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Nigerians Condemn Siege On Saraki, Ekweremadu …Buhari Turning Nigeria To Fascist State -PDP …Democracy Under Serious Threats -Ekweremadu
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has described the sustained rancorous relationship between the legislative arm of government and the executive as a threat to democracy.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and the Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, yesterday, CNPP urged “all Nigerian security agencies to stop meddling in the political affairs of the country and allow democratic forces to freely operate like in every other democracy.”
It said, “The barricade of the residence of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and that of the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu is the culmination ofthe altercation between the executive and the legislative arms of government in the country”.
The body of registered political parties and association stated this while reacting to the security barricade of the residential houses of both Saraki and Ekweremadu in Abuja, yesterday morning.
The CNPP said, “Following truncated impeachment process against President Muhammadu Buhari at the Senate, the constant intimidation of lawmakers by the agents of the executive is the culmination of the ongoing distrust between the two arms of government.
“No democracy will survive in an atmosphere of unbridled interference by the executive in the affairs of the legislative chambers, using the coercive forces at its disposal to muzzle dissenting voices and distort free flow of democratic forces and freedom to associate.
“The Constitution of Nigeria, which both the executive and legislative members swore to uphold guarantees freedom of association and right to hold opinion and it will be detrimental to the deepening of our democracy for security agencies to deny any Nigerian these rights, rather all security forces are to ensure that these rights are respected”, the CNPP stated.
In a swift reaction, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar condemned the alleged siege in the Abuja residences of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu by men of the Nigerian Police Force, yesterday.
Secondus, who accused President Muhammadu Buhari of using state security as attack dogs of his government, said there was a plot to remove the current leadership ofthe Senate by force, warning that such move may cripple the nation’s democracy.
Warning the Commander-in-Chief on the consequence of endangering the nation’s democracy, Secondus further noted that nothing has been done in the past three years of President Buhari’s administration to deepen the democratic process.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by President Muhammadu Buhari using state security apparatus of the Department of State Service (DSS), Army and the Nigerian Police have attacked the National Assembly with the aim of forcibly overthrowing the National Assembly leadership and rendering the third arm of government comatose.
It is now a known fact that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria and we are now under a totalitarian and fascist government with no appetite for opposition.
“President Buhari is a beneficiary of democratic election into power and since he took over on May 29, 2015, he has done nothing but destroy every fabric of democracy and the rule of law.
“We call on all Nigerians home and abroad to immediately speak up against this act of gross violation of the Constitution of Nigerian and the attempted disruption of the democratic process and institutions by President Buhari and privatized members of the Nigerian security agencies,Secondus said in a statement made available to journalists, yesterday.
Also reacting, Atiku expressed worry over the alleged siege on Saraki and Ekweremadu’s homes, saying democracy must not be ambushed by those who ought to nurture it by virtue of the position they hold.
He said: I remind the powers that be that on August 31,2013, when Senator Bukola Saraki walked out of the PDP and began the process of joining the APC, there was celebration in their camps.
I also remind them that their electoral victory, which they have so badly mismanaged today, would not have been possible without the Senate President.
“Power is transient and is also a trust that should only be used for the good and advancement of the people one leads and not for the persecution of real and imagined political opponents.
“I remind President Muhammadu Buhari of his public words of solidarity to Senator Saraki after his ordeal of malicious prosecution, which thankfully was brought to a halt by the Supreme Court, and I urge him to live up to those words today and always”.
Similarly, former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, criticized the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris over the invasion of Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s residence.
Ezekwesili, reacting to the development called on IGP Idris to retrace his steps, follow processes and respect that the country is running a system of democracy.
The former minister on her Twitter page wrote: “What exactly are the officers of the IG of Police, Ibrahim Idris doing with such brazen low-quality policing tactics?
“Please, let the IGP know immediately that this is a democracy. There are laid down processes that must be followed at all times for everyone.”
In the same vein, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose condemned the incident, stating that he warned Nigerians of impending tyranny in the country.
The governor on his Twitter page wrote, “Now the tyranny is reaching everyone. I warned Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, the Senate has urged security operatives on siege to Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu’s residence, to vacate the place and allow him to enjoy his constitutional right.
He said that the siege was a violation of the right of Ekweremadu, explaining that “this morning I left Enugu for Abuja to attend today’s sitting.
“Half way to the airport, I heard a distress call from the aides working with the Deputy Senate President that his residence and the entire street had been cordoned off and nobody can move out of the house.
“As I am talking now, the people of Enugu State resident in Abuja have moved to his house and they are there shouting in the rain for his release.
“What offence has he committed that would warrant his wife and children to be denied freedom to go about their duties.
“Some people told me that they heard some people want to defect today and because of that they don’t want him to come to the sitting.
“I also heard that they don’t want the senate president to come so that both presiding officers will not be here but thank God that the Senate President is in this place,” he said.
Supporting the motion, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) said the development was a threat to democracy.
He said, “I was with Ekweremadu, yesterday (Monday), and there was no notice from the police. I wonder why his house is under siege today (Tuesday).
“There will be tomorrow. No matter the intimidation my confidence in you and Ekweremadu is renewed and we must protect this institution,” he told Saraki.
Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba) said it was not only a threat to democracy but to the unity of the country.
“It is with a heavy heart I rise to contribute to this. This is not only threatening, but the unity of the country and we need to thread with caution. What is happening has never happened.
“When I heard of the siege I became afraid. We need prayers and we have to stand up as statesmen.
“I advise that security operatives should know they are meant to protect us and no country has used violence to settle matters.
“We can pack our things and go and those trying to dent the image of the president should be careful,” he said.
In his reaction, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, said there was also a siege to his house at the early hours, yesterday.
He said he was meant to report to the Police on account of invitation to answer to alleged involvement in a robbery case in Offa some months ago but could not do that.
Saraki said there would not have been plenary if he had gone to the Police, given the fact that Ekweremadu was prevented from leaving his house.
“Ekweremadu cannot come out for no fault of his, and by the plan, I wouldn’t have been here as well.
“The deputy senate president called me that he was blocked from coming out. Even my convoy was blocked,” he said.
The Senate has adjourned plenary for members’ annual vacation. They will resume on September 26.
Following yesterday’s political scenario in Abuja, few Nigerians took to the street to protest the illegal invasion of police officers to the residence of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, respectively.
Recall that at the early hours of 7: am, the Nigeria police that invited Saraki to appear before it by 8: am laid siege in his Abuja house.
Police equally stormed the residence of Ekweremadu, his deputy, barricading both from movement.
Reason for this illegal invasion is yet to be revealed, but there are speculations that it was planned to stop the duo from presiding over yesterday’s plenary because ofthe defection of 15 senators that dumped All Progressives Congress (APC) and accepted the membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Saraki, who made his way to the Senate and took charge of yesterday’s plenary, condemned in its totality, the police invasion to his house.
His Deputy, Ekweremadu also condemned the invasion, and opined that there was no prior invitation by any of the security agencies or the EFCC to him.
The Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo equally surrendered his statement via his Facebook handle as he strongly condemned the invasion, and called it ‘tyranny’,
His words, “I condemn, in its entirety, the.siege on the houses of the principal officers of the National Assembly by officers and men of the Nigerian Police. The National Assembly as an arm of the government must be accorded the due respect that it deserves. This is tyranny!”.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has said that the nation’s democracy is under threat if nothing was done to avert the intimidation and harassment of opposition politicians by the government in power.
He spoke, yesterday afternoon when asked by journalists to speak on the security siege on his residence.
Expressing disappointment over the development, he wondered how the culture of democracy has still yet to be imbibed since 1999, stating that the country cannot grow when the government in power abhors opposition.
“The development we are seeing now is an attack on democracy and I keep wondering at how a ruling party would not tolerate opposition,” he said.
Meanwhile, Leader of the PDP Caucus in the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said he was humbled by yesterday’s emergence of the PDP as the majority party in the Senate.
Those at the Deputy Senate President’s residence include: PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyon, former National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a security outreach to the hotbeds of recent killings in Plateau, Benue and Borno States, to restore peace to areas wracked by mass killings and bomb attacks.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a four-hour security briefing with the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
“We listened and we took instructions from him. We got new directives…to go meet with the political authorities there,” Ribadu told reporters, adding that Tinubu directed them to engage state-level authorities in the worst-hit regions.
Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed; Chief Defence Intelligence of the Nigerian Army, Gen. Emmanuel Undianeye; Director-General, Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, appeared for the briefing.
The Tide’s source reports that in Plateau State, inter-communal violence between predominantly Christian farmers and nomadic herders spiralled into gory slaughter when gunmen stormed Zikke village in Bassa Local Government early on April 14, killing at least 51 people and razing homes in a single night.
In Benue, at least 56 people were killed in Logo and Gbagir after twin assaults blamed on armed herders.
Meanwhile, in Borno State, eight passengers perished and scores were injured when an improvised explosive device ripped through a bus on the Damboa–Maiduguri highway on April 12.
Ribadu explained that after an extensive briefing, intelligence chiefs received fresh instructions to restore peace, security and stability across Nigeria.
“In particular, Tinubu had ordered immediate outreach to the political authorities in Plateau, Benue and Borno States, and the defence team had gone round those States to carry out his directives and report back.
“We gave him an update on what has been the case and what is going on, and even when he was out there, before coming back, he was constantly in touch. He was giving directives. He was following developments, and we, in charge of the security, got the opportunity today to come and brief him properly for hours. And it was exhaustive.
“We listened and we took instructions from him. We got new directives. The fact is, Mr. President is insisting and working so hard to ensure that we have peace, security and stability in our country. We gave him an update on what is going on, and we also assured him that work is ongoing and continues.
“We also carried out his instructions. We went round, the chiefs were all out where we had these incidents of insecurity in Plateau State, Benue State, even Borno, these particular three states, and we gave him feedback, because he directed us to go meet with the political authorities there,” the NSA explained.
Ribadu described Tinubu as “worried and concerned,” and said he directed that all security arms be deployed around the clock.
The government, he added, believes these steps have already produced measurable improvements, even if the situation is not yet 100 per cent safe and secure.
“He’s so worried and concerned, he insisted that enough is enough, and we are working and to ensure that we restore peace and security and all of us are there. The armed forces are there, the Civil Police, intelligence communities, they are there.
“They are working there 24 hours, and we feel that we have done enough to believe that we are on the right course, and we’ll be able to be on top of things,” Ribadu stated.
The NSA emphasised that combating insecurity was not solely a Federal Government responsibility.
He stated, “The issue of insecurity often is not just for the government. It involves the subunits. They are the ones who are directly with the people, especially if some of the challenges are more or less bordering on community problems.
“Not entirely everything is that, but of course it also plays a significant role. You need to work with the communities, the local governments, and the governors, especially the governors.
“The President will continue to direct that. We should be doing that, and that’s what we are able to. We are very happy and very satisfied with the instructions and directives given by Mr. President this evening.”
In Borno State, the NSA noted that while violence had surged in recent months, the insurgents refused to accept defeat.
He warned that most recent casualties there resulted from improvised explosive devices—”cowardly” IED attacks targeting civilians—and from opportunistic raids that follow any lull in fighting.
“We are getting the cooperation of the leadership at the state level, and everybody. It’s not 100 per cent…but we are going there.
“When you are having peace and you are beginning to get used to it, if one bad incident happens, you forget the periods that you enjoyed peacefully,” he added.
He paid tribute to the “many who do not sleep, who walk throughout, who do not go for any break or holiday”—the soldiers, police and intelligence officers whose sacrifices have created the fragile calm Nigerians now experience.
“They will continue to be there,” he said, adding, “Things have changed in this country…we are on the right track and we will not relent. We will not sit down; we will not stop until we are able to achieve results.”
A Federal Government agency – the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, has decried the low patronage of Nigerian-made products by Nigerians.
The agency identified some challenges leading to the low patronage of the local products as affordability and public perception, among others.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting organised by the agency in Akure, Ondo State capital, yesterday, the Deputy Director of Engineering at NASENI, Mr Joseph Alasoluyi, said Nigerians preferred buying foreign goods compared to local goods.
Alasoluyi, however disclosed that the agency had trained over 50 participants in the production of hand-made products, in a bid to ensure Nigeria-made products are patronised.
He explained that NASENI was set up to promote science, technology, and engineering as a foundation for Nigeria’s development and currently operates 12 institutes nationwide to achieve its objectives.
According to him, the aim of President Bola Tinubu, who is also the overall chairman of NASENI, was to ensure high production and patronage of “our local products thereby creating employment opportunities for many.”
He said, “The idea of this programme is to interface to ensure we produce products using our indigenous technology. This is what NASENI is out for, to ensure that homegrown technologies are encouraged.
“We are out there to ensure we integrate efforts to ensure that local technology is used to develop products within the resources we have.
“ The NASENI’s ‘3 Cs’ – Creation, Collaboration, and Commercialisation – that define NASENI’s strategic mandate: Creating innovations through research, Collaborating with partners to develop and refine products, and Commercialising these solutions to benefit the economy.
“Our achievements include the development of solar irrigation systems, CNG conversion centres, building machines capable of producing up to 1,000 blocks per hour, 10-inch tablets, locally made laptops, and electric tricycles (Keke Napep) set for market launch.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Samuel Oluyamo, blamed the Federal Government for not properly funding research in the varsities, also noting that many research outputs were left halfway due to lack of funding and weak linkages between research institutions and industry.
Oluyamo also queried the Federal Government’s commitment to funding research and development, saying many academic innovations remained on the shelve due to a lack of support for commercialisation and poor infrastructure.
“Until we upscale research into mass production, technological growth will remain elusive. The government is not funding research in the universities enough. Thank God for TETfund that is trying in this regime. The major interest in beefing up research in universities and research institutions is really not there,” he said.
The Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha, has said that Nigeria is in advanced discussions with JP Morgan to re-enter the Government Bond Index and renew investors’ confidence.
Oniha disclosed this on Wednesday at a Nigerian Investors’ Forum on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.
The DMO boss explained that Nigeria has enjoyed favourable credit assessment among rating agencies in recent times on the back of the sweeping reforms initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Fitch Ratings recently upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings of seven Nigerian banks and two bank holding companies to ‘B’ from ‘B-‘, noting that the outlooks are Stable.
The affected issuers are Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Limited, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, First HoldCo Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Fidelity Bank Plc and Bank of Industry Limited.
The upgrades of the Long-Term IDRs of the banks followed the recent sovereign upgrade and reflect Fitch’s view that Nigeria’s sovereign credit profile has become less of a constraint on the issuers’ standalone creditworthiness, the rating agency said.
Fitch also upgraded Nigeria’s Long-Term IDRs to ‘B’ from ‘B-‘ on 11 April, a decision that reflected increased confidence in the government’s broad commitment to policy reforms implemented since its move to orthodox economic policies in June 2023, including exchange rate liberalisation, monetary policy tightening and steps to end deficit monetisation and remove fuel subsidies.
“These have improved policy coherence and credibility and reduced economic distortions and near-term risks to macroeconomic stability, enhancing resilience in the context of persistent domestic challenges and heightened external risks,” Fitch said.
Nigeria was removed from the JP Morgan index in 2015 ostensibly due to its deviation from orthodox monetary policies and influence of capital control in its management of foreign exchange.
Principally due to reduction in oil revenues at the time, Nigeria introduced currency restrictions to defend the naira after it failed to halt a dangerous slide with burning of dollar reserves. The bank had earlier warned Nigeria to restore liquidity to its currency market in a way that allowed foreign investors tracking the index to conduct transactions with minimal hurdles.
“Foreign investors who track the GBI-EM series continue to face challenges and uncertainty while transacting in the naira due to the lack of a fully functional two-way FX market and limited transparency,” the bank said in a 2015 note.
Nigeria was listed in JP Morgan’s emerging government bond index in October 2012, after the Central Bank removed a requirement that foreign investors hold government bonds for a minimum of one year before exiting.
The JP Morgan Government Bond Index reflects investor confidence and opens doors to billions of investment flows, making Nigeria’s proposed re-entry a positive signal to the market and investors.
Oniha explained that talks with JP Morgan were ongoing and had gained momentum in recent times due to the stability created by the FX market reforms.
“With all the reforms that have taken place, particularly around FX, we have started engaging JP Morgan again to get back into the index. We think we are eligible now,” the DMO DG said.