Government

Debate on Second Term for Buhari Disgusting – Soyinka

Published

7 years ago

September 12, 2017

Debate on Second Term for Buhari Disgusting

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Monday, in Lagos, expressed disgust with emerging debates on re-election by some politicians in the country.

Some northern governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress and some allies of President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday backed the President for a second term.

The declaration came on the heels of the open declaration of support of the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan for the presidential bid of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who the minister declared as “our president in 2019”.

But the renowned playwright is not amused by the debates going on in the country on the political permutations ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Soyinka noted that the current administration had barely gone halfway, wondering why people were already planning to fill political positions.

The Nobel laureate spoke with some journalists after a press briefing to unveil the second batch of students departing Nigeria for Lebanon on Tuesday for the Study Abroad In Lebanon programme by The Cedars Institute, Lebanon, in collaboration with The Wole Soyinka Foundation.

When asked a question on the current debate about a second term for Buhari and if he would endorse the President for a second term, Soyinka stated, “Why are we talking about second term for heaven’s sake? I don’t understand this. I refuse to be part of that discussion. I absolutely refuse to be part of the discussion.’’

On performance of the current administration, the revered writer said there were “yawning gaps”, noting that an average Nigerian was now less secure than he was few years ago.

He said, “Take simple security for instance. The average citizen feels less secure now than he did a few years ago; that is evident. When people talk about state police, there are reasons for it. When they talk about bringing policing right down to the community level, they know what they are talking about. This is also part and parcel of reconstruction or reconfiguration.

“The economy, there is a big question about it right now. Fortunately, everybody admits that we went through a very bad patch. Right now, it is a question of have we come out of it or not or there is no question at all.

“The past few years have been years of real internal economic disaster for the average citizen.’’

He, however, said there was a question of who was responsible for the agony the nation was plunged into in the last two years.

Besides, Soyinka said people shouldn’t allow themselves to be put off by those who tried to cheapen the word “restructuring”.

The renowned playwright stated, “Like I said when I visited the Women Arise (For Change Initiative) the other day, it doesn’t matter by what name you call it. We all know what we are talking about. We all know that this nation was deconstructed and that what we live in right now as a nation is not along a structure that expresses the true will of Nigerians.

“So, when people use words like ‘restructuring, reconfiguring or call it reconfiguration, return to status quo, or call it reformulating the protocols of our association or used a single word like restructuring, it doesn’t matter. Everybody knows what we are talking about. That is number one.

“Also, there are those who try to divert the attention away from the main issue by mouthing platitudes, clichés like it is the mind that needs restructuring. You know those I am referring to.

“This is a constant process—restructuring the mind. It is both an individual exercise as well as a theological exercise. People go to church and mosque to have their minds restructured. They go to school and extramural classes to have their minds restructured. Restructuring the mind is not the issue.

“Nobody is saying that the exercise of restructuring the mind should not be undertaken; it should be undertaken. Anybody who indulges in self-examination is already engaging in an exercise of mental and attitudinal reconstruction. We know that. People shouldn’t try to substitute one for the other.

“I find it very dishonest and cheap time-serving, trivialising the issue when I hear expressions like ‘it is the mind that needs to be restructured.’ Who is arguing or denying that? Why bring it up? Why is it a substitute?

“We are talking about the protocols of association of the constitutive parts of a nation. We are talking of decentralisation. That is another word. This country is over-centralised.

“Are you saying we cannot reconstruct the mind and reconstruct the nation at the same time? Call it by whatever name. We are saying that this nation is long overdue for reconfiguring. That is the expression I choose to use now.’’

Soyinka, who also commented on Buhari’s position that Nigeria’s unity was settled and not negotiable in the President’s speech after returning from his medical trip to the UK, said he had heard the expression often.

He added, “I don’t know why people bother. Again, that is another deploy for sidetracking the issue. Nobody is talking about disuniting Nigeria.

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Samed Olukoya

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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Government

Peter Obi Slams Tinubu Over Double National Grid Collapse, Calls for Urgent Power Sector Reforms

Published

2 days ago

October 16, 2024

Bassey Marshall

The Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has berated President Bola Tinubu’s government after the country’s national grid collapsed twice in less than 24 hours.

The former Anambra State Governor reacted via a lengthy statement on his official X handle on Tuesday, October 15.

Obi blamed the persistent collapse on the failure of leadership and the policies implemented by the federal government.

He called for urgent and comprehensive reforms, saying Nigerians deserve a government that prioritizes measurable indices of development

He said, “For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

“This recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels. How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive society?

“This latest power grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that have consistently failed to prioritize the welfare and economic well-being of the people.

“We all know the immense importance of power supply to the transformation of our economy. Its support to SMEs, which are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is immeasurable.

“Today, we are the fourth largest economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis, which is critical when compared to smaller economies.

“South Africa, which is now the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of about $400 billion and 30% of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Secondly, Egypt, the second largest economy with a GDP of about $350 billion and half of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts.

“Algeria, the third largest economy, with about 300B GDP and 20% of our population, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Nigeria, with less GDP but with more population than the 3 countries combined, generates and distributes less than 10,000 megawatts, and even that is riddled with frequent collapses and crises of failure.

“This disparity in power generation is a reflection of the deep-rooted governance deficit that continue to hold back our growth and potential. It is time for urgent, comprehensive reform. Nigerians deserve a government that prioritizes measurable indices of development.”

Investors King reported that the national grid partially collapsed on Tuesday morning, marking the second collapse in less than 24 hours after the first collapse on Monday.

Government

INEC Begins Security Training Ahead of Ondo Governorship Election

Published

3 days ago

October 15, 2024

Bassey Marshall

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a three-day training session for security personnel as part of preparations for the upcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State.

Investors King reports that the electoral body is scheduled to conduct the election on November 16

During the opening of the training in Akure, the state capital on Monday the National Commissioner and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Prof Abdullahi Zuru, said the training was opened for security officers from various agencies including the state police command, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Airforce, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Customs Service.

Zuru revealed that off-cycle elections in Nigeria pose more challenges compared to general elections.

He, however, said there is a need for continuous collaboration between INEC and security agencies to tackle the prevailing challenges effectively.

He said, “It is pertinent to remind ourselves that off-cycle elections in Nigeria are inherently more challenging than general elections because it allows political actors to concentrate their human and material resources to circumvent the electoral process.

“So, the INEC and security agencies must continuously enhance collaboration to ensure that the vote of every voter counts and the people of Ondo State decide who governs them through the ballot box.

“This training is, therefore, an opportunity for the commission to further enhance synergy between INEC and the security agencies, and ultimately ensure that a tranquil electoral environment is provided for deployment of electoral materials, equipment and personnel as well as peaceful movement of voters.”

Meanwhile, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign flag-off in Ondo West Local Government Area on Saturday, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced an increase in the minimum wage for civil servants in the state.

Aiyedatiwa, who is running for office under the APC platform, reaffirmed his commitment to improving the welfare of civil servants and urged residents and citizens to come out in large numbers and vote for him.

Government

Enugu Government Gives Reasons For Imposing Tax on Dead Bodies

Published

4 days ago

October 14, 2024

Ugwoke Ogbodo

Company Income Tax (CIT) - Investors King

The Enugu State Government has given reasons for its decision to impose a tax on corpses in mortuaries across the state.

The government said its decision was not driven by the need to generate revenue.

Executive Chairman, Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), Mr Emmanuel Nnamani, made this clarification while reacting to the Mortuary Tax circular addressed to all morticians in the state.

Nnamani said imposing the tax was inline with the state Mortuary Tax Law which had existed for years, adding that it was not new to the state.

He further clarified that the mortuary tax was N40 daily only as against N40,000.

Nnamani stated that it is an indirect tax paid by mortuary owners, not deceased family and it is just N40, not N40,000.

He added that since its introduction, nobody has been denied burying their dead ones, adding that if the corpse stays in the mortuary for 100 days, the mortuary is expected to pay the state a sum of N4,000.

“The tax is not meant to generate revenue but to discourage people from taking their dead ones to the mortuary all the time,” he stressed.

According to the circular, ESIRS, in line with the provisions of Section 34 of the Birth, Deaths and Burials Law Cap 15 Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004, approved the implementation of the Mortuary tax.

The law partly reads, “The sum of N40.00 only is to be paid by owners of a corpse once it was not buried within twenty-four hours. The amount continues to count daily.

“Kindly ensure that owners of corpses make the payments before collection of the corpses for burial and then remit the same to the ESIRS in any commercial bank under the mortuary tax in Enugu State IGR Account.”