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Anyanwu, Ude-Okoye Clash at PDP BoT Meeting
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By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, the two men who have been in struggle for the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), clashed at the commencement of the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting of the party on yesterday.
The PDP is currently entangled in crisis from different fronts.
The meeting had begun with Ambassador Iliya Damagum, Acting National Chairman, and Anyanwu seated before the arrival of Ude-Okoye.
Ude-Okoye came into the hall when Senator Adolphus Wabara, the BoT Chairman, was delivering his speech but Ude-Okoye waited for him to finish before going round to greet those on the high table.
He, however, excluded his rival, Anyanwu.
Ude-Okoye was later forced out of the meeting by suspected thugs, leading to hot exchange of words. As this was going on, journalists were asked to give way for a closed door session.
But Ude-Okoye was seen shouting and urging his supporters to prevent his ejection. He lamented as Anyanwu’s men were allowed into the secretariat, while his supporters were denied access.
As a result of the hot exchange of words between the suspected thugs of Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye, the police were called to restore order for the 79th BoT meeting to continue.
The Chairman, PDP BoT, Wabara urged the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to honour its word and convene the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for next month.
He said NEC remains the highest decision-making body of the party, and it was crucial that it be convened without further delay to address pressing concerns.
He said it was imperative that the NWC rise above personal interests and place the survival and progress of the party above all other considerations.
The BoT chairman expressed “profound” disappointment over the crisis currently rocking the leadership of the PDP NWC.
“As elder statesmen and women, leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved. The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party,” he said.
The Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Damagum assured the NWC that “we will do everything possible” to convene NEC in February.
He admitted that there was crisis in the NWC, saying, “I want to say this with the highest sense of responsibility, part of this crisis that you see today within the NWC is propelled by our leaders that are supposed to unite us.”
Damagum lamented a situation where certain members of the NWC were invited to visit certain places without his knowledge as acting chairman of the party. He said, “I want to use this opportunity to caution us, caution our leaders.”
He added, “As the conscience of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inwards, search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us, it is the only thing we have.”
At the end of the 79th BoT meeting, the much anticipated NEC meeting was scheduled for Feb, a communique issued at the end of the meeting said.
The BoT Chairman, Wabara, who read the communique, said, “Acting National Chairman assured the Board of Trustees that the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025 will hold.”
Wabara explained that the NEC would hold to address all pertinent issues and reaffirm members shared commitment to the unity, discipline and ideals that bind the party together.
On crisis over the position of the National Secretary of the party presently before the court, the communique said the Board of Trustees has set up a committee led by Barrister Tanimu Turaki to interface with the parties, study the situation and report to the board for further action.
On the state of the nation, it expressed concern over the worsening economic and security situation, social dislocation, and total sense of hopelessness in the country due to the ill-conceived and ill-implemented policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
“The Board of Trustees decries the insensitivity of the APC administration towards Nigerians as evident in the unjustified multiple taxes and failure to stem the increase in the pump price of fuel, electricity tariffs, and telecommunication charges with its crippling effect on the productive sector and unbearable rise in cost of living in the country.
“The Board of Trustees insists that the APC administration lacks the required patriotism, competence, as well as a proficient, transparent, and innovative governance team to effectively manage the nation’s abundant human and natural resources to benefit our citizens.”
It demanded that the APC administration immediately rescind all its anti-people policies and take urgent steps to stimulate the productive sector, create jobs, and revamp the ailing economy.
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FG Urges Immediate Diversification of Economy from Oil to Agriculture, Others
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By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun said on Monday that the country can no longer afford to be overly dependent on oil revenue.
According to him, “We must, therefore, embrace a diversified economic approach that taps into the immense potential of non-oil sectors such as agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, tourism, digital economy and creative industries.
The minister stated this at the three-day Treasury Workshop organised by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) with the theme: “Nigeria’s Revenue Challenges and the Way Forward: Exploring Non-Oil Alternatives” in Abuja.
The minister who was represented by the Permanent secretary, Lydia Shehu Jafiya explained that the recent global shifts in energy policies, declining oil demand and fluctuating crude prices have jointly made it abundantly clear that the country cannot afford to be overly dependent on oil revenues.
According to him, “Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural and human resources that remain largely untapped. The question before us today is: how can we harness these resources effectively to drive sustainable economic growth and development?
The workshop, he further noted, seeks to provide actionable answers to this question by fostering robust discussions among key stakeholders in the financial and economic landscape, as well as exploring Non-Oil Revenue Sources, adding that several non-oil sectors have demonstrated strong potentials for revenue generation, job creation, and economic transformation.
Edun highlighted some of critical areas to aggressively explore to include agriculture and Agro-Processing, Solid Minerals and Mining, Manufacturing and Industrialization, Tourism and Hospitality, the Digital Economy and ICT, Tax Reforms and Compliance, among others.
However, while addressing the key Challenges in Revenue Mobilization the noted that the potential of non-oil revenue sources, several challenges impede their full exploitation.
According to him, some of these challenges include: poor infrastructure and high cost of doing business Bureaucratic bottlenecks and regulatory inefficiencies insecurity and its impact on investment confidence, low tax compliance and widespread revenue leakages.
The minister disclosed that the government is already taking bold steps to tackle these issues through reforms in public financial management, digitalization of revenue collection, and strengthening of tax administration.
“I am glad that key experts like the Chairmen, FIRS and Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms will be presenting papers at this forum. Let us all understand that more needs to be done, and the insights gathered from this workshop will be instrumental in shaping further policy directions”, he added.
Edun who stressed the role of the private sector in complementing government efforts in generating non-oil revenue said accountability and transparency in public financial management remain paramount in building trust and attracting investment.
He urged all participants to actively engage in discussions and contribute innovative solutions that will enhance revenue generation and prudent allocation of scarce resources to the various sectors.
In her opening remarks at the event, the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr Oluwatoyin Madein disclosed that the National Treasury Workshop is a yearly occasion where seasoned technocrats are invited to rub minds on salient issues confronting the nation’s economy with a view to proffering workable solutions in order to move the country forward.
She said even though the event is a yearly occasion, the one preceding this took place some years back in November 2021 with the theme Covid-19 and the Global Economy: Implications on the Nigerian National Treasury in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state.
She said the theme is very apt considering the state of the economy owing to a multiplicity of factors ranging from the exchange rate volatility, low revenue performance, rising costs, amongst others, which have complicated fiscal operations in the last few years.
According to her, the theme has been packaged in five lead papers including Nigeria’s Revenue Challenges and the Urgency for Economic Diversification; Tax Reform and Revenue Mobilization: Expanding Nigeria’s Tax Base and Tax Net.
Others are, Diversifying Nigeria’s Economy through Effective Budgeting: Maximizing the Non-Oil Sectors for Sustainable Growth and Development; Rethinking Nigeria’s Revenue Allocation Formula: Implications for Fiscal Federalism and Subnational Development.
COVER
Bandits Kill 19 in Renewed Attack on Benue Community
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From Attah Ede, Makurdi
At least 19 people were reportedly killed in a renewed attack on some communities in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State by armed bandits suspected to be armed herders.
It was learnt that the attack started on Saturday in which 16 farmers were killed and their bodies thrown to River Katsina-Ala.
The killing, according to a member in the community who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the farmers were from Mbandwa council ward.
He said, “The farmers were returning to their community in Mbanduwa ward when they were ambushed along Kashimbila road and killed.
“Their bodies were dropped in the River Katsina-Ala.
The second attack was said to have happened Monday afternoon at Boaguwa in Kumakua council ward in the same local government was reported to have claimed three lives.
Residents of communities within the area were reported to have fled to Jato Acka community for safety.
Confirming the report, the President General of Mzough U Tiv worldwide and leader of the three socio-cultural groups; (Mzough U Tiv, OchiitaK’idoma and Om’Ngede), Comptroller of Prison (retd), Iorbee Ihagh said that all the six council wards in Turan have been deserted.
Ihagh who was at Jato Acka when he spoke to our correspondent on the phone on Monday evening said that 16 farmers were killed on Saturday and their bodies thrown into River Katsina Ala.
He said, “Right now in Jato Acka, I was told that 16 farmers were killed along Kashimbila road at the weekend and their bodies thrown into River Katsina Ala.
“As I am talking to you now, armed herders have attacked Boaguwa in Kumakua council ward; three dead bodies have been recovered.
“People have fled their communities and run to Jato Acka, i doubt if this place (Jato Acka) is safe right now.
Ihagh, who claimed that all the six council wards in Turan in Kwande LGA have been overrun by suspected armed herders, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to deploy more troops to the local government.
When contacted, the Special Adviser to the governor on Internal Security, Joseph Har directed our correspondent to Director General Internal Security, Israel Gbawuam for confirmation.
Gbawuam’s telephone number was out of reach when our correspondent tried to call him.
Similarly, efforts to get the spokesperson for Benue Command, Catherine Anene were not successful.
COVER
FG Seeks Liberal Visa Regime for Nigerian Coys
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By David Torough, Abuja
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris has called for a more liberal visa regime for Nigerian companies seeking to establish businesses in foreign countries.
The minister made the call in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when he represented President Bola Tinubu at a meeting with executive members of the Nigerian community in Ethiopia.
The Special Assistant on Media to the minister, Malam Rabiu Ibrahim said in a statement in Abuja that the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government.
Idris, according to the statement, said it was only fair for other countries to reciprocate Nigeria’s gesture in providing an enabling environment for foreign companies to invest and operate.
“Last year, I was representing Nigeria in Indonesia and I found out that about 50 big Indonesian companies are operating in Nigeria, but we do not have up to five Nigerian companies operating in Indonesia.
“If they want to come to our country to trade because of our population and ability to purchase their goods and services, then there should also be that reciprocal arrangement where Nigerians are also given their rightful place,” he said.
On the Ethiopian government’s cancellation of the e-visa and visa-on-arrival options for Nigerian travellers, Idris gave an assurance that the matter would be handed over to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for appropriate diplomatic engagement.
While acknowledging the concerns raised by Nigerians in Ethiopia, the minister emphasised that visa policies among nations were typically based on the principle of reciprocity.
He stressed the need for balanced and mutually beneficial agreements.
Idris however, urged Nigerians living abroad to consistently demonstrate good conduct and responsible citizenship in order to promote the image of the country to the outside world.
“We don’t allow bad people to represent us and that’s where you come in.
”You are the ones who are here and if you don’t represent us well, there is no way we will look good,” he said.
The minister said the current administration had achieved a lot in revamping the economy through provision of infrastructure, curbing insecurity and the restoration of investor confidence.
Idris said Nigeria recently secured $1.07 billion in Foreign Direct Investment for the establishment of drug and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries.
He said this significant investment marked the beginning of Nigeria’s medical industrialisation by positioning the country as a key player in pharmaceutical production.
According to him, this will reduce dependency on imports, create jobs and strengthen the nation’s healthcare sector.
The minister said about N32 billion had been disbursed to students under the Students Loan Scheme in less than 250 days.
This, he said, was to ensure that no student was denied access to quality education due to lack of funds.
Idris, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling the nation’s security challenges, disclosed that security forces neutralised 8,000 terrorists and bandits, rescued 8,000 kidnapped victims and recorded 11,600 arrests in 2024.
The minister also stated that the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, once notorious for criminal activities, had now been successfully cleared of criminal elements.
He said the improved security on the route had brought significant relief to commuters.
According to him, reform is usually a very difficult task and there is a gradual progression toward prosperity for all as promised by the president.
The statement quoted the President of the Nigerian Community in Ethiopia, Mr Muideen Alimi, as saying that a workshop was underway in collaboration with Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission.
The workshop, he said, would focus on enhancing economic development through intra-African trade.
He urged Nigerians to support the plan to set up the African Central Bank as well as have a strong presence in the African Remittance Agency.