Once again, President Jonathan did not disappoint as he amazed Nigerians with his relentless comic fight against corruption, leaving no modicum of doubt that he is nowhere close to tackling the ‘cancer’. His bizarre decisions and actions accentuating his lacklustre combat against graft to new horizons.
This time around, it was the appointment of Chief Tony Anenih, chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the new chairman of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), one of the most lucrative agency outside the oil and gas industry and one that has served as an agency of choice for PDP leaders since 1999.

The ineptitude and cluelessness of the PDP and Jonathan led administration came to the fore as the septuagenarian returned to the honey pot he occupied for few years without any impact. In awe Nigerians were made to wonder if there is anything he left behind at the nation’s doorway of commerce and industry that he intends to pick up. Or How else can we describe this open show of PDPs shamelessness considering that a former NPA chairman and PDP deputy national leader, Chief Olabode George, not long ago completed his jail term in connection with funds he stole while at the helm of the NPA board. This was the height of comic mesmerism capable of making even lucifer laugh himself to a jerk. Of recent Nigerian memory is the fact that Chief Tony Anenih once served as the Minister of Works of which he misappropriated funds to the tune of N300 billion meant for road construction and reconstruction.

Mr Jonathan has raised the ante to appoint him as the new NPA Boss as part of his Machiavellian tactics towards self succession in 2015. Obliviously, Jonathan failed to realise that Anenih has since lost the sobriquet of ‘Mr fix it’, his political prowess is dwindling and deeming as we can recall that not too long ago Pa Anenih, as the ageing politician should now be addressed, served as the godfather of the trounced PDP candidates in the Anambra and Edo States gubernatorial polls, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo and Maj. General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) .

From the inception of the fourth republic in 1999, PDP has been known for its penchant for celebrating failures, hence, the emergence of Tony Anenih as Nigeria’s minister of works during Obasanjo’s tenure came as no surprise. Till today, the Nation’s highways, like the Lagos-Ibadan , East-West and Benin-Ore roads remain death traps. He left the roads worse than he met them. To him, pillaging state funds meant for road construction became his full time calling. So much was his fleece that till today a good number of the roads have remained in deplorable condition.

In the PDP, their cunning ability to recycle mediocrity has seen Pa Anenih metamorphose from Board of Trustees chairman to minister of the federal republic, then NPA chairman in 2009 and now chairman of the NPA again in 2012. His 2009 role as the Chairman of the NPA was an indirect appointment as Late President Yar’Adua’s second term ‘campaign manager’.

The same strategy is the record Jonathan seem to be playing. Anenih’s indictment during his time at the Ministry of Works without prosecution and conviction reinforces the public belief that some individuals are above the law. To succinctly put, “the anti-corruption law and war in Nigeria is like a cobweb. It is strong to catch the weak but very weak to catch the strong”. This action validates the school of thought that the prosecution of Bode George was a smokescreen, he was only a victim of high level political scheming.

The man that has been deployed to the prime government agency to superintend the activities of the NPA, should remember that it is the same post that landed Chief Bode George in Kirikiri Maximum Security
Prison.

Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole buttressed this point during his heated face-off with Anenih prior to the July gubernatorial election in Edo state, stating that it was ominous that the last bus stop on the highway to Kirikiri Prison is the NPA chairmanship!

Severally, Mr Jonathan, has demonstrated his willingness to condescend to this base level to ridicule his administration already bedeviled with sleaze, profligacy, impunity and other concomitant effects of corruption.

A leeway to self-succession in 2015 must have necessitated the NPA appointment. The PDP must also be playing out a script to wriggle itself out of the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairmanship tussle. Pa Anenih’s juicy post as NPA Boss, will help to divest his interest in the BoT race, giving room for the emergence of former President Obasanjo’s anointed candidate. This arrangement is the grand political game plan of the Jonathan administration towards the 2015 elections. Anenih as the Boss of the NPA would ensure he embezzles enough cash and be in high spirit of ‘fixation’ when the 2015 elections comes around.

The recycling of the old brigade of PDP politicians that have milked the country dry over the years, by the Jonathan government and the PDP at such a time in Nigeria’s history, is another indication that Mr Jonathan lacks the will power to bring Nigeria out of the wood. Mr Jonathan should be aware that
Nigerians have given up on any hope of restoration let alone transformation from his administration.

He has shown to Nigerians in different shades that is it business as usual with his PDP cahoots. For a man who ran a campaign with a subterfuge that he walked without shoes as a boy, promising zero tolerance for corruption, ‘fresh air’ and El dorado to turn his back on Nigerians barely two years into his tenure is not fit to be considered for a second term.

Jonathan’s tenure will readily go into Nigeria’s history books at the end of his four years as one of Nigeria’s most corrupt administration if the plethora of reports, investigation and other indices available is a yardstick. Well meaning Nigerians would rather wish 2015 can fast-forward to save us from this leadership plunge.

President Jonathan has shown from this despicable appointment of Tony Anenih as NPA Chairman that his is in Aso Rock to perpetuate sleaze, entrench impunity and sustain the legacy of waste bequeathed to him by his predecessors. It is a cinch that corruption has come to stay in his administration.

As 2015 beckons, Nigerians must be vigilant and vote wisely.

General Andrew Azazi, Nigeria’s former NSA and Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State died in a plane crash a week ago raising concerns over the safety of President Goodluck Jonathan. Those who removed Gen Azazi from the way can remove any other person including the sitting president. Therefore, it is time for the feasters and revellers in Aso Rock to jettison all corrupt tendencies and face squarely the business of providing good governance, backed by equity and justice so that when the enemies of democracy tries the Azazi experiment on them, the hand of God will provide the missing safety link. This article earlier published in February this year under the title ‘Boko Haram: How Safe is President Goodluck’ is still relevant today in the face of the suspicious elimination of Azazi .

The embattled and fleeing former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva,once described Nigeria’s President Goodluck as a lameduck and even threathened to snuff life out of his Ijaw kinsman. Many Nigerians though not particularly fans of Sylva’s governorship style, will not fault his remarks. The Boko Haram creating problems in Nigeria is the same group which late president Yar’adua hunted, killed and fragmented when they reared their head in Borno State. Though weak and infirm, late Yar’adua couldn’t tolerate this now all powerful monster. The Boko Haram foot soldiers dared not ply their trades in other states of the federation while he was alive. They restricted their murmurings to Borno axis. Now Boko Haram is even making attempts to strike at Nsukka and environs.

How did we come to this stage? Presidential lameduckism or appropriately put, presidential timidity is the major problem. The PDP branch of Boko Haram which I prefer to call the PDP Boko Haram are growing restless each day especially with the arrest of most of their contacts and leaders. Their fear is that the more the foot soldiers are arrested the more likely their secret will be exposed. Their second problem is that the lame duck president can react if pushed to the wall. The Sylva experiment is a serious case study. Their third headache is that the president once desperate for dialogue is now slowly approaching the matter. Their calculation is that they will use the option of negotiating with Boko Haram members on the behalf of the north to equally clear their tracks. The cautious approach to the dialogue issue by the presidency is causing psychological irritations to some members of the PDP Boko Haram.

President Goodluck should be careful of his personal safety. This growing irritation and desperation could result in extremist attacks on the life of the nation’s number one citizen. These desperate ones finished off MKO Abiola with the most perfect alibi, in front of international visitors. They equally finished off Tunde Idiagbon, Nigeria’s former Chief of General Staff. They equally planned to arrange accidents for Obasanjo if he attempts tenure elongation. If they could finish these people without effort then they could do anything.

These PDP Boko Haram members can buy up anybody they want to buy including President Goodluck’s cook, advisers, and inner confidants. They bought Henry Okah , President Goodluck’s brother to throw Bomb at the Eagle Square during Nigeria’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. If they could buy Henry Okah , the chief spokesman of the Niger Delta struggle, then they can buy up any other militant or military officer who has ambiguous tendencies. They have stolen enough billions of dollars to buy up anybody. They can buy and are still buying security information from and around the State House.

General Aguiyi Ironsi did not know when his security system was jeopardized until he was dragged and murdered by forces led by Danjuma in 1966. Surrounding himself with competent persons is very necessary as well as proper counter intelligence. President Goodluck needs to bring in anybody from any part of the country whose loyalty and professionalism is proven. In the dying days or Yar’adua regime, General Aliyu Gusau was brought back to help the presidency regain control of the security apparatus when it was obvious that Major General Sarki Muktar then National Security Adviser was playing sentiments with the nation’s security and has contempt for Goodluck, then the Acting President. The presence of General Gusau helped to open up the security space and equally in concert with other checks and balances averted what would have been a coup de tat the day Yar’adua was flown in from Saudi.

Nigerians are frustrated that the president seems to be carrying on the art of governance with the same business as usual indifference of past regime while their living conditions continue to deteriorate. The profligacy of government functionaries is equally disheartening. This does not however suggest that Nigerians want the PDP branch of Boko Haram to serve President Gooddluck the same dish they served Aguiyi Ironsi.

Kenya and Somalia have called on the UN Security Council to extend the mandate of African Union mission forces in Somalia (Amisom) to sustain the road to stability.

On Friday, the two governments said Amisom has already contributed to Somalia’s pursuit of peace and that
it would be important to for the forces to continue staying in Somalia much longer.
President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya met his Somali counterpart Hassan Mohamoud, whom he had invited, in Nairobi upon which they released a joint communiqué calling on the Council to empower the AU forces.

The ten-point statement said the two leaders had “held wide ranging consultations on various issues” but specifically emphasised on the importance of security and peace in Somalia as key to the economic growth of the East African region.

“The two leaders noted with appreciation the role of Amisom in liberating Somalia from Al-Shabaab militants,” the statement delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Ongeri said in part.

“They called on the UN Security Council to consider favourably the extension of the mandate of Amisom (African Union Mission in Somalia) so that it can continue helping in the consolidation of peace and security in Somalia.”

The authority of Amisom forces to which the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is enjoined is set to expire on March 7, 2013.

UNSC provided the forces with the mandate to help rebuild Somalia, long bruised by the two-decade civil war.

The Council extended the mandate for Amisom in November for four months instead of the expected for 12, meaning Amisom would run out of authority to combat militia group, Al-Shabaab, by March 7, next year.

At the time, UNSC argued it needed time to allow for a review of operations by the Forces that included considering whether to lift an arms embargo and resumption of stocks of charcoal in the newly liberated Kismayu.

The combined African Union mission consists of over 17,600 peacekeepers that are helping the Mogadishu government to fight rebels in Somalia
The country recently voted in a national assembly for the first time in 20 years and elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud to re-stitch the tattered country.

At State House in Nairobi, President Mohamoud paid a glowing tribute to Kenya’s role in helping stabilise Mogadishu.

He was also clear as to what position he takes on the presence of KDF in his country.
“Somalia has received unwavering support from Kenya especially through sending military forces to fight the threat of Al-shabaab and hosting of Somalia refugees,” he said.

“Right now, we are moving from chaos to peace and stability. We are working to have a Somalia that is at peace with itself.”

The two leaders also said they “acknowledged” the situation of refugees living in camps and said they would work on modalities with the international community to return them to Somalia.

It is not clear when the refugees, whom they admitted were living in “crowded” conditions, would finally be taken back home.

But they announced to start working on it as soon as possible.
Source: Daily Nation Kenya

Fair skinned Nollywood actress Nkiru Sylvanus and former Mr. Nigeria Kenneth Okolie who were kidnapped, Monday, in Owerri have been released, Thursday night, by their captors.

Nkiru and Kenneth were both kidnapped at 2.30pm close to the famous Concord Hotel, Owerri. The kidnappers had then contacted family and some friends of Nkiru to demand N100m as ransom. But barely hours after an open letter was written to the IG of Police on the matter by concerned friends of the kidnap victims, their release was eventually secured.

As at the time of filling this report, it is uncertain if any ransom was paid.

Source: Vangurad

The Abia state chapter of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) has called on the Ngwa people to unite and ensure that it produces the next governor of the state in 2015.

In a chat with 247ureports.com in Aba, the state chairman, Mr Jude Chukwu, said the organization was planning workshops in the 17 local government areas of the state, to sensitize the electorate and political parties on their civic responsibilities ahead of the 2015 elections.

He disclosed that the workshop, titled “You Can Change It if You Want’’, was aimed at wooing the political parties in the state to adopt persons from Ngwa extraction for the governorship position in 2015.

Chukwu maintained that old Bende in Abia North senatorial district had had a shot at the Abia Government House since the return to civilian rule, more than other zones in the state.

According to him, Ngwaland in Abia Central and South senatorial districts, with nine local government councils out of 19, is yet to produce a governor of the state.

“We are going to carry out a house to house campaign after the workshops, to achieve this objective ahead of the 2015 general elections. We are not doing these for monetary gains.

“But we thought it is right for equity and justice for Ngwaland, with the commercial city of Aba, to produce the next governor of the state,’’ he stated.

Chukwu advised the Ngwa people against misusing the opportunity by resorting to monetary gains stressing that power is not given but taken.

The renewed emphasis on post-graduate studies by universities has raised hope that the nation is coming to terms with the importance of research in the transformation of the socio-economic landscape as being championed by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration.

Only recently, the University of Ibadan, an institution that prides itself as Nigeria’s premier university, graduated a total of 3,277 candidates with higher degree certificates. Of this number, 262 are PhD holders; 16 were awarded Masters’ in Philosophy; 43 bagged Masters’ in Public Health; 2,246 bagged Academic Masters’ Degrees; 494 received Professional Masters’ degrees, while 216 received post-graduate Diplomas.

With this number and others from universities across the country, the rank of researchers in the country has swelled and with the deployment of their knowledge to solve problems in public and private sectors of the economy, the nation is bound to gain optimally.

While this renewed emphasis on post-graduate education is commendable in view of the critical role that research plays in nation-building, not a few have decried poor funding of universities, insisting that this has to be reversed for these institutions to deliver on their mandate, including production of quality post-graduate candidates.

Recently, Federal Government disclosed that it has set aside N3 billion for research in Nigerian universities, but many insist that the amount is inadequate to enable universities improve on their records.
Decrying poor funding of universities, Chief Wole Olanipekun, Pro-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, said there is the need for better funding of all universities in the country if they were to be better players in the provision of tertiary education.

Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria spoke during the University of Ibadan 2012 Convocation and 64th Foundation Day ceremonies, held at the International Conference Centre of the institution recently.
“Nigerian Universities have been lagging behind for quite some time now; bluntly but respectfully put, the University of Ibadan is being under-funded. I align myself to the plea for adequate funding of our universities. It is also my passionate plea to government at various levels in this country to properly fund education”.

Also, admitting that funding for post-graduate education/research is poor, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Consultant, FM & T Consulting, Dr. Chris Asoluka, called on government as well as private sector organizations to upgrade their funding to enable universities produce better researchers.
“The present level of funding for post-graduate education/research by government is inadequate and this should be addressed in view of the critical role that research plays in nation-building. Also, the private sector should seek ways of funding research in varsities. Varsities on their own should also find ways of being more resourceful. That does not mean commercialization of university degrees. They don’t need to award degrees to attract support from individuals/corporate organizations,” he said.

On role of post-graduate education in national development, Asoluka who was among the 262 PhD holders recently graduated by University of Ibadan during the2012 Convocation and 64th Foundation Day ceremonies of the institution asserted that “there can’t be national development without thinking, without research. It is said that if a nation/individual fails to plan, such a nation or individual has already planned to fail. Things are not as easy as they appear and there are levels of interruption. This is the role that research, post-graduate education plays in national development. It provides the platform/basis for sustainable development”.

He noted that a country that will move forward must place emphasis on research, adding that post-graduate education is the platform for such forward movement.

In his words: “We must interrogate the old practice. New problems will arise and when they arise, they must be investigated. As the new problems arise, you also have contemporary experience which you can draw from. All these things require enormous research. So, research is extremely important. Without research, a nation suffers atrophy. Nation-building and research go hand in hand.

“So, in terms of nation-building, no country develops without research. How could the world have developed to the present level without research? So, if a nation does not place emphasis on research, it means that it is satisfied with decay. I don’t see any nation or even firm doing well without research; and the factory for research is the university.

However, Asoluka challenged university authorities across the country to find ways of encouraging academics who are in corporate world to join on their faculties to beef it up, admitting that it is the only panacea for students to get the best of theory and practice which will place them in better stead to compete in life.

“Academics who are knowledgeable in theory and practice but working in the private sector or outside the academia should be encouraged to come in from time to time to train students,” he counseled.
While agreeing that there have been some innovations to improve funding of university education by Federal Government through the Educational Trust Fund established in 1995 and the series of intervention fund by the Federal Government, Dr. Emmanuel Remi Aiyede, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, insisted that the funds have remained inadequate. He said beside funds, there are other challenges that are yet to be addressed.
On relevance of Post-graduate education to nation-building, Dr. Aiyede, said it provides the skill levels and problem solving abilities that enables individual to be a productive in the contemporary knowledge economy.

He noted however that for Nigerian university and post-graduate education to be central to development, they must be tailored to the needs of society. “For Nigerian universities to play effective role in shoring up the country’s competitiveness and act as catalysts of development, they need to become centres of innovation and produce graduates with entrepreneurial mind-sets. They must move away from being degree certificate awarding institutions to become real centres of innovation and enterprise. They must be able to raise the students’ awareness and motivate students to identify and exploit opportunities, train students on how to set up a business and manage its growth. They must provide the innovative ideas and inventions that add value to production”.

Suggesting what can be done to enhance post-graduate education, Dr. Aiyede, who is also the Coordinator, Leadership and Governance Programme, Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, urged the Ministry of Education to define the problems of post-graduate education in relation to the needs of the economy and society, and promote innovations and partnerships that will help fulfill these needs.

He called on universities to partner with private sector organizations in revising and refocusing their curricula.

“There is need for private sector support in upgrading the quality of teaching, learning and research in our universities. This can be done by forging and deepening partnership in teaching, funding of research projects, establishing endowments as well as making demands on universities to fill skills gap in industry,” he stated.

Contributing, Dr. Ayo Adetunji, a Microbiologist with a research institute in Oyo State, said that for the renewed emphasis on post-graduate studies to be sustained, greater funding from government is required to upgrade facilities in universities as well as attract requisite staff.

His words: “Emphasis on post-graduate education by institutions in the country is a step in the right direction as it provides foundation for transformation of the economy and can only be sustained to the extent that government supports these institutions by way of improved funding particularly for research purposes. The funding should be channeled towards upgrade of facilities as well as recruitment and remuneration of requisite academics”.

Though he lauded Federal Government for earmarking N3 billion for research in universities in the country, however insisted that the amount falls short of what is needed for universities to improve their capacity of producing researchers that will stand the test of time.

“I commended Federal Government for setting aside N3 billion for research in our universities but still this amount is grossly inadequate if these universities are to produce world class researchers. So, while one appreciates this gesture as it shows that the government has come to terms with the importance of research in nation-building which post-graduate education provides, I would still make case for increased funding,” he said.

Mr. Anenih will chair the board of the NPA

President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday appointed controversial Edo politician, Tony Anenih, as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

The appointment was announced in a statement late Thursday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim.

The statement also contained the list of appointed board members for the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

But of all the appointments, none is as controversial as Mr. Anenih’s.

Anenih for NPA

Mr. Anenih has held several positions in government including ministerial appointments.

However, the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees is best remembered for his role as the Minister of Works, a position he held under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Mr. Anenih was indicted by a National Assembly Committee for mismanaging over N300 billion that accrued to the Works Ministry during his tenure as minister. His tenure as works minister saw no major road in the country repaired or constructed. The Lagos- Ibadan Expressway, and the Benin-Ore Expressway were in deplorable states during Mr. Anenih’s tenure as minister.

The President’s decision to appoint Mr. Anenih as NPA board chair also shows the lucrative state of the agency.

NPA and Bode George

The NPA is considered one of the most lucrative agencies outside of the oil and gas industry.

It has also served as agency of choice for PDP leaders since 1999.

A former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Bode George, once held the position now given to Mr. Anenih.

Mr. George was eventually convicted of contract splitting of billions of naira while he served on the NPA board. He served a two-year jail term.

The lucrative post is now Mr. Anenih’s.

PDP BOT position

It is also not clear if Mr. Anenih’s appointment is the president’s way of diverting his interest from the PDP Board of Trustees Chairmanship position for which he is angling.

Mr. Anenih was believed to be Mr. Jonathan’s choice for the post while former President Olusegun Obasanjo supports the candidacy of Ahmadu Ali, former PDP chairman. The PDP had to postpone its election for the BOT chairmanship position to 2013 when the party elders could not agree on a consensus candidate.

With Mr. Anenih’s NPA appointment, it may just be that he has let go of the BOT post.

The NPA Board Chairmanship position may just be a good enough replacement for the Edo politician.

Source: Premium times