Kaduna Govt imposes 24-hour curfew on troubled communities (PremiumTimes)
The Kaduna State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kwaru and Ungwan Yero, two communities affected by violence. This extends the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew earlier imposed on the neighboring communities in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The government, in a statement by Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, said the decision was taken after a review of the security situation in the communities. Read more
PDP urges police to come clear on Fani Kayode’s invitation (Vanguard)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Nigeria Police to come out clear on the ‘fact-finding’ invitation extended to Former Aviation Minister, Femi, Fani Kayode, to appear on Tuesday for “alleged conspiracy, criminal defamation and inciting publication.” In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said said while it is not against any lawful step by the police in carrying out its duties, that “the police must ensure that it is not being used by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in its desperate quest to muzzle free speech and subjugate Nigerians, particularly the opposition, ahead of the 2019 general election.” Read more
Okowa’s aides, 5,000 others dump PDP for APC (Punch)
Two Special Assistants to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and over 5,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state have defected to the All Progressives Congress. The defectors who vowed to team up with other APC leaders to “rescue the state from the grips of the PDP,” accused the administration of Okowa of “lacking the foresight to develop the state.” Read more
Presidential primary, restructuring as hurdles before PDP (Guardian)
Seven months to next year’s general election, indications have emerged that two crucial huddles are facing the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). How to organise a free, fair and credible presidential primary appears to be the most crucial challenge to the internal cohesion and stability of the party as it prepares for the 2019 election. Most of the many presidential aspirants in the party have promised to play in a team spirit and support whoever emerges as the standard bearer. Read more
Al Mustapha and Nigeria’s spiralling security (ThisDay)
President Muhammadu Buhari recently met with service and security chiefs to review the precarious security situation in the country. It was the first and only official function of Buhari before he left Abuja for Daura, his hometown, for the Eid-el-Kabir holidays, an obvious attestation to the importance the president attaches to national security. At the end of the meeting the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, and the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (rtd), said the president has asked them to step up their game. Olonisakin said Buhari asked them to “step up our game,” to ensure that the nation is safe and people go about their daily activities in a very safe manner. On his part, the Minister of Defence said the meeting looked critically at the “worrisome report” from the North-east part of the country and took “an absolute decision.’’ Read more
Gridlock holds passengers hostage for 72 hours in Kogi (guardian)
It was a harrowing experience for motorists and passengers along the Lagos-Okene-Lokoja-Abuja road as heavy gridlock held them hostage for almost 72 hours at the weekend.Consequently, motorcyclists in Okene made some brisk business as many of the passengers in commercial vehicles disembarked to patronise them. The motorcyclists were seen meandering through available spaces to take them to the nearest point where they could board another vehicle to continue their journeys. The gridlock, which stretched to about six milometers from the Federal College of Education (FCE) Okene to Total Filling Station and another six kilometers from Itakpe to the FCE, was caused by the deplorable condition of the road. Read more
What does democracy offer Imo people? (Sun)
Kofi Annan: Activist who led the UN (Sun)
The United Nations (UN) means different things to different people depending on the perspective from which you are looking at it. An observer in the Western developed society would certainly see the UN as a forum in which their beloved country plays a big brother role and is beyond reproach. But an African from whichever schools of thought would most likely see the United Nations as an organization that has played not too much of constructive roles to right the many self-inflicted wrongs afflicting much of Africa. These diametrically opposed worldviews are not withstanding the time tested fact that the United Nations has existed for nearly half of a century and more. Read more
Sambo and the 2019 presidential poll (Sun)
Again, there appears to be a deliberate ploy to make the coming general elections in Nigeria less about issues and developments. There are distractions in the polity as pedestrian politics takes the centre stage ahead of 2019. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s elections have developed a notorious reputation for shying away from constructive interrogation of problems besetting the country, including seeking probable solutions to them. In addition to this troubling and re-emerging sign, the quality and antecedents of presidential aspirants on parade, so far, are still less than satisfactory – and this could, partly, be responsible for the unimpressive quality of engagement with the people. Read more
Fayemi’s ex-aide joins National Assembly race in Ekiti (Guardian)
To Samir Amin, a personal tribute (Guardian)
The year 1982 began with a revolutionary upheaval in Ghana: a group of young and radical military officers – some retired, others still in service – appeared to have seized power! It soon became clear, however, that what took place – or was taking place – in Accra was not a classical military coup d’etat, but a popular armed uprising led by a loose assemblage of Leftist groups and individuals, military and civilian. Appeals went out from Accra for revolutionary solidarity. Favourable responses came from across Africa – including Nigeria – and beyond. In particular, at least one response came from Calabar. My spouse and I had just been re-instated as lecturers in the University of Calabar (UNICAL) after a forced absence of about three years. The Calabar Group of Socialists was vibrant. So was the Democratic Action Committee (DACOM), also based in Calabar. The Left in Calabar was in the strongest period of its post-Civil War history. Meetings and consultations were held and I left for Accra, Ghana. I entered the country as a “journalist.” Read more
Mobile money and banking awareness initiatives (ThisDay)
Despite the rapid growth in many other emerging markets and the high penetration rate of mobile phones in Nigeria (60.4% of Nigerian adults), the uptake and awareness of mobile money and agent banking have been persistently low at 1% and 16% respectively according to the EFInA Access to Financial Services in Nigeria 2016 Survey. Mobile money is an obvious channel for Nigerians at the bottom of the pyramid to use as they adopt financial services for the first time. Up to 25 mobile money operators (MMOs) have been licensed since the launch of mobile money service in Nigeria in 2009. Despite this large number of MMOs, high mobile phone and SIM card ownership, mobile money uptake and usage is still low in Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued the guidelines for agent banking and agent banking relationships in Nigeria in 2013; and the operating framework for super agent in 2015 in its bid to deepen the uptake of mobile money and agent banking products. Read more
‘Economic diversification is not quick fix, but gradual, steady’ (Guardian)
Dahiru-Umar: We are Intensifying Efforts on States’ Adoption of Contributory Pension Scheme (ThisDay)
The Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) which replaced the Defined Benefit System of pension payment in Nigeria is now 14 years in operation. But many Nigerians are yet to fully understand its workings and benefits. In this interview with Ebere Nwoji, the Acting Director General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs Aisha Dahiru-Umar, bares her mind on the workings of the scheme. She also spoke about other initiatives introduced by the commission. Excerpts: Read more