggest hits of 2015 and the experiment (if you would call it that) was successful.Everyone wanted to see what the King of the East was going to do next-was he going back to conquered territory or seeking to expand the Kingdom?.
When FADA FADA (GHETTO GOSPEL) dropped, you knew it had gone beyond experimentation, it was more skoolin' pop boys on the basics.Nigerians love God and if you get the song right, it will cut right through every market.
The ibos have always had the better potential to make nationally accepted gospel songs and the way he tapped into the key elements of their songs was genius.
You just had to love how that snare hits twice and the way he sits right after with a matching delivery.You got a penny for the intriguing title as well-'I'm living large, I get 10 girls for my ghetto, never forget where I come from na from ghetto'.He had waded into pop and was heading right for the throne.
The dust hadn't fully settled before he released E SURE FOR ME.Its still fresh outta the oven at the time of writing this but like every other Phyno song, I don't need anyone to help assess the quality.Its going to be just as huge as his two previous cross-over singles.

Having stumbled upon the gold mine called 'Nigerians Love For God', he seems hell bent on exploiting it to the max.The song is a more matured gospel song that will appeal to a much older listener just as it would the average youth.The strong highlife feel makes you understand just why our non-ibo parents loved the Osita Osadebes a lot even without understanding a word of what they were saying.Its a 'feel cool' jam you can count on to soothe the nerves and there are no lines on big booties and champagne to distort that element in any way, its just a grateful guy glorifying Almighty God from start to end.
The message to his peers is something like those lines off the first song I heard-"If I pass you, you salute coz I pass you and anything wey you fit do, make you know say I fit do am times 2!!'.
Phyno has conquered 2 worlds in an unprecedented move in the Nigerian music industry and it takes a truly great person to do that.

AISHA BUHARI:A HYPOCRITICAL FIRST LADYSHIP AND THE TECHNICAL REVOCATION OF A CAMPAIGN PROMISE

Prior to his victorious campaign in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari had contested in three presidential elections and never once did he promise to scrap the First lady office if he won.He only did that in the run-up to the last presidential polls.
PMB was always one to seize every opportunity to score a point with the average nigerian.He had been depicted as the liberator of the masses right from his first run and he has always been ready to capitalize on that persona to impress if need be.Whether it was to promise he will make N1 equal to $1or that he will end the boko haram insurgency within his first 100 days in office, he seemed to know just what the tired, angry, frustrated and used nigerian wanted to hear.
So when Sen.Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso lost the APC presidential primaries to him, it was no surprise to many that Buhari lifted the Senator's campaign promise of operating without a first lady.It was succinctly delineating the wastefulness of previous governments and the candidate's intention to halt it.But you just had to sense there was a problem.Buhari was no longer running in the old ANPP or CPC fashion, he was doing so under a much bigger platform that necessitated a much more elaborate way of doing things.He was now flaunting his loving father and caring grandpa photos on social media to appeal to a broader range of voters and what more?.His wife had been dragged from behind the scenes and thrust right into the heart of things.He had made a promise more in consonance with the archaic manner in which his campaigns were run on one hand while also agreeing to subscribe to a new order on the other and there was bound to be one of 2 things if he won-sticking to a promise that wasn't original or a hypocritical first ladyship and the technical revocation of a quite sensitive campaign promise.Sensitive in the sense that it is capable of sending a wrong message to nigerians that they were just being sold the same product in a new package.
The truth is nothing has changed.We have a first lady who like every one before her is a wife of the President.When questions started being asked about Aisha Buhari's use of the first lady's office, it was funny to hear the SA to President Buhari on media, Mallam Garba Shehu say there was nothing wrong with it because she wasn't doing so in her 'official capacity'.I just couldn't make any sense of it.What is her 'official capacity' if she had one?.It either meant someone needed to get the full meaning of the phrase 'first lady' or that she was a hypocritical occupant of the office.
As of this moment, she has her own retinue of aides which include a Special adviser, Senior special Assistant on administration, Senior Special Assistant on media and a Director of Information.Does anybody still think Buhari stuck to his promise of abolishing the first lady office?.I don't think so.
He rebranded it at best by merely changing the name.Just like every administration before his, he will concede to the fact that the office is not constitutional but he has earned no special right to wax sanctimonious about not wasting our waning resources on 'his wife's office'.Nigerians are not fools.
We have watched her set up her Future Assured pet project to cater for the less privileged and though her strides have been quite commendable, there are questions as to the funding of her activities baring in mind that the President earns about N1.2M monthly with no salary for the first lady.
In Gombe state alone, she donated foodstuff across 11 local governments worth millions of naira and a sickle cell detecting machine to the Federal teaching hospital.Her donations to other states and the IDPs are befitting of the wife of a President like we used to know them before we voted 'change' so its safe to ask in this era: from whose kitty?.
The official amount said to have been realized from her book launch and fundraiser was N55M which she pledged to the parents of the Chibok and Buni Yadi victims.Nobody bothered to give us an explanation as to why she opted for secret donations.Some staff of a commercial bank had set up a stall at the venue in anticipation of huge donations by guests but ended up leaving there disappointed.If her husband's anti-corruption war is as sincere as we have been meant to believe, then none of the political office holders at the venue would dare play 'Fat Santa'.
The Vice-President himself said much shouldn't be expected from him as he and her husband were on half salaries.Why would anyone hide people's contribution to their cause on a day they have gathered to celebrate them?.It only means one thing: there is an ugly side to it.If the first lady and her gang didn't want to raise eyebrows as to how their donors (a lot of them former or present office holders) came about the sums then it might just be because a chunk of it is taxpayers money.
To further illustrate the true role of Buhari's wife, she partnered with the Camerounian first lady, Chantal Biya in the areas of women and children development when she accompanied her husband on a 2 day working visit to Nigeria and even went on to host the wives of all envoys to Nigeria to sell her 'Future Assured' pet project. I ask-What has Buhari 'changed' by scrapping the first lady office for one of the Wife of the President when the roles are basically the same with his wife being even more active than the last 2 First ladies at this stage.
She has gone on to host and thank the social media influencers who helped campaign for her husband at the Villa and launch a book all within the space of a year.
Is it right to provide aides and make available our resources to an unconstitutional office the President said he didn't recognize?.As a campaign strategy, it worked and contributed in further selling the 'Change' mantra to Nigerians but if any other President promises to scrap the first lady office and allows his wife do the things Aisha Buhari is doing, then he wouldn't have done anything because like every other one we have had; she is a first lady that is the wife of the President.Period.

A RIGHTEOUS SENATE AND BUHARI'S SINFUL APPOINTMENTS

The winners in the Buhari/Saraki showdown thus far are the regular nigerians.We,the everyday people with nothing vested in it other than the best interests of our country.While the Senate President is one of the star victims of Buhari's 'selective' anti-corruption war, he has when possible, used the machinery of the upper chamber to claw back at the President.Buhari is illustrating just how mean the resolve to fight corruption is with a recalcitrant Senate president whom many feel he has an axe to grind with while Saraki and his cohorts on the other hand have paid extra attention to their watchdog role in a bid to catch the President napping.It was with great joy that we; the winners watched the Senate refuse to screen and confirm the 47 man ambassadorial list sent to it by the Presidency till it featured nominees from every state of the Federation.Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ondo and Plateau were unrepresented and it appeared unjust to have a 47 man list without having at least one from each of the 36 states plus the FCT.
To the Presidency, the refusal was an embarrassing slap on the face.To the Senate, a chance to score a 'righteous' point while getting back at the President and for the common Nigerian, a laudable attempt at addressing our current fears.It was more or less a wake up call to an insensitive President that has refused to change the motific nature of his appointments even in light of grave secessionist threats in some regions of the country.
The IPOB and Niger Delta Avengers who were fighting for separate nations are said to be now working hand in hand if reports emanating from the biafrans' camp are anything to go by.
The only ibo non-ministerial appointment by the President came more than one year into his administration and it was even more by default than choice as she only stepped into the shoes of the recently retired Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr Samuel Ukura in an acting capacity being next in the chain of command.Buhari has made two recent high profile appointments in just a matter of days and they are all northerners- the acting IG of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the new boss of the Federal Inland Waterways, Alhaji BossGida Mustapha.Nothing has changed.The President still favours his northern brothers way more than others.He has stuck to his bias for them quite regrettably, even when he claims to be in discussions with the separatists on how to drop their arms and stay a part of us.That is seeking peace and fanning the embers of war all at the same time.Quite a number of people including yours truly had spoken countless times on the divisive tendencies of his appointments even before the  various campaigns to secede took a rather wild turn, so unfortunately it is more or less an 'I told you so' situation for a lot of us.
You get a feeling the 'irregularities' in the ambassadorial nominee list were ones the Senate would have overlooked if the President had been more considerate in his appointments because it would be suicide in the court of public opinion.But rather it afforded Saraki and his friends a perfect opportunity to throw a punch we applaud them for without appearing petty or messy.
It was quite shrewd of the senate to key into the piling frustration of the average patriotic Nigerian.One who has had to sit and watch our President continue his 'northern party' with no means of checking him.One who has had to sit and wonder if the President is on a deliberate mission to disunite us as a people by so blatantly promoting the interests of some above others.It is trite that when the governed are discontent, it becomes twice as difficult to please them.A lot of the President's decisions are under a lot more scrutiny than they ordinarily should be and that won't augur well for his administration.What would ordinarily pass as a harmless omission has had people looking hard to find his trademark on them.
Judging by antecedents, no one can conveniently wave off the fact that Bayelsa, Ondo and Ebonyi are PDP states while Plateau is a north central state that doesn't particularly qualify as north in the 'core' scheme of things.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been summoned alongside the Foreign Affairs minister to show cause on July 9th.It remains to be seen if they have a better defence than one put up by the SGF so far.He made a rather lame attempt to make us believe the states had no single person qualified to be an ambassador.I found some of the answers he gave at an interactive session with journalists rather confusing.
After telling us not all states are represented in the foreign service department of the ministry of foreign affairs, he goes on to say the government will have to source nominees from outside the ministry to provide opportunities for states not on the list.If that was possible like we already knew, why didn't the government tow that path in the first place for the sake of justice and fairness and also in light of the current need to keep everyone happy?.
When the SGF said questions as to the propriety of the list could have been clarified by just a mere phone call, it told perhaps just how inconsequential the Presidency deems issues as sensitive as appointments in times like this when the territorial integrity of our great nation couldn't be more at risk.A time when separationists are trying to align forces and are steadily bombing towards their goal of crippling oil production to zero level till their demands are met.
The Senate may be in a war with the Presidency but it has spoken for me and a lot of people by rejecting the ambassadorial list on the ground of lacking federal character.
By any means necessary, President Buhari must be made to understand that Nigeria belongs to everybody and that it belongs to nobody.The need to thread with caution can not be over-emphasized.
On a day the Nigerian Senate chose to wear its saints' garb, it did a most righteous deed.

NIGER DELTA AVENGERS: PEACE IS CHEAPER THAN WAR

History will forever remember  late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua's handling of the Niger Delta Militancy when he was President.He vigorously pursued peace by dangling the amnesty programme and establishment of the Niger Delta ministry.Government 'Tompolo' controlled one of the most vicious groups then and he was the very last to drop arms and meet the President.I admired Yar'adua for meeting him personally and smiling through it all for the Cameras.Tompolo on the other hand, appeared shy and some what overcome.It was obvious a lot had been put into getting the much dreaded 'Government' to sit on that table in the mood he was in and President Yar'adua deserved very much to reap the reward of his hard work.That was crisis management at its finest.
The Niger Delta avengers is at the fore front of a recent bid to establish a Sovereign nation of the Niger Delta and it has promised to cripple Nigeria's oil producing capacity to zero level till it wards off all resistance.The group has been on a crazy spree over the last few days, bombing two Chevron oil wells-RMP 23 and RMP 24 because the company embarked on repairs of installations it had bombed earlier and then a Shell oil facility on June 3rd to round up an unprecedented attack of key oil installations in a matter of days that had affected almost everyone from NNPC to Agip.
I seriously doubt if President Buhari can handle this crisis in the manner President Yar'adua did then judging from how he has gone about things.The attack on Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta state by the Nigerian military was irrational to say the least.The only thing it succeeded in doing was raising human rights questions in the international community and if one also considers the army's massacre of innocent shi'ite members in Zaria along with the destruction of the sect's properties and the continued detention without trial of its leader, I wouldn't be surprised if the US and its cronies refuse to sell us arms on grounds of human rights violations.Like they did the Jonathan government when he sought to buy some to fight boko haram, such refusal could just be when we need the weapons most.
There are reports of how innocent people were harrased, maimed and intimidated in Gbaramatu and it is hard to figure out what the Commander-in-Chief and his troops were hoping to achieve.
Even if it had succeeded in arresting some members of the militant group, there was always the possibility of that inciting the others to increase the spate of attacks so as not to appear defeated as is common with such elements.
Well, shortly after the army's visit, they bombed three key installations in quick succession to further buttress their readiness to see out their cause.
These happened after the deployment of about 100 gunboats and numerous warships to tackle the militants.That is a clear pointer to the fact that the government has adopted the wrong approach.Dialogue remains the government's best option in this.There must be a tactical and 'respectful' wooing of the militants to the discussion table.Whether or not we can defeat the Niger Delta avengers is not what is important, the paramount consideration should be the damage they are capable of causing before they are subdued (that is if they are subdued).The country's oil production has been cut down by more than 40,000 barrels per day and Delta state is already reporting a N2.6 billion loss in revenue due to the activities of vandals.Peace is cheaper than war and this war is quite expensive if you ask me.
The British high commissioner, Paul Ackright has lent his voice to the call for the government to tow the path of reason.There couldn't possibly be a better way of resolving this crisis.It would heal the wounds the pathetic handling by the Buhari administration has already caused.A lot of regrettable comments have been made by key members of his administration before the militants increased the heat and it is advisable to watch whose help he enlists because of the heightened sensitivity involved at this stage.
People like Brig.Gen Paul Boroh (Rtd) the Presidential Amnesty co-ordinator must be immediately removed from the fore front.The man claimed to have practically relocated to the creeks to help get the militants to the table and went on to convene a meeting with 50 militant leaders at the Transcorp Hilton without those of the Avengers (the real threat).He not only dashed a lot of expectations but wasted precious time and resources as well.Such power should no longer be afforded such a man as his exercise of it could be counter-productive and outright wasteful.We have heard how millions of dollars were reportedly squandered by the Jonathan administration all in the name of negotiations with Boko haram.It is best to have only those who can reach out directly to the targets and no one else.
Furthermore, Boroh came out to categorically state that the government will not dialogue with the Niger Delta avengers and that has automatically made him a bad choice of go-between as it would be highly unwise to entrust him with the duty of luring them to the table.The government must avoid getting unnecessarily confrontational this stage.
All hands must be on deck to ensure the Niger Delta avengers give up their cause without further damage being done.
If the government can't guarantee the security of our installations, then at least it must guarantee us that.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED FOR THE WORSE: THE STORY OF BUHARI'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE

On every May 29th when Nigerians sit down to evaluate the performances of governments over the past year ,there are usually three score sheets.One by the die-hard supporters of the leader, another by the opposition and then the one by the governed which in most cases is a mixture of both because the ordinary nigerian has the rare privilege of being unbiased.I am neither PDP nor APC.I am Nigerian and there is nothing I would rather be.Unlike the many hypocrites out there who shy away from the truth to defend a non-performing government almost to a nauseating extent, I understand we as nigerians have no reason to hate or antagonize a leader for any other reason than his performances for the simple fact that if he succeeds, we gain and if he doesn't, we lose.Its really that simple.
As we celebrate May 29th this year, it is with a heavy heart that I say the 'Peoples Scorecard' of President Buhari's performance over the past year is full of red ink.He has failed in numerous subjects.Admittedly he got off to a flying start by effectively rallying up our neighbours to wage a successful counter against Boko haram and also overseeing a record high in electricity supply.He ensured probes of corrupt individuals ended up in prosecution in our courts but that is as far as it goes.It turned out a mere flash in the pan as even these accomplishments falter in the midst of certain valid posers.
He has made a few good moves but on a just scale, his failure outweighs the good by miles.Buhari has done creditably well in quelling the insurgency that has plagued us for quite some time now but then the sad part is there is no boko haram column on the score sheet.It has to form a part of his assessment under security.It is ironic how a man can practically rid us of our number one security threat yet fail in the security aspect.The activities of the fulani herdsmen was allowed to get out of hand.A lot of souls were lost in Agatu, Enugu, Ondo and other places to the herdsmen.After the Enugu massacre where about 500 lives were reportedly lost, it sickened not a few nigerians that we weren't actually telling PMB we were tired of his messages of condolence and sympathy, we were actually wondering if he had even as much as issued a statement in that regard.
The President, like the previous administration only officially deemed a most sensitive security situation a very serious threat many lost lives later.
And still on the handling of the herdsmen crisis, the President's towns man whom he 'deretired' to run the DSS made a very bad call when he disclosed that 5 bodies reportedly found killed and buried in the bushes by the IPOB were fulanis.A veteran manning such office is expected to fully understand the consequences of doing such.Asides having to face embarrassing questions on how he was sure there were fulanis and that there were killed by the biafrans, it had the potential to escalate a security situation on two ends-that of the biafrans and then that of the fulanis.
The biafrans could make it look like the government was conveniently hasty in reaching a conclusion and the fulanis could deem it a declaration of war.There was just no upside to that statement except of course, if the DSS chief wanted to instigate a crisis.
And that story being bandied round about warring communities in Enugu has had little or no effect on the scheme of things, to many it is just the fulanis exacting revenge on innocent souls.
The Buhari government has failed to secure our vital oil and power installations.There is definitely no change in that regard.With threats from Asari Dokubo and the sorts to make the country ungovernable for any President other than Goodluck Jonathan, he was reasonably expected to move fast in securing them as they were very likely targets.There is no sign the government has learnt its lesson yet as the Niger Delta Avengers seem to be wrecking more havoc with no signs of slowing down.
Add this all up to the increased spate of kidnappings across the country and you will understand why the President has failed in Security.
The deplorable state of our finances made it imperative for nigerians to be patient with the President at the onset but he seems to have crossed the line as the bulk of our predicament is attributable to his incompetence.Nigerians were made to suffer for too long before the government struck its purported winning formula to the fuel problem.If government knew marketers hadn't being importing fuel since October last year why did it keep attributing the scarcity to vandalism and misleading Nigerians as to the true position of things?.We have heard countless stories from Ibe Kachikwu, the President's junior petroleum minister that all amount to utter rubbish with the benefit of hindsight.
Buhari removed, reinstated and removed subsidy with a N58 naira increase in fuel price in just four months.The handling has being most pathetic.
The government may have generated a 4,810MW  record peak in electricity but it has also set the unenviable record of crashing us down to OMW and nowadays, 3000MW seems a long way as we steady power generation at 2000MW at best.The President and his team claim vandalized power installations are the reason for the sorry state of power supply and what annoys most is the tinge of 'legitimacy' they attach to that excuse.His SSA on media went as far as telling those complaining over poor power supply to go and 'fight the vandals'.
Admittedly, vandalism has been a recurring problem but Buhari and his crew fail to realize we voted them in to change things.The patience card won't quite avail them here when we have an almost dormant civil defence corps which seems at best a second police force.Vandals operated during the previous administrations but we never had to suffer this much.
Poor power supply translates to poor water supply as well in most parts of the country and with the fuel issue in mind as well, it is safe to say we have not been adequately provided the most essential amenities.As a matter of fact, we fared better under the previous government.
The Buhari administration can wriggle round questions about foreign policy by citing his numerous trips abroad as creating a formidable presence for us in world affairs but the truth is there is no story we haven't heard as far as foreign trips are concerned.The President has spent a lot of time in the air with no visible results.Nigerians are now wiser as they no longer fall for the sweet tales our leaders return home to tell, they will only be moved  by action.Relative peace has returned to the troubled north eastern states and we have not heard anything from any of the countries that promised to help us rebuild them.Apart from the trips aimed at securing the commitment of nations to help repatriate stolen funds, quite a number of those trips are ones he could gladly sit out in line with his promise to cut the cost of governance.
I found it particularly intriguing that the President himself could actually attend a global warming summit while still preaching the 'cost' sermon.The China trip which was initially reported to be worth a $2billion loan turned out a ruse as he returned to tell us that all too familiar story of investments and the sorts.All one needs do is to dig into the archives to unearth such multi-billion naira stories and just how much Nigeria has actually benefited from them.
I am glad the President himself has acknowledged the importance of a few conditions precedent to a healthy economic transformation.Conditions like adequate power supply.With the current state of the nation, it is suicidal for any foreign investor to delve into our waters when a thorough feasibility study would reveal just how many companies have left as a result of the high dollar exchange rate and how the ones presently doing business here are coping with the high cost of running it.Our economy is in shambles and diversification won't yield instant results as time is needed to ensure the viability of alternate avenues. The lack of basic amenities chiefly due to the President's ineptitude has contributed in no small measure to the pathetic state of our economy.Oil prices have played their part but then we must also judge the efforts of the President with the hand he was dealt and truth be told, he seems overwhelmed by the onerous task before him.
Due to falling oil prices at the time Buhari came into office, it became imperative that we reduced costs.He himself sang that song in high pitch.But then no matter what he and his cronies choose to make us believe, he hasn't made any meaningful impact.The National Assembly cut down its budget and formed a committee to look into the possibility of further cutting down their remuneration when the President was singing at his loudest but when his unenthusiastic approach to costs became quite obvious, they put an end to that plan and started talking about a multi-billion naira supply of vehicles.
Buhari may have merged some ministries but we have a lot we can do without.The Niger Delta ministry is one he should not have maintained and budget and National planning could be a department in the finance ministry.The women affairs ministry is one which makes me want to support the gender equality activists as much as I can.Having it only amplifies the fact that we deem them second class citizens in need of 'special' help.Times have changed and I think it has outlived its usefulness.
Its a pity the President failed to see through all these and more saddening is the fact that he chose to go with 36 ministers instead of the much touted 19.We still have 9 planes in the presidential air fleet and if you add that to the fact that governors are still paid security votes amounting to several billions monthly, quite contrary to what he adviced the Jonathan administration to do in 2011, I'm sure you will agree we could have saved a lot more.
I must commend the fight against corruption as the Buhari administration is one where indictment in a probe translates to automatic prosecution.Like I tell people, every nigerian politician is guilty until proven innocent and if they choose our anti-graft bodies to wage war against each other then we are the better for it.The only sad thing about Buhari's war is that he has exploited the fact that virtually everyone is dirty 'unjustly'.
Olisa Metuh and Fani Kayode, the most vocal members of the opposition asides Ayo Fayose, the Ekiti state governor (who currently enjoys immunity) have been targeted while concrete allegations against Babatunde Fashola and Rotimi Amaechi in the build-up to the ministerial appointments weren't paid any serious attention.The EFCC failed to diligently prosecute Timipre Sylva and the only APC fish in its net is the Senate President who quite incidentally happened to have disobeyed the President and the Party.
While I agree that the PDP did a lot of damage, we must also not forget that there are former APC governors who aren't particularly clean.
While saluting the President's handling of armsgate where Dasuki stole $2.1 Billion for himself and his friends, the petroleum ministry remains without a doubt, the corruption hub of the previous government with several billions of dollars unaccounted for.At the risk of sounding immodest, we really need to move fast before Deziani Allison Madueke, the former minister of petroleum resources kicks the bucket.
The $115 Million bribery scandal is a mere drop in the ocean compared to what really went down there.Jide Omokoro, a close ally of Madueke owns one of the most luxurious yatchts in the world with music superstar couple, Jay Z and Beyoncé paying almost a million dollars to spend just a week on it.We must get down to some serious business as far as that ministry is concerned.High level probes must end in prosecution of the people who have looted us dry.
There is certainly room for improvement in the anti-corruption war which along with the crippling of boko haram remain the only positives of PMB's 365 days in office.The Buhari administration has largely under-performed so far and for our own good, we hope the President starts getting key decisions right.
The story of his first year in office in a nutshell is simply-We voted change and change we got as things have certainly changed for the worse.